Lactation
The puppy has 4 primitive reflexes
At birth, the nervous system of the puppy is still developing; nevertheless, it already has a certain number of reflexes enabling it to survive, the so-called "primary reflexes":
- the burrowing reflex makes him search for the warm parts of his mother's body to snuggle up to it
- the suckling reflex enables him to suckle
- the perineal reflex activates the elimination of urine and stools - the mother stimulates this reflex by vigorously licking her puppies on their belly and under their tail
- the carrying reflex encourages him to stiffen when grabbed at the neck.
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Make sure that the bitch has enough milk and that the puppies suckle on the first day
In the first hour after birth, the puppies should suckle the colostrum - this first milk, rich in maternal antibodies that will protect them against infection.
In order to benefit from the protection provided by this first milk, it is imperative for the puppies to drink it within the first 48 hours of life.
Lack of milk is rare. To be on the safe side, you may check that it flows properly. With clean hands, gently press the middle of the teat with one hand and then pinch the tip of the teat with the other in order to see a drop of colostrum coming through. Its aspect is different to that of milk. It is lighter in colour, thicker and slightly transparent.
Although the puppies may have difficulty in finding the teats, it is not wise to overly intervene for fear of stressing the bitch.
On the other hand, if you see that the mother does not spontaneously push one of her pups towards the teat, you may gently guide him.Very quickly, the puppies come to master matters.
After a few days, the mother will start producing milk instead of colostrum.
In the event of lack of milk or insufficient lactation, the veterinarian will treat and advise accordingly; however, you can plan ahead and prepare to bottle-feed the puppies with adapted reconstituted milk.
BABYDOG MILK, whose composition is very similar to the bitch's own milk, is designed to cover such situations.
Prior to birth, it is always advisable to have an advance tub of maternal milk should lacteal secretion turn out to be insufficient.
Be sure to carefully follow the instructions for use and the recommended hygiene rules.
COW MILK??
Bitch's milk contains high amounts of fat, low amounts of lactose and moderate amounts of protein. Cow's milk and goat's milk, on the other hand, are high in lactose and lower in protein and fat. Some dogs cannot tolerate milk because they do not produce an enzyme called lactase. Lactase helps with the digestion of lactose, which is found in cow milk. After weaning, the level of lactase activity falls to about 10 per cent of its peak activity. In some animals, diarrhea will occur if more lactose is consumed than the pet can digest. This is called "lactose intolerance".
TO KNOW MORE:
motherandpuppies.royalcanin.in /from-nursing-to-weaning/faq-o n-nursing-and-weaning
