She Just Wont Eat

Question
QUESTION: Hi Joyce,

My dog is VERY pregnant but not about to give birth we had no clue she was pregnant until she started showing so she wasn't getting the  nutrition she needed. She will not eat wet or dry food only people food its very strange. She is just not getting enough nutrition from  table scraps. She is very thin to be as pregnant as she is and we don't know exactly what to do please help. We cant afford to feed her all the meat in our house!!! By the way she is a boxer if that helps?
Signed,
Meagan

ANSWER: Hi Meagan

Table scaps are better than nothing but you may want to get her on raw.

Beef heart, kidney, liver, hamburger served raw, supplemented with vitamins and fish oil may increase her appetite.  Chicken and wild game are also good meat sources.

She can have everything BUT onions, chocolate and raisins (or grapes).  As long as it's in moderation potatoes, rice, pasta will help put weight on.  But remember calicum, a all food foritifer and oils are essential.

Good luck

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: What about tuna and salmon i know its full of protein and good for humans but i wasn't sure about my dog.

ANSWER: In moderation and not raw -- tuna and salmon can carry traces of mercury.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Okay well she just had her puppies and shes having a hard time allowing them to nurse and she is very shaky kinda like shes shivering but shes not cold we don't know how to help her or what to do.

Answer
I thought you said she wasn't due soon -- this would explain the not eating.

How many pups did she have?  Did she expell all the placenta's?  I'm assuming you didn't do x-ray's so you don't know how many to expect. But did she expel her afterbirth. Do you think she has any left inside?

The importance of having her completely cleaned out can't be stressed enough.  If she does not get rid of all the afterbirth, pups and placenta's infection can set in rapidly.  A shot of oxytocin is what she needs.