[donnajprout@aol.com]

Our field ESS is approximately 45 days pregnant (6 weeks). Her normal weight I 48 lbs – very active dog. She was getting 2 cups of Merrick Grain Free Chicken-Sweet Potato dry split between AM and PM. We have upped it to 3 cups a day this past week She is getting very hungry and I know I have to increase her intake.

What is the difference between Kcal and calories? According to vet textbooks she should be eating about 1800kcal calories a day at this stage, and up to 3300 kcal at time of whelping

This is her (our) first litter so we need all the answers we can get

[theBCnut]

Kcal is the proper term for what we call calories. At the end of pregnancy and during lactation, she may need double what you usually feed, some dogs need even more than that. Watch her body condition carefully to know when to adjust her food.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Rather than monitoring calories I would free feed her and just watch her body condition – as long as she doesn’t appear to be gaining too much weight free feeding shouldn’t be an issue. Pregnant/lactating females are one of the few instances in which I think free feeding is preferable.

[Author]

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