That a dog does not want to feed her puppies is a serious problem if these little ones are in their first weeks of life, in which breast milk is essential for her survival. Fortunately, maternal abandonment is not very frequent, however, when it occurs, it usually indicates a he alth problem in the dog.
In this article on our site we are going to review the causes that can cause a dog to abandon her puppies. It is essential that we act quickly, given the fragility of the puppies and the seriousness of the problems that the mother may suffer. If it is not possible for the bitch to feed them again, we will have to breed them artificially. Find out below why your dog doesn't want to feed her puppiesand what to do
Why does my dog no longer want to nurse her puppies?
It is unusual for a female dog to abandon her puppies. If it happens, it is usually due to a he alth problem in the mother. Therefore, it should not be understood that a bitch does not want to feed her puppies, but that she cannot. In this line there are several diseases that we can highlight:
- Acute metritis: This is a uterine infection that usually occurs postpartum. It becomes fatal if it spreads. It causes symptoms such as fever, anorexia, and very foul-smelling vaginal discharge. In this state, the bitch rejects her puppies. She requires urgent veterinary treatment and, in the most serious cases, the litter will have to be reared on artificial milk
- Eclampsia or puerperal paresis: is a condition caused by low levels of calcium in the blood. It appears after childbirth with signs such as restlessness, incoordination, fever, pale mucous membranes and abandonment of the puppies. It is an emergency and it is usually necessary to raise the puppies artificially. If she continues to breastfeed, the bitch will have to take a calcium supplement.
- Acute septic mastitis: In this case, the infection occurs in one or more breasts, which will appear swollen, hot and very painful, which is what leads to maternal abandonment. The milk can take on a different appearance and be a source of rejection by the puppies. It is possible to save lactation by treating the infection.
- No milk in the teats: a bitch with this problem produces milk, but it does not flow properly, so it does not reach to the puppies. It is the veterinarian who must find out the cause, which is usually related to stress or some malformation in the nipple. There are bitches that if they don't have milk the first day they abandon the litter. It can be treated and must be done quickly to restore lactation as soon as possible.
- Insufficient milk production or true agalactia: in this case, the bitch has no milkIt is a very rare disorder, apparently genetic and without a solution. On the other hand, there may be insufficient milk production when the litter is very large. In these cases, it could be solved by improving the dog's diet. If the vet confirms a true agalactia, we have to take care of feeding the puppies.
Finally, we should mention that cesarean birth can affect the bonding between the mother and her puppies. The intervention involved can make it difficult to accept the little ones, leading the bitch to not want to breastfeed the puppies.
My dog doesn't want to feed her one-month-old puppies, is that normal?
Although many people carry out the separation when the puppies are only one month old, the truth is that it is not appropriate. Natural weaning usually occurs around two months, the ideal time to separate the puppies from the mother. Before this time, not only is breastfeeding detrimental, but it also negatively interferes with the socialization process, since it begins precisely with the mother.
Now then, when it is the dog herself who stops feeding her one-month-old puppies, we must think that something is happening to her In these cases, the causes can also be mastitis, eclampsia or insufficient milk production. Again, we must go to the vet
Why does a bitch reject one or all of her puppies?
In addition to the maternal causes that we have mentioned, sometimes the dog does not want to feed her puppies because she notices that there is a problem with them or with one of them. In these cases, the explanation for why the bitch puts away one or more of her puppies is usually due to a birth problem that reduces or even prevents The little one survives more than a few days. They are serious diseases that can cause some malformation incompatible with life.
Other times, the puppy is born he althy, but it contracts some serious ailment In both cases we can perceive that the sick puppy is cold, more small, does not breastfeed, whimpers and, in short, presents a different appearance from his he althy siblings. It may seem cruel to us, but it is simply a display of survival instinct. Of course, we can try to save him by taking him to the vet for a diagnosis. In some cases it is possible to recover it, although it is very likely that we will have to feed it ourselves.
My dog bites her puppies, why does she do it?
As the puppies grow, maternal rejection may have other causes far removed from the pathology. The typical example is when the bitch does not want to feed her puppies once they are 2-3 or more months old. What it is telling us is that it is time for weaning and it is not due, therefore, to any illness in either the mother or the litter. In these cases, moreover, it is common to observe that the bitch leaves her puppies alone because she considers that they should already begin to learn to fend for themselves.
This behavior is not usually appreciated because it is common for the family to be separated, hopefully, at two months of age. But, if we allow the bitch and her pups to continue together while breastfeeding, it is easy to observe these bites and growls that can be directed at the little ones when they try to suckle or pretend to eat from their mother's plate. It is part, therefore, of the important teachings that the bitch transmits to her young and we must not interfere. We should only act if we observe that the dog reacts disproportionately and harms the little ones, although we emphasize that this does not usually happen.
What to do if a bitch doesn't want to nurse her puppies?
First of all, if we find that the dog does not want to feed her puppies, we should go to the vet to determine the cause. We have seen that some are solvable. Otherwise, we will have no choice but to carry out the litter ourselves. To do this, we must turn to a milk specially formulated for dogs that we can find in specialized establishments. It is the only food that can ensure that puppies receive all the nutrients they need. It is marketed in packages with a bottle and sachets to which hot water must be added according to the manufacturer's instructions. For more details, don't miss this article: "How to feed newborn puppies?".
In addition to feeding them frequently, it is very important that, if they are separated from their mother, we always keep them warm During the first weeks of life the puppies cannot regulate their temperature, that is why they acquire the temperature of the place where they are, hence the importance of providing them with heat. They must be calm, they are not toys, and, of course, any sign of problems requires an immediate consultation with the vet.
