I would just get them eating as soon as you can I've started at 3 weeks before on huge litters also, usually smaller litters are fine and mom keeps up with them. I did have a Lab that started losing her hair I freaked I had never had that happen, I heard about it but never seen it. I took her to the Vet and all they check for skin problems it ending up being the stress of the litter she was a small female 50 lbs and had 12 pups. She did get her hair back but imagine how bad she looked when people came to meet her and the pups. :shock: :shock:
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Thanks!
Yes Maureen Canada is a lab. She's not real tall... about 20", but is normally stocky, around 72 lbs. Right now she's probably edging down toward 65- 67 lbs, so is no where near skinny; but I know for her this is a significant weight loss. She could afford to take off a few pounds, but while she's nursing isn't the time for that.
I'd heard of dogs losing hair from nursing stress too, so decided to counter it as quickly as I can to avoid letting it go too far. She really enjoyed that puppy formula last night, so as long as I can slip the calcium pill in that I think we're going to get it down. The liver she inhales before it hits her bowl. LOL
I just know that when you get this many "dog people" together, you also get a wealth of ideas that can be very helpful, so figured it was worth putting the question out there. I like to make the best use I can of all my resources.
Yes Maureen Canada is a lab. She's not real tall... about 20", but is normally stocky, around 72 lbs. Right now she's probably edging down toward 65- 67 lbs, so is no where near skinny; but I know for her this is a significant weight loss. She could afford to take off a few pounds, but while she's nursing isn't the time for that.
I'd heard of dogs losing hair from nursing stress too, so decided to counter it as quickly as I can to avoid letting it go too far. She really enjoyed that puppy formula last night, so as long as I can slip the calcium pill in that I think we're going to get it down. The liver she inhales before it hits her bowl. LOL
I just know that when you get this many "dog people" together, you also get a wealth of ideas that can be very helpful, so figured it was worth putting the question out there. I like to make the best use I can of all my resources.
have you tried cottage cheese or yogurt as an additional supplement to what you are feeding? normally we start puppy food for the bitch while she is pregnant, I am surprised your vet didnt have you do that but then again you said she is picky so perhaps you tried. All above advice came directly from a reproductive vet specialist and has worked well for us and our big litters.
I start my litters on food at three weeks exactly and its so cute they actually do wonderful! watch out for a glutton puppy I had one once cutest dog but thought he could eat the whole tray on day one! ended up throwing up til the cows came home I actually dont make gruel because my pups have always prefered just soaked puppy food and they seem to learn to eat it better when they can pick it up a little.
Seems extremely early to worm the pups... did you have an outbreak?
(keep in mind overall I am anti medicine)
I start my litters on food at three weeks exactly and its so cute they actually do wonderful! watch out for a glutton puppy I had one once
cutest dog but thought he could eat the whole tray on day one! ended up throwing up til the cows came home I actually dont make gruel because my pups have always prefered just soaked puppy food and they seem to learn to eat it better when they can pick it up a little.Seems extremely early to worm the pups... did you have an outbreak?
(keep in mind overall I am anti medicine
)
Hi Tink! You've just reminded me what to prepare for next week, since I am 6 days behind you! Saw your video...they are so CUTE!
I was thinking.....remember when I put up the post on supplimenting Canadae? I researched and then found a site that listed DO NOT FEED foods.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm ... cleid=1030
Check out about the raw eggs again. Perhaps this could be part of the coat problem?
Then again....I pour baby formula (out of evaperated milk, egg yolks, and karo syrup) over Tuesdays food 2X day. I warm it up and let it soak up a bit. I cook the whites with some butter an give it to her when I make the formula, so some of the egg is actually cooked. I read somewhere that the karo gives the mom a little pick-me up. I also read that mom's have a hard time getting all the calories that they really need and to give some in a fat source such as butter. So far, so good with Tuesday...the puppies are so fat! I do also suppliment her daily w/ calcium, magnesium/ zinc suppliment and what kind of protein she manages to mooch off of me.
here's a fat one for you!!!
I was thinking.....remember when I put up the post on supplimenting Canadae? I researched and then found a site that listed DO NOT FEED foods.
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm ... cleid=1030
Check out about the raw eggs again. Perhaps this could be part of the coat problem?
Then again....I pour baby formula (out of evaperated milk, egg yolks, and karo syrup) over Tuesdays food 2X day. I warm it up and let it soak up a bit. I cook the whites with some butter an give it to her when I make the formula, so some of the egg is actually cooked. I read somewhere that the karo gives the mom a little pick-me up. I also read that mom's have a hard time getting all the calories that they really need and to give some in a fat source such as butter. So far, so good with Tuesday...the puppies are so fat! I do also suppliment her daily w/ calcium, magnesium/ zinc suppliment and what kind of protein she manages to mooch off of me.
here's a fat one for you!!!
Oh Judi, that's the kind of tummies we like to see! LOL
I was just out and fed the babies ground puppy chow soaked soft in warm water with a sprinkle of puppy milk replacement formula on it. It's far more liquid than solid. They all ate their fill and then Canada cleaned up after them.
I quit the raw egg after reading here that it might not be a good thing. So thank you for that.
Canada seems to happy to see the pups eating out of a pan... I don't know if she's glad to be getting some help in that area, or if she's looking forward to cleaning up after them. LOL Maybe a bit of both.
Right now I have 12 puppies contentedly sleeping with round tummies, so all is right in Tinkerdoodle land. :lol:
I was just out and fed the babies ground puppy chow soaked soft in warm water with a sprinkle of puppy milk replacement formula on it. It's far more liquid than solid. They all ate their fill and then Canada cleaned up after them.
I quit the raw egg after reading here that it might not be a good thing. So thank you for that.
Canada seems to happy to see the pups eating out of a pan... I don't know if she's glad to be getting some help in that area, or if she's looking forward to cleaning up after them. LOL Maybe a bit of both.
Right now I have 12 puppies contentedly sleeping with round tummies, so all is right in Tinkerdoodle land. :lol:
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