Bitch with milk
- Thread starter LuckyB
- Start date
deerstalker.308
Well-Known Member
Why is she away from the pups?
Is She invalid in some way?
Put her back with the pups and let them suckle.
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Why have you separated the mother from the new litter? Unless there's a very strong medical reason they need to be together soonest in the interests of both bitch and pups.
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Ahah! From your OP I thought they were newborn!
The new mother will indeed give her all to feed the pups - usually to her own detriment but do bear the following advice in mind.
“Pregnant bitches and bitches with young puppies should be wormed frequently. We recommend that bitches should be wormed before mating, after the first 45 days of pregnancy and after giving birth. They should then be wormed with their pups at 2, 5 and 8 weeks and after weaning.”.
Good luck - a wonderful time for all.
Are you worried about eclampsia?
Bo Diddley
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the clarification. To be fair, you did say in your initial post that your bitch "has just had 10 pups", so it's hardly surprising that some of the replies expressed concern about the way you were going about things.
She's done them well by the looks of things.
Brilliant we have to go out each night for cuddles and come back shreddedLuvly! I dare not show this to Lady FB - do not answer the doorbell!
A litter that size really does knock a bitch about. Limiting their access is reasonable but just be very careful to monitor her for mastitis (swelling pain or heat in any glands) agree with @Foxyboy43, if you have not wormed her recently then I would suggest doing so. If you have wormed her and she is still losing condition then standard advice would be to get her checked over by your chosen Veterinary highwayman!
Fulfilling the milk demand of that many pups will take very good nutrition or else she will "milk off her back" as she appears to be doing. Check the protein and fat levels in the diet. Bitches may need up to 3x their normal intake to satisfy lactation requirements at a month whelped and with a big litter this may be more! You may find she simply doesnt want to eat the volume of her normal food she needs and you need to increase the nutritional density of the diet to enable her to physically eat the amount she needs. If you absolutelty can't get her to maintain/gain weight, even with a diet change, then Galastop treatment is an option but this should only be considered after a discussion with your vet.
On a non nutritional point, get your nail trimmers out!! Their little feet by this age might as well have razor blades on, they can really irritate the bitches skin as they "kneed" while suckling.
Fulfilling the milk demand of that many pups will take very good nutrition or else she will "milk off her back" as she appears to be doing. Check the protein and fat levels in the diet. Bitches may need up to 3x their normal intake to satisfy lactation requirements at a month whelped and with a big litter this may be more! You may find she simply doesnt want to eat the volume of her normal food she needs and you need to increase the nutritional density of the diet to enable her to physically eat the amount she needs. If you absolutelty can't get her to maintain/gain weight, even with a diet change, then Galastop treatment is an option but this should only be considered after a discussion with your vet.
On a non nutritional point, get your nail trimmers out!! Their little feet by this age might as well have razor blades on, they can really irritate the bitches skin as they "kneed" while suckling.
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