A Goofy Question - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Wylie's Mom · 10-01-2008, 07:54 AM

Forgive me for asking this, but I've always wondered about it. When I was a little girl, I was given a kitten - I named him Boots. At the time, we had the most gentle, wonderful black lab named Tara. She had never had a litter of pups, but was extremely loving, maternal, and gentle to all creatures - just a really special dog.

Anyway, when we got Boots - Tara started lactating and Boots, the cat, started nursing off of Tara! I have pictures (film camera pictures, not digital) of it and everything, it's the cutest thing (and bizarre too). Somehow, Tara thought Boots was her baby - and we couldn't get them to stop nursing. We were also becoming worried bc Boots' tongue was so rough and was beginning to irritate Tara's nipples - and I remember that Tara's vet told us to put Tabasco on Tara's nipple (ouch!) to get Boots to stop nursing. I don't remember how we eventually got this all to stop, it was so long ago - but obviously we did. But, from then on - I think they always thought they were Mom/Son, lol!

My question is - how on earth did it even happen physiologically? How did Tara just start producing milk like that?

Gypsy & Me · 10-01-2008, 08:05 AM

Good question... I'm interested to see the answer... and maybe some pictures.

Breezeaway · 10-01-2008, 08:23 AM

Don't know how it happens but it does. Every time Tally had a litter of pups Tessa would go crazy wanting the puppies. On the first litter, One day we went to town and when we came back Tessa was in with the pups. OMG she was crazy over those pups, so we gave her one for a few hours at a time each day rotating, in just a few days she had MILK!!!! so we split the litter and let her raise part. Ever since then she has always raised half of the puppies Tally has because you just cannot keep her away. The puppies that Tessa let nurse were always fatter. It is just amazing the mother instinct in some animals. Tessa is always happy as a kid in a candy store with those pups.

fannie · 10-01-2008, 08:28 AM

I have a good friend that her dog is nursing a kitten. She's also never been bred but through nursing, it brought in milk.

I've also had a mama goat raise a baby lamb. That was pretty cute.

bchgirl · 10-01-2008, 08:32 AM

Be cause she didn't want that baby drinking....cow's milk.

Okay....here's really why. The suckling kitten stimulated her into producing milk. It's that simple.

A dog we had...thought a kitten we'd gotten was her baby. She carried Alex everywhere. Let him nurse...and even went so far as to "clean" up his poop (eat it...) I told her...she didn't need to be that good a mother.

Wylie's Mom · 10-01-2008, 08:33 AM

Wow, this is interesting!! It's amazing how dogs can do this....I wonder how it happens.

That was such a cute story about Tessa - how she just MUST have some of those puppies for herself - such a Momma!

Wylie's Mom · 10-01-2008, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bchgirl

The suckling kitten stimulated her into producing milk. It's that simple.

So, even though a "birth" didn't happen, you think the correct hormones were stimulated nonetheless by suckling? Maybe that's it.

Tara also did start eating Bootsie's poo too (ugh, of course)...

chattiesmom · 10-01-2008, 08:37 AM

Ann - I can't answer your question, but I had the same thing happen to me - I had an Irish Setter who nursed a kitten - the funny thing is the kitten was fully weaned and Mandy would lay down and lick the kitten and push it towards her belly until the little ball of fluff figured it out and started sucking. It didn't take long for Mandy to produce milk..... Go Figure.....

My big question is how did Mandy KNOW that this member of a completely different species was a baby that needed milk? At that time Many had never had pups - later she did have one litter and was the best mom ever!!

bchgirl · 10-01-2008, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

So, even though a "birth" didn't happen, you think the correct hormones were stimulated nonetheless by suckling? Maybe that's it.

Tara also did start eating Bootsie's poo too (ugh, of course)...

In my professional lalecheleague opinion...yes.

Not all pregnant animals produce milk before the "baby" is born...suckling helps induce the hormone for milk production.

Yeah...the poo part I tried to convince Aggie wasn't necessary.

bchgirl · 10-01-2008, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Breezeaway

Don't know how it happens but it does. Every time Tally had a litter of pups Tessa would go crazy wanting the puppies. On the first litter, One day we went to town and when we came back Tessa was in with the pups. OMG she was crazy over those pups, so we gave her one for a few hours at a time each day rotating, in just a few days she had MILK!!!! so we split the litter and let her raise part. Ever since then she has always raised half of the puppies Tally has because you just cannot keep her away. The puppies that Tessa let nurse were always fatter. It is just amazing the mother instinct in some animals. Tessa is always happy as a kid in a candy store with those pups.

Tessa had a surrogate momma carry her babies.

Wylie's Mom · 10-01-2008, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chattiesmom

Ann - I can't answer your question, but I had the same thing happen to me - I had an Irish Setter who nursed a kitten - the funny thing is the kitten was fully weaned and Mandy would lay down and lick the kitten and push it towards her belly until the little ball of fluff figured it out and started sucking. It didn't take long for Mandy to produce milk..... Go Figure.....

My big question is how did Mandy KNOW that this member of a completely different species was a baby that needed milk? At that time Many had never had pups - later she did have one litter and was the best mom ever!!

That's pretty much EXACTLY what happened! Boots was already weaned too. And Tara had never been a Mom....but there she was, takin' care of business, for another species!

IndianaGirl · 10-01-2008, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

Forgive me for asking this, but I've always wondered about it. When I was a little girl, I was given a kitten - I named him Boots. At the time, we had the most gentle, wonderful black lab named Tara. She had never had a litter of pups, but was extremely loving, maternal, and gentle to all creatures - just a really special dog.

Anyway, when we got Boots - Tara started lactating and Boots, the cat, started nursing off of Tara! I have pictures (film camera pictures, not digital) of it and everything, it's the cutest thing (and bizarre too). Somehow, Tara thought Boots was her baby - and we couldn't get them to stop nursing. We were also becoming worried bc Boots' tongue was so rough and was beginning to irritate Tara's nipples - and I remember that Tara's vet told us to put Tabasco on Tara's nipple (ouch!) to get Boots to stop nursing. I don't remember how we eventually got this all to stop, it was so long ago - but obviously we did. But, from then on - I think they always thought they were Mom/Son, lol!

My question is - how on earth did it even happen physiologically? How did Tara just start producing milk like that?

Dig up those pictures!

Gypsy & Me · 10-01-2008, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bchgirl

Okay....here's really why. The suckling kitten stimulated her into producing milk. It's that simple.

I agree with this... now I've thought about it, a couple of weeks ago I watched a documentary on Breastfeeding and there was a woman who was adopting a new born baby and she really wanted to breastfed the baby. So for a few weeks before the baby was borned she used a pump to stimulate her breasts a little each night and over a period of weeks she began to produce the same amount of milk an actual birth mother would produce for her own baby. This woman had never given birth in her life.

Wylie's Mom · 10-01-2008, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IndianaGirl

Dig up those pictures!

Should I??? Maybe I should!!! I will look in my old albums tonight and see if I can scan them!

wildcard · 10-01-2008, 09:55 AM

I don't know "how" it happens but I have an understanding as to "why"-- in a wild dog pack generally the alpha bitch is the only one to be mated and whelp pups, but she became alpha for a reason-- she is also generally a terrific hunter. The pack needs her hunting skills to thrive, so other females in the pack will lactate so that they can raise the pups while she is out working. Learned this on that In The Womb: Animals National Geographic special from sometime this past year (I bought the video b/c it has 4-D images of puppies in utero). So not too crazy that some, but not all, domesticated dogs do this as well.

I currently have a litter of 6 papillon puppies who are 7 weeks old tomorrow. Weaning to kibble is going well but they still nurse a few times a day. Their mother, the best mom ever LOL, has been regurgitating about .3 of a cup of food about twice a day after she nurses them, this has happened in the last week only. No vomiting at any other time. My theory is that she is unconsciously working to wean the puppies. Isn't mother nature fascinating? Of course I pick it up (usually before the puppies mob it) and try to explain to her that I really don't need the help as their kibble eating is going just fine

10-01-2008, 07:54 AM	#1
Wylie's Mom Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 35,889 Blog Entries: 2	A Goofy Question Forgive me for asking this, but I've always wondered about it. When I was a little girl, I was given a kitten - I named him Boots. At the time, we had the most gentle, wonderful black lab named Tara. She had never had a litter of pups, but was extremely loving, maternal, and gentle to all creatures - just a really special dog. Anyway, when we got Boots - Tara started lactating and Boots, the cat, started nursing off of Tara! I have pictures (film camera pictures, not digital) of it and everything, it's the cutest thing (and bizarre too). Somehow, Tara thought Boots was her baby - and we couldn't get them to stop nursing. We were also becoming worried bc Boots' tongue was so rough and was beginning to irritate Tara's nipples - and I remember that Tara's vet told us to put Tabasco on Tara's nipple (ouch!) to get Boots to stop nursing. I don't remember how we eventually got this all to stop, it was so long ago - but obviously we did. But, from then on - I think they always thought they were Mom/Son, lol! My question is - how on earth did it even happen physiologically? How did Tara just start producing milk like that? __________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann \| Pfeiffer \| Marcel Verdel Purcell \| Wylie \| Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨°

10-01-2008, 08:05 AM	#2
Gypsy & Me lovin my girls Donating Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Nottinghamshire, UK Posts: 9,342	Good question... I'm interested to see the answer... and maybe some pictures. __________________ Vicky - Gypsy, Kayla & Amelia Grace's Mummy Follow Yodi's Adventure! Where In The World Is Yodi? Petitioning For ERFW

10-01-2008, 08:28 AM	#4
fannie Donating YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,693	I have a good friend that her dog is nursing a kitten. She's also never been bred but through nursing, it brought in milk. I've also had a mama goat raise a baby lamb. That was pretty cute. __________________ Steph, Mama to 6 skin babies and beautiful yorkies!

10-01-2008, 08:32 AM	#5
bchgirl Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: at da beach Posts: 15,444 Blog Entries: 2	Be cause she didn't want that baby drinking....cow's milk. Okay....here's really why. The suckling kitten stimulated her into producing milk. It's that simple. A dog we had...thought a kitten we'd gotten was her baby. She carried Alex everywhere. Let him nurse...and even went so far as to "clean" up his poop (eat it...) I told her...she didn't need to be that good a mother. __________________ Deb, Reese, Reggie, Frazier, Libby, Sidney, & Bodie Trace & Ramsey who watch over us www.biewersbythebay.com

10-01-2008, 08:33 AM	#6
Wylie's Mom Furbutts = LOVE Donating Member Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 35,889 Blog Entries: 2	Wow, this is interesting!! It's amazing how dogs can do this....I wonder how it happens. That was such a cute story about Tessa - how she just MUST have some of those puppies for herself - such a Momma! __________________ ~ A friend told me I was delusional. I nearly fell off my unicorn. ~ °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨° Ann \| Pfeiffer \| Marcel Verdel Purcell \| Wylie \| Artie °¨¨¨°ºOº°¨¨¨°

10-01-2008, 08:23 AM	#3
Breezeaway No Longer a Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Wildcat Country(KY) Posts: 2,114 Blog Entries: 26	Don't know how it happens but it does. Every time Tally had a litter of pups Tessa would go crazy wanting the puppies. On the first litter, One day we went to town and when we came back Tessa was in with the pups. OMG she was crazy over those pups, so we gave her one for a few hours at a time each day rotating, in just a few days she had MILK!!!! so we split the litter and let her raise part. Ever since then she has always raised half of the puppies Tally has because you just cannot keep her away. The puppies that Tessa let nurse were always fatter. It is just amazing the mother instinct in some animals. Tessa is always happy as a kid in a candy store with those pups.

10-01-2008, 08:37 AM	#8
chattiesmom Donating YT 10K Club Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 17,674	Ann - I can't answer your question, but I had the same thing happen to me - I had an Irish Setter who nursed a kitten - the funny thing is the kitten was fully weaned and Mandy would lay down and lick the kitten and push it towards her belly until the little ball of fluff figured it out and started sucking. It didn't take long for Mandy to produce milk..... Go Figure..... My big question is how did Mandy KNOW that this member of a completely different species was a baby that needed milk? At that time Many had never had pups - later she did have one litter and was the best mom ever!! __________________ Silk Step-In Harnesses www.foxypups.etsy.com

10-01-2008, 09:55 AM	#15
wildcard Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Indiana Posts: 236	I don't know "how" it happens but I have an understanding as to "why"-- in a wild dog pack generally the alpha bitch is the only one to be mated and whelp pups, but she became alpha for a reason-- she is also generally a terrific hunter. The pack needs her hunting skills to thrive, so other females in the pack will lactate so that they can raise the pups while she is out working. Learned this on that In The Womb: Animals National Geographic special from sometime this past year (I bought the video b/c it has 4-D images of puppies in utero). So not too crazy that some, but not all, domesticated dogs do this as well. I currently have a litter of 6 papillon puppies who are 7 weeks old tomorrow. Weaning to kibble is going well but they still nurse a few times a day. Their mother, the best mom ever LOL, has been regurgitating about .3 of a cup of food about twice a day after she nurses them, this has happened in the last week only. No vomiting at any other time. My theory is that she is unconsciously working to wean the puppies. Isn't mother nature fascinating? Of course I pick it up (usually before the puppies mob it) and try to explain to her that I really don't need the help as their kibble eating is going just fine