Milk.....?

[Joeyman]

My female is just now starting to show milk in her tits. They are starting to sag.

Should I be giving her something to help her produce more milk or should I just leave her be. If so what could I give. Cheese or something like that. I've read on here before about cottage cheese but not sure what it was about.

She is due anywhere from Wed-Sat

[oakhill]

Don't give her anything. You don't want alot of milk now as the pups aren't here. Also, calcium will cause the pups to have big bones and will cause problems during whelping. I have dogs not produce any milk until the pups are born. Then is the time to add to the diet and hope she produces the milk.

[Joeyman]

Ok sounds good to me. I knew it was something like that.

So after they are born then If I see not so much milk then try to help out with (What) ? cheese or yogurt ????

I know lots and lots of fresh water. I remember that one.

[Lusaka]

She may not produce hardly any milk for the first few days after whelping. The colostrum is more of a clear color and isn't as abundant as the milk. I wouldn't worry about it too much. If she isn't producing much milk when the pups are around 1 week old you can give her Puppy Milk Replacer. You can get this at Walmart, TSC, ect. This should aid and increase her milk production.

Hope this helps! And have fun with your new brood!

[allniter]

JOEY------the main thing to watch out for is -- the pups are warm and not crying they are doing fine ---getting enough milk and etc.----If the pups start to cry all the time there is something WRONG

[2500 HD]

Another thing to watch for is a quick visual that they are realitivly the same size, meaning 1 isn't falling way behind from the lack of feeding. MOM KNOWS BEST!!!!!! If she rejects a certain pup usually there is a reason. Part of nature.
If mom is extremely week, to the point she struggles to get up, that is a sign of lack of Calcium. Walmart sell calcium tablets give her 1 twice a day for 1/12 to 2 weeks.

I like to warm up chicken broth and poor it over moms food 12-24 hours after she is done birthing, She can't resist the smell, and the extra fat gives her energy. Good Luck.

[S.R.Patch]

I always keep a bottle of Happy Jack Milk-aid in the cabinet. Mix with water and give with food each day a week before due date. Helps milk production and prevent acid milk. I always sprinkle calf or goat powdered milk over the bitches feed when puppies come...

[LR Patch]

I keep a bottle of oxytocin in the refeg. just in case. also use it for sure after the last pup , helps clean out the bitch + helps with milk production.

[oakhill]

You can blow a dog's uterus up if a pup is stuck by using oxytocin.

[LR Patch]

Yes what your saying is true , it must be used with common sence and know your limatation , if you feel thier is a problem to wait go to your vet. But with that being said I know without a xray 1 can't tell if it's the last pup or not , but if you watch your bitch you can generally tell when she's done & I've used this because my vet recomened it and I've never had a problem.

[S.R.Patch]

The bitch must dilate and deliver the first pup. You don't want to try and rush this with Oxy or as Oakhill said, you can cause damage or death to the pups Oxy will restart and strengthen the contractions when a bitch is letting up or not contracting enough to move the pup through the birth canal. It's best to let nature take it's course, some bitches spit them right out and others have a more stop and go nature about them. If a pup is at the pelvic bone and has been for a while and the bitch is not making progress, I check to see if pup is turned or what the hold up is...one time, I had a pup that was coming and had it's head turned back over it's shoulder at the pelvic bone. There was no way the pup could get through the way it was positioned so I lubed up my finger with mineral oil and worked the head forward into position to come out. The bitch had wore herself down trying to pass this pup, so i gave her a 1/2 cc of oxy and within 5 minutes she had the pup out and was spitting out another, this turned pup had the whole works stopped and the others were just waiting to come out.
You have to know something of what's going on before you use oxy, had I used oxy with out getting the stuck pup in the right position, I may have lost the bitch and the whole litter.
Oxy is a good "tool" to use at the "right" time. Will help clean out a bitch and shrink the uterus back down, will not make milk but cause the bitch to release or let down all milk she's made.

[caddis]

At this point you seem in a bigger hurry than her. .lol. Look up on the internet some of the questions. Type in dogs whelping in google and you will be amazed what you find. Do your homework, talk to your vet. The first feeding after the pups are born is of most importance. It has colostrum which passes on the antibodies from the mother to the pups. As has been said on here it is clear in color. It will be that way for at least the first 24 hours. It is vitally important to make sure every pup gets his or her share directly after they are born after mom is done cleaning them. Her milk will come in on time. If not contact YOUR VET!
You can buy milk replacers or supplements to encourage her to produce.
Another substitute for oxy is tums pill. She probably wont eat it so give it to her down her throat. This replaces calcium that she loses from the puppies. It also stimulates her delivery. It is much safer than oxy, but is vitally important to be used AT THE Right Time. You do have to know what you are doing and when to give it. Wouldn't recommend it to you being your first litter.
The main thing that has been said several times is let nature take its course. Give her a chance and periodically check her. I have a feeling looking at your posts and many questions that you will be hovering over her. Leave her alone to a degree that she is comfortable having them . You yourself can actually delay or create problems by constantly trying to do for her. This is nature, so let it run its course. As I mentioned , read all you can find, it will keep you occupied. LOL.
Good Luck with the pups, and breath

[TC]

At this point you seem in a bigger hurry than her. .lol. Look up on the internet some of the questions. Type in dogs whelping in google and you will be amazed what you find. Do your homework, talk to your vet. The first feeding after the pups are born is of most importance. It has colostrum which passes on the antibodies from the mother to the pups. As has been said on here it is clear in color. It will be that way for at least the first 24 hours. It is vitally important to make sure every pup gets his or her share directly after they are born after mom is done cleaning them. Her milk will come in on time. If not contact YOUR VET!
You can buy milk replacers or supplements to encourage her to produce.
Another substitute for oxy is tums pill. She probably wont eat it so give it to her down her throat. This replaces calcium that she loses from the puppies. It also stimulates her delivery. It is much safer than oxy, but is vitally important to be used AT THE Right Time. You do have to know what you are doing and when to give it. Wouldn't recommend it to you being your first litter.
The main thing that has been said several times is let nature take its course. Give her a chance and periodically check her. I have a feeling looking at your posts and many questions that you will be hovering over her. Leave her alone to a degree that she is comfortable having them . You yourself can actually delay or create problems by constantly trying to do for her. This is nature, so let it run its course. As I mentioned , read all you can find, it will keep you occupied. LOL.
Good Luck with the pups, and breath

DANG Good post right there!!!!!!
Sometimes WE as Over caring Owners CAUSE more problems Than We Solve......
Lots Of Experienced Hound owners On this Board Joey Any Problems We are there just give us a Call Sometimes just A person to talk you through Whats Going on Can help..
We Are Always Callin Sally With the What do ya Think? What can We Do Sorta Questions!!!
Like I said if ya Run into Problems or are not Sure Whats Goin on Give us a Call We can Try and help.
TC & JC
270-273-5532

BIGGEST THING I CAN STRESS IS HAVE A VET ON CALL!!!!!!!!!

[TheLittleBlackBook]

Some very good posts on the subject here.

I myself caused a uterine rupture through the misuse of oxytocin, many years ago, and I can tell you that being too gung-ho is about an impending litter is almost worse than being apathetic. Oxytocin can be a great tool when used properly, but it can foul everything up if misused. Not only can it cause uterine rupture if a pup is stuck or it is too big, but oxytocin can also cause the reverse of what it's supposed to do, stimulate contractions, and instead cause uterine inertia (no contractions at all), if it is used too much. There is a sensor overload and the bitch will just stop contracting altogether, forcing a c-section.

I have found that a TINY injection of oxytocin is best, maybe 1/10th of a ml, because it stimulates good strong contractions, without any risk of overload ... but again (as suggested) this is only good if you know a pup isn't doubled-up or too big for the opening.

Really, the best advise given is just to leave the bitch alone. They seem to relax and have their pups just fine on their own, but have the most problems with some over-worried bozo (that you would be us as owners ) hovering over them every second. When left alone and simply placed in a comfortable pen, or spacious whelp box, bitches seem to do their best in delivery. Sure, a periodic check every hour won't hurt, just to make sure she's okay and to keep a head count of the pups; but if you're too stressed and are just hovering over your bitch worried she will become that way too.

Regarding the original point, the milk, most bitches do NOT let down any milk until after delivery. Only older bitches, who have had many litters, seem to produce any kind of milk before this time.

The simple truth is the odds are high that your bitch is perfectly normal ... and that the only problem is you being over-anxious and nervous, the classic "father pacing back-n-forth in the delivery room"

I do agree with the advice to have your vet on call, just in case, and try to get a home # if possible ... as most deliveries seem to take place in the wee hours of the night and morning, when vet visits are the most expensive

.

[S.R.Patch]

I see no correlation between Oxytocin and a Tums antacid pill? Maybe Milk-aid and Tums antacid pill ?