Author Topic: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs  (Read 8888 times)

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Offline Amber

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Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« on: February 27, 2013, 03:31:18 AM »
A neighbor of mine (who is never home) has a female dog who just gave birth to a litter of puppies. She is familiar with me and fairly comfortable but I am not going to mess with them while they are this young anyway. From what I could see of the pups (she had them under a shed and I lured her out with cat food) there are at least five. I know my neighbor stops by every morning and feeds her dogs (she and her husband are going through a divorce or something, I think she is staying at a hotel while giving him time to find somewhere else to go before she kicks him out of her house), but I think she feeds whatever is on sale at the grocery store, and the female is extremely thin with signs of muscle wasting, so she may not be feeding enough.

I would like to get some good quality, calorie dense food and start feeding her myself before and after work. I have some ground raw rabbit I am contemplating feeding her, but since she just gave birth, I don't want to stress her digestive system and I don't know if she will even eat it, so I will be sticking to kibble and canned food for the moment. I want to get the food ASAP, so I don't have time to wait for shipping. It needs to be something I can pick up at PetCo on my lunch break tomorrow. I do not have practical experience with a healthy pregnant dog, let alone one in her condition.

I know lactating females need more calories, higher protein, and higher fat, so I think I need to give her "puppy" food. I need suggestions of what to buy her. I also thought about throwing in some high protein/fat cat kibble, but I don't know if this is a good idea.

I am more than a little angry right now, as it is quite literally FREEZING outside. If I could take her home I would, but 1. Dogs aren't allowed inside where I live and 2. I do not want to stress her with the pups being so young. The most I can do ATM is make sure she eats properly and offer her a blanket. I know better than to put it in there with her and the pups so I planned on setting it outside close to her bowl to see if she will drag it under the shed with her or something.

I am open to suggestions.

Offline Pookie

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #1 on: February 27, 2013, 08:42:28 AM »
First of all, you are an ANGEL and a sweetheart to do this.  grouphug

I think dogs can eat cat food, so in her case kitten food would have the higher protein, etc.  For dog food, I'm not sure but I would think something like grain-free canned, and to your point, puppy food would be good.  I can't remember if Petco carries Wellness, but if they do, that might be worth a try.  I think just feeding her more of any wet food, as much as she can eat, would be better than anything, esp. if she can get several meals throughout the day.  Even though dry would probably help fatten her up given the high carb load, I personally would try to feed wet instead, so she's more hydrated.  But it also depends on what you can afford.

If you're local grocery store has chicken hearts/gizzards, that might be worth a try, too.  They're really cheap, and I suspect she'd probably eat them given her condition.

Good luck, and bless your heart!  grouphug  grouphug
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Offline DeeDee

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #2 on: February 27, 2013, 11:20:45 AM »
Most people I know feed the dam puppy food when they're taking care of puppies b/c puppy foods are higher in calories. I'd to TRY find a grain-free one, but in this case, calories are the most important.

Just go to Petco or Petsmart and ask one of the managers...they usually know which foods have the highest calories, etc for a lactating female. You have to be careful though, b/c they'll lead you to the highest priced items first--that aren't always the best choices! LOL Don't go with a large breed formula either--they usually have less of everything including calories.

You'll have to stand with her while she eats though, or as they age, the puppies will try to steal it, and she'll let them. If the dam isn't getting enough, usually the puppies aren't getting quite enough either. And make sure she's got a BIG bucket of water every day.

You can also try pouring goat's milk on her food. Goat's milk won't upset her stomach, but it adds calories. You can also use canned food to make sure she eats it, but usually canned foods have less calories & protein. She definitely needs protein to keep her muscles from breaking down.

Finicky dogs like Halo Spot's Stew--I know they said the finickiest of dogs eat that--and Barkly WOULD eat it. (Until we went raw, we had problems out of him. I don't always agree with a dog's choices, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.) Like Pookie said, Wellness is a good brand that's also at Petco. My choice of kibble for my brats is Nature's Variety Instinct--and they've got something called Raw Boost for people that don't feed raw.

Pet Food Adviser has these lists of best puppy foods:  http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/best-puppy-foods/best-dry-puppy-foods-5-star/ that you can just print out and take to the store with you if you don't want to ask for help from the store managers.

God bless people like you. Humans DO have angels walking among us.

Oops, I forgot that there's a 4-star list too: http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/best-puppy-foods/best-dry-puppy-foods-4-star/
« Last Edit: February 27, 2013, 11:40:39 AM by DeeDee »
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Offline Amber

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #3 on: February 27, 2013, 01:38:12 PM »
They do carry wellness and I will look for it. Thanks for the food suggestions, I have a neighbor that I can get raw goats milk from to add to her food. We don't have to worry about the pups trying to steal her food just yet, since they were literally born yesterday.

I will do a mix of dry and canned, that way she is getting the calories from the dry food and the moisture from the canned.

I really appreciate the support. I will let you know what food I get my hands on when I get off work tonight and I will keep you updated on mom and babies.

Offline DeeDee

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #4 on: February 27, 2013, 02:31:28 PM »


When it comes time to start supplementing them so that she isn't run down too much anymore, here are photos of Vlad's first meal. He was in a litter of 8, and when litters start getting really big like that, most of the time the mom needs help. At first they were supplemented some with bottles & replacement formula from the vet.

Vlad was whelped on Jan 13th and these photos were taken Jan 31st--just to give you an idea of how soon you can start working with them to keep from depleting her further.

The formula given:



Vlad was the biggest & greediest male puppy, and you can see him as "brown boy" right in the middle of the bowl there. You don't have to worry about cleaning them after, b/c the dam will do it.





"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." Edward Hoagland
"Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog."

Offline Lola

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2013, 03:03:05 AM »
I don't have anything to add, except.... thanks for looking out for them all!!   :-*
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Offline Amber

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #6 on: February 28, 2013, 03:12:44 AM »
I ended up getting her Nature's Variety Instinct dry and Wellness puppy cans. I wasn't able to get the goat milk so I will do it tomorrow (or later today technically, I guess.)

How do I need to do the baby rice/canned food/goat's milk ratios when they get older?


Sad news. We lost one today, a little brindle boy. His hind legs looked... deformed. The body was still in the nest. I pulled him out when I saw he was away from the others and wasn't breathing, thinking maybe I could help, but he was long gone. I removed him and buried him while the mom was eating. I think there are about 5 more under there.

The little boy was extremely small and had underformed hind legs. I don't know if this bodes well for the rest of them, and I can't put my hands on them to examine them yet, but I will do what I can, whether it helps or not.

Offline DeeDee

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #7 on: February 28, 2013, 08:23:04 AM »
Half and half on the meat and rice cereal...then add the goat's milk & blend until it's liquefied--kind of smoothie. I asked and she doesn't have any real recipe for it...it just "looks right." You can see from where it's on some of their paws that it's really no longer solid at all.
"In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semihuman. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog." Edward Hoagland
"Thorns may hurt you, men desert you, sunlight turn to fog; but you're never friendless ever, if you have a dog."

Offline Pookie

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #8 on: February 28, 2013, 09:14:49 AM »
Hi Amber,

The place where you're getting the goat's milk -- would they also give you some hay to help keep puppies warm?  My dad used to breed his beagles, and while there was a blanket available, the mom seemed to prefer making her den in the hay that we had.

Just a thought.  Good luck, and  :-* :-* :-*
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Offline Lola

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2013, 09:56:26 PM »
Amber,
Any updates?   
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Offline Amber

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #10 on: March 04, 2013, 12:20:06 AM »
Got a look at the pups today seven pups left, thankfully, these look fat and healthy. That means she started with nine. Quite a few for a dog that is supposed to weigh maybe 40lbs.

Mom is looking better too. She is still ridiculously skinny but her topline is looking better and her ribs are not QUITE so prominent. Her milk production is good now, she didn't look like she was making enough before.

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #11 on: March 04, 2013, 05:57:23 AM »
 GoodVibes GoodVibes GoodVibes momma and babies

 DrLisaPiersonWorthy DrLisaPiersonWorthy DrLisaPiersonWorthy you

Offline Lola

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #12 on: March 04, 2013, 12:30:29 PM »
Nice to hear good news.  What are your long term plans for the pups?   Bumpurr1
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Offline Amber

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #13 on: March 04, 2013, 09:25:02 PM »
I have one potential home already lined up - provided they get their female pup that they have right now spayed. They want to get her a friend and that is good, they have a kid who loves to play with their current dog, female pup who is about 6 months old now. I also have a plan to get the mom spayed after the pups are weaned and gone to new homes, even if it means I have to dognap her to have it done.

Offline Middle Child

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Re: Lactating Female Nutritional Needs
« Reply #14 on: March 05, 2013, 07:00:08 AM »
 :-*

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