feeding a st bernard at first heat

Question
Hi! this is vijay from India. i have a saint bernard of 8.5 months. Now she is in to her first heat. what should i feed her. can i feed her with milk. till now i'm giving her royal canin gaint junior.

Answer
Hi Vijay from India!

Congratulations on your new puppy.  The food that is important for your dog to eat is puppy food.  When a dog is developing, especially a large boned dog, it's crucial for the nutrition to be balanced.  Therefore, the food must be matched with the age of the dog.  If you deviate from the nutritional balance, your puppy can develop serious risks.

Also, it is best for your dog to spay her.  The more heat a dog goes through, the higher the ratio for cancer and the more aggressive it can be.  Additionally, for every puppy born, there is one less home for a dog on death row.

Your vet should be an active part of your dog's nutrition and she should be examined to be sure that she's growing correctly and will not have problems like hip dysplasia down the road.

Best of luck with your beautiful puppy.

Shelley Davis