Question for the Breeder Police

[fishduck]

Bitch was bred on March 9th. All health clearances, %'s say will have some EIC carrier pups. Both dogs have performance titles and are healthy at 6 and 7 years old. 5 pups already placed if bitch is pregnant. Depending on number of pups will make little or nothing on the litter. Reason for breeding = I want a pup out of this litter and so do others.

My question: Are prenatal vitamins necessary, helpful or beneficial? Or is the puppy food I am currently feeding the bitch sufficient?

I realize my title is inflammatory but you guys are now self named and I did want an answer to my question. I know it will be read.

[roseberry]

forget about the bitch.

land, you lost so much weight since i saw you last you better take the vitamins yourself! come on over and let's eat.......

[fishduck]

You missed the grill Saturday! Because I am too old and fat to be considered a breeding candidate the vitamins won't do me any good. I hear good reviews about the North Alabama training day lunches and may have to try them myself.

It is amazing how much weight you can lose by simply skipping the meat and three at the local cafe. Lunch of fried, fried, carbs, carbs and sugar was turning me into a Sumo wrestler. The one atvantage was the dogs had a big target to find when I tooted my whistle.

[claimsadj]

I want to know who you bred and who you bred to?

[fishduck]

I want to know who you bred and who you bred to?

I must resist this hanging curve ball!!!

I bred Annie to Rascal. Should be absolute marking fanatics if the breeding took. She is getting fat but eating like a pig so I have no faith in that as any indication.

Should I get vitamins or not? The breeding police is on vacation.

[Mark L]

I am by no means the breeding police.... I won't even get started.

I would say that giving her the vitamins would not hurt at all. I know that when Peyton was pregnant, we gave her vitamins as well as mixing in puppy food, and her pups ended up being healthy.

Good Luck.

Mark L.

[fishduck]

Thanks!!!! My googling was giving me every answer conceivable (pun intended). My thoughts were that it couldn't hurt. Now back to our regularly scheduled GDG.

[Dogtrainer4God]

I give vitamins to all my females, generally 2-4 Pet tabs a day, maybe a few raw eggs here and there. Def think it is a great help for the females, wouldn't spend time hesitating (:

[Rainmaker]

Sorry, even the breeding police have other duties besides RTF. I give my dogs fish oil capsules and pregnant bitches get put on puppy food plus I use a supplement called Fido Vite. The real caution I would be wary of is adding any calcium.

[Erin Lynes]

Depends on the vitamin! Too much vit A at a certain point in the pregnancy can put puppies at risk of cleft palette. There are also suggestions that supplementing with calcium during pregnancy can lead to a higher risk of uterine inertia during labor, which means c-section. So, be careful. Folic acid might be something to consider although I don't personally use it as I've been told by a reliable DVM source that it is not necessary if you are feeding a good quality dog food....