If your pooch is pregnant, you likely want to do everything possible to ensure a healthy pregnancy and healthy puppies. In the first stages of pregnancy, puppies develop slowly, so the mother won't need any extra nutrients, according to the Pet Place website. However, the puppies begin growing very quickly during the last few weeks of pregnancy, placing a big demand on the mother's nutrients and energy. Thus, this is the time when added vitamins can come in handy.
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B12
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B12 may help create puppies who are better equipped physiologically to handle stress, according to The Vitamin And Supplement Guide. Ribofavin, the common name of Vitamin B12, is necessary for proper development, a healthy coat, heart and eyes, notes the Dog (spired) website. A deficiency in this important vitamin can result in birth defects in the puppies. Talk to your vet about how much is appropriate for your pregnant dog.
Folic Acid
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Folic acid is commonly recommended for pregnant dogs. In humans, folic acid plays an important role in preventing neural tube defects, so many people think that giving folic acid to pregnant dogs will accomplish the same thing. However, this condition is very rarely seen in dogs, so the risk of neural tube defects in the puppies developing in the womb is minuscule to start with. However, if you want to be on the safe side, supplementing folic acid will not hurt your dog. Your vet will be able to tell you how much is appropriate.
Calcium
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Common sense may tell you that your pregnant pooch needs more calcium than normal. After all, the developing puppies' bone structures are growing, and mom will soon need to nourish them with her milk. However, pregnant dogs only require a very slight increase in the amounts of calcium they take in, according to the Pet Wave website. Additionally, giving a pregnant dog too much calcium can drastically increase her chances of experiencing preeclampsia, a dangerous medical condition resulting from very low blood calcium levels after birth. Thus, unless your dog's diet is already deficient in calcium, supplementing her diet with calcium tablets may not be a good idea. Talk to your vet about whether calcium is necessary at all, and if so, in what amounts.
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