Large litter for young mother

Mo MO

Hi All,

My Jack Russell Bitch had her first litter today at lunchtime. 7 Beautiful puppies.

My worry is that she mighnt be able to cope on her own, how do I know if I need to be supplementing them?

They seem to be fine and I am checking them evey 2 hours but I would be afraid that they wouldnt be getting enough from her.

thank you

LucyBliss

Congrats on the new arrivals!

I was worried too about feeding the litter when my dog had pups, but nature is a wonderful thing! Keeping the dam well fed is important both to her well being and to the pups. They say that feeding puppy food will give her the extra nutrients she needs right now but extra portions of her regular food is good too. If she's nourished and baring any other problems with her milk, she will have plenty to provide for her young ones. If any of the pups start to look distressed or there are more whimpers than before, that could be the sign that they're hungry and something is up.

From my experience and what I've read, usually no supplementation is required because the mother is able to adequately provide for her litter. But it's just important to keep her topped up with food so that she is able to take care of her brood.

Just to add, my dog is a terrier cross, a very petite little thing. She had six pups and managed them all admirably, even when she'd be walking across the floor to get a drink of water and there'd be a pup sliding on its back as it latched on firmly to poor Rosie, determined to get its feeding! So that seems about right for your JRT. (Says the complete non-expert).

SophieSakura

Exactly what Lucy said. Give the mother as much food and water as she likes. Give her some puppy food. Hopefully she'll be able to make enough milk.

If they don't seem to be underfed, then no need to supplement them


It's kinda similar to my rabbit who had babies 2 weeks ago. She had six and in the first few days they were a bit thin and dehydrated looking, but I gave the mother more green veg and she started to produce more milk and they're fine now.

I hope the puppies do fine, let us know how they get on, and take photos if you can

TooManyDogs

You could also weigh the pups each day to make sure they're all gaining weight, sometimes a pup can get shoved aside by others and not get the same amount of milk. Make sure they all have full bellies and that the mammy is in good spirits, if she starts being listless or loosing alot of weight bring her straight to the vet, the vet will let you know if you need to supplement the pups. A foster dog I had once had 7 pups too and the mother got eclampsia when they were 5 days old so we had to supplement them. 2 of them wouldnt take the bottle at all so I supplemented the other 5 and just kept an eye on all their weights and they turned into fat little pups! So just keep an eye on everyone and you'll do great

Mo MO

Thanks guys for all your replies. They survived the night after me checking every 2 hours but i feel alot better now knowing she willmsnsge ok. Will keep ye updated. Thanks again

scudzilla

OP, when you say Large litter for Young Mother, how old is she?

magentas

the pups need milk within the first 24hours so buy something like Lactol to have on hand just in case.
Nature should take it's course though, my girl was only about 9months old when she had a litter of 7pups and it was tough on her but she managed everything herself just fine. Their natural instints kick in and it's amazing to watch. Just make sure all the pups get their fair share, watch them when they're feeding, some pups may be more "forceful" than others. If one is shy or weaker, put them at the back of the bitch where she is producing most milk and make sure they get their quota!

It is important for the mother to bond with her pups through suckling too, just keep an eye on them when they're feeding and weigh them regularly.

Congrats and Best of luck with it!:)

dahat

A little tip for ya,the less noise young pups make the happier they are.
If you are hearing the pups squealing for long periods it is likely they aren't getting enough food from mother.If your pups are quiet after feeding they are full!

I had a small JRT bitch have 7 2 years ago and she reared them all well,did not need to intervene.Just watch her if it is her first for future reference,if she fails to bond well with pups it would be advisable not to breed from her again IMO.

A s others have said free feed her for 5 weeks or so with good quality food,puppy food if possible and wean her off the puppy food after 4/5 weeks or so,do this slowly.
Do not worry if she goes off her food for a few days after having the pups as this is quite normal,her appetite will return with avengence very soon.

Good luck with the new arrivals...........pics??

amacachi

Any chance of pics?

Mo MO

scudzilla wrote: »

OP, when you say Large litter for Young Mother, how old is she?

she will be 2 in September. I have an older 15yr old JRT that I have had since childhood who is on his last legs and I wanted a litter from him before I loose him. They are doing great, good and healthy and mum is fantastic, its amazing how she knows what to do being only a puppy herself in my eyes. Im so Proud and as soon as I can I will post pics asap.

Thanks All xx

Mo MO

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Pics off my new puppies

minxie

Gorgeous puppies