Not enough milk...

[tammys]

Sorry this kind of long:

Cassie had her puppies on Saturday. On Sunday night and all Monday she was vomiting and had diarrea, and didn't eat anything. I took her to the vet Monday morning, and she gave her fluids, an anti-nausea shot, and some diarrhea pills for home. She said she might throw up one more time before the shot too effect. Four hours later she had thrown up whatever water she managed to drink - 4 times.

I brought her in again that afternoon for bloodwork and everything looked good (she blood count, sugar,kidney function, calcium, and some other things). She was put on a liquid anti-nausea medication. We have no idea what caused this.

Today she is much better, and I have her on a bland diet, which she is eating well. She is also drinking a lot better, but the damage of not eating/drinking part of Sunday and Monday had a terrible effect on her milk production.

Our little girl is back up to her 5.1 ounce birthweight today, but the little boy is down from his birthweight of 5.2 ounces to 4.4 ounces today. I can feel his little ribs and spine.

We are supplementing, but I think whatever calories we are sneaking in, he is using up fighting the bottle.

I am so scared to weigh him tomorrow, and so very worried about him.

Does anyone have any ideas about how to increase Cassie's milk supply? Or do you know how long it takes once she starts eating/drinking well?

I have great ideas for women, but not for dogs.

Thank you@

[myteddybear]

I have heard that a teaspoon of beer will help milk production. Also can she have puppy milk replacement? I give Honey all she wants and she has about 3-4 bowls a day along with her canned puppy food and cottage cheese that she eats at least 3 sometimes 4 times a day.

I also saw some recipies on the internet for milk supplement that helps milk production. I will look for them again and post here.

I am sorry she had such a rough time. It must be so frustrating that they don't know what caused it.

I would definately make sure to be feeding those puppies regularly until her milk is better.

[tammys]

Originally Posted by myteddybear

I have heard that a teaspoon of beer will help milk production. Also can she have puppy milk replacement? I give Honey all she wants and she has about 3-4 bowls a day along with her canned puppy food and cottage cheese that she eats at least 3 sometimes 4 times a day.

I also saw some recipies on the internet for milk supplement that helps milk production. I will look for them again and post here.

I am sorry she had such a rough time. It must be so frustrating that they don't know what caused it.

I would definately make sure to be feeding those puppies regularly until her milk is better.

Yes, I gave her a little bit of the puppy milk replacement. She looked at me like I was but went ahead and drank it. I only gave her few tablespoons to make she wouldn't throw up. I will offer it to her freely tomorrow.

I will continue offering the bottle at regular feeding schedule, until he catches up.

I swear, for such an easy pregnancy and delivery, this part is so difficult. Our vets uses scissors for the tails (), and Cassie took out the little girls stitch. We brought her back in to the vet today to get some glue, but now she keeps licking that, and it looks like it is coming apart.

That vet will laugh me out of the city when I call for yet one more thing!

Thanks for your help!

[myteddybear]

My vet did it the same exact way and it was a mess! The amount of blood loss after even we brought them home was A LOT! It took me almost an hour to get one of them to stop bleeding, I was so worried about him. I had to tie a "tournaqet" around it for 20 minutes and put quick stop like 3 times before it finally stopped. Honey was all ovr them too but didn't take any stiches out.

Ok I couldn't find it again on the internet but looke through my stuff and found that I had it printed...

Large 4 cup size vanilla pudding
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups milk
4 egg yolks

or

2/3 cup sugar
6 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
4 cups milk or one can evap plus equal part water
4 egg yolks
3 tsp vanilla


They say they have never had it cause nausea

I haven't tried them as I haven't had any problems with milk production.

I think the key is to make sure she gets enough milk replacement and food. Hopefully she is done with her nausea problems and can start picking it up.

Kim

[tammys]

That is terrible! Your poor babies! We didn't have any blood loss that I saw, but they didn't do it in front of me.

I will try more milk replacement tomorrow. Thanks for those recipes! I'm surprised the milk doesn't upset their stomachs.

[bjh]

I use a whelping pad that is made specifically for puppies. It keeps the temperature a steady 100 degrees and I only have half the whelping box covered with the pad.

This time of year in Texas you probably really don't need one. You could use a flannel sheet and the babies would be just fine. It is important to not let the momma get too hot because if the momma is to hot it will effect her milk production.

[Sugar's Mom]

This is the pudding recipe I. only I cut it in half so it won't ruin. My girls love it and I give it once or twice a day.

Large 4 cup size vanilla pudding
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups milk
4 egg yolks


Also somwtimes I give mine a tsp. of dark beer . This they won't lick but you will have to give it to her with a syringe. I found this recommended on Deb Jensen's website. have you gone there? it is a tremendous help for you. Dog Breeding and Canine Reproduction by Debbie Jensen. Dog Breeding and Whelping guide for dog breeders. You will find info about everything you need to know during this time. How is the little boy today?

[bjh]

Ooops, my above answer was for your other post about heating pads. As for the momma not wanting to eat, it is not that unusual for a momma to get diarrhea after having pups, especially if they eat the afterbirth. I also have a product on hand called Diarsanyl that I get from Revival Animal Health Products. It is a paste that I give to the momma right away at the first sign of diarrhea. I also give the momma Nutri-cal. I also hand feed the momma the first few days because they do not like to leave the whelping box.

[tammys]

Originally Posted by bjh

I use a whelping pad that is made specifically for puppies. It keeps the temperature a steady 100 degrees and I only have half the whelping box covered with the pad.

This time of year in Texas you probably really don't need one. You could use a flannel sheet and the babies would be just fine. It is important to not let the momma get too hot because if the momma is to hot it will effect her milk production.

Hmm, heat and milk production- that could definitely be a factor. I lay the heating pad near the front of the box, since she tends to lay in the back area, but you bring up a good point.

Our vet said to consider them cold blooded for a few weeks, and that the only heat they would have would be what I gave them. Our house is kept around 78 during the day and 76 at night.

[tammys]

Originally Posted by bjh

Ooops, my above answer was for your other post about heating pads. As for the momma not wanting to eat, it is not that unusual for a momma to get diarrhea after having pups, especially if they eat the afterbirth. I also have a product on hand called Diarsanyl that I get from Revival Animal Health Products. It is a paste that I give to the momma right away at the first sign of diarrhea. I also give the momma Nutri-cal. I also hand feed the momma the first few days because they do not like to leave the whelping box.

LOL, that happens.

She ate like a horse the day the babies were born, but the next day she didn't eat b/c she was nauseous. I keep wondering if the oxytocin caused the nausea and the placenta caused the diarrhea. She only had one placenta, b/c the other one was retained and the dr. was able to massage it out at the office.


The first two days she couldn't have cared less about that box! On the second night she was sitting on the sofa trying to go to sleep, and they started crying. Her ears perked up, she looked over at them, and promptly put her head back down and tried to sleep! Uhhhhh, no! I just picked her up, told her she needed to buck up and be a good mom! LOL

A few hours later she started throwing up! Poor thing, she must have been feeling terrible. She's a much better mama now, although she has removed both the stitches and the glue from the girl's tail...that's a whole other story!

[tammys]

Originally Posted by Sugar's Mom

This is the pudding recipe I. only I cut it in half so it won't ruin. My girls love it and I give it once or twice a day.

Large 4 cup size vanilla pudding
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups milk
4 egg yolks


Also somwtimes I give mine a tsp. of dark beer . This they won't lick but you will have to give it to her with a syringe. I found this recommended on Deb Jensen's website. have you gone there? it is a tremendous help for you. Dog Breeding and Canine Reproduction by Debbie Jensen. Dog Breeding and Whelping guide for dog breeders. You will find info about everything you need to know during this time. How is the little boy today?

Oh my gosh, that cracks me up! You're the second person to mention beer. I will try anything!

I have been to that site, and it looks like I need to check it out again. Thanks.

He was weighed yesterday at 4:30, and I want to weigh him so badly, but I'm wondering if I should just wait 24 hours. I'm a nervous wreck to see what his weight is.

[Sugar's Mom]

Originally Posted by tammys

Oh my gosh, that cracks me up! You're the second person to mention beer. I will try anything!

I have been to that site, and it looks like I need to check it out again. Thanks.

He was weighed yesterday at 4:30, and I want to weigh him so badly, but I'm wondering if I should just wait 24 hours. I'm a nervous wreck to see what his weight is.

i normally don't drink beer or anything alcoholic BUT on whelping day, I make sure I have a bottle of dark beer on hand. Immediately after whelping, I give mama her part then I drink the rest to settle my nerves down. No joke!!!!! Also, I weigh my puppies three times a day the first two weeks, then go to twice a day. Most breeders do this about weighing.

[myteddybear]

Are you feeding him every 2 hours? I would put him on mommy yourself every two hours and let him suckle as long as he wants then afterwards supplement with replacement until you see her milk has come in. If she is not nauseaus any more I would feed and milk her at least 4 times today with good portions.

[tammys]

Originally Posted by Sugar's Mom

i normally don't drink beer or anything alcoholic BUT on whelping day, I make sure I have a bottle of dark beer on hand. Immediately after whelping, I give mama her part then I drink the rest to settle my nerves down. No joke!!!!! Also, I weigh my puppies three times a day the first two weeks, then go to twice a day. Most breeders do this about weighing.

LOL, Yea, I totally understand. I don't drink at all, but I'm thinking I need it at this point. It's constantly one thing or another. Now she has licked the baby girl's tail raw.

I weighed him a little while ago, and he went up from 4.4 oz. to 4.6 oz!

[tammys]

Originally Posted by myteddybear

Are you feeding him every 2 hours? I would put him on mommy yourself every two hours and let him suckle as long as he wants then afterwards supplement with replacement until you see her milk has come in. If she is not nauseaus any more I would feed and milk her at least 4 times today with good portions.

I have to do it the opposite way, b/c he really doesn't want the bottle. If I let him nurse first, he falls asleep and doesn't want the bottle. So I offer it to him, then I put him on mom, and he nurses some more.

Early this morning, I gave her a few oz. of replacement milk, and she did well, so a few hours later I made her some baby rice cereal with the formula. The a few hours after that I offered her some puppy food, and she has eaten everything I gave her. Yesterday at 4:30 or so he weighed 4.4 oz, and today around 11:00 a.m. he weighed 4.6 oz.