Benefits of puppies drinking breast milk

The mother dog can breastfeed her puppies a few hours after giving birth. Female dogs generally have 10 nipples, and fewer have 12 nipples. Generally, they can feed 6 to 7 puppies. If the number exceeds this number, artificial breastfeeding should be considered.
The milk produced by female dogs within 3 to 5 days after giving birth is called colostrum. Its composition is very different from regular milk. It contains higher protein, fat, and rich vitamins. It has a laxative effect and can promote the discharge of meconium. Colostrum has high acidity, which is good for digestion. Almost all the nutrients in colostrum can be absorbed and utilized by puppies, which is extremely beneficial to increasing physical strength and maintaining body temperature.
Generally speaking, puppies can obtain immune protection from colostrum, and then the concentration of maternal antibodies gradually decreases, and is basically gone by the time they are 8 weeks old. Therefore, puppies should be given colostrum as early as possible.

Precautions for puppies to drink breast milk

Female dogs generally automatically know the time and frequency of nursing puppies without human intervention. However, some dogs with little milk or poor maternal performance should pay attention to their lactation conditions when raising them.
Generally, puppies should be fed more than 5 times a day. When the puppies are half a month old, it can be reduced to 4 times a day. In about 1 month, the female dog will vomit some of the food that has been initially chewed. Giving food to puppies is an important step towards independent living. If it is found that the female dog cannot do this, artificial supplementary feeding must be carried out.

How to feed lactating dogs

1. After the female dog gives birth, the delivery room should be cleaned promptly to remove dirt and stillbirths. The female dog’s vulva, tail, breasts and other parts should be washed with lukewarm water. Wash with soap and wipe clean.
2. During the lactation period, the female dog must secrete a sufficient amount of milk every day, so the amount of food and the frequency of feeding should be gradually increased to enhance nutrition.
3. Wipe the puppy’s anus with soft tissue paper before and after feeding to encourage defecation. After the puppies are weaned, it is still necessary to strengthen the feeding and management of the mother dog so that the mother dog can recover quickly.