Is it okay?

[LaylaMuddy]

As you may or may not know,my (deceased) friend's dog,Awentia,gave birth this morning.She hasn't been eating since she had the puppies.I've tried giving her canned food,her favorite is Drs.Foster & Smith 1/2 Fish & Potatoes 1/2 Lamb & Brown Rice,she wouldn't even eat that.My 1st question is,'Is it safe to put (lukewarm) Puppy Formula over some dry kibble & feed it to her'?
My 2nd question is,'Should I take her into another room away from the puppies while she eats,or would that stress her out too much'?

I have NEVER had this problem with any of my females.So this is why I'm asking.Any help will be greatly accepted & appreciated.

Thank You!

[Renee750il]

Poor Awentia! How long has she been with you now? She may still be grieving, and now has the added emotionals stresses of a new family. Is this her first litter?

I can't see how the puppy formula would hurt in any way, if she likes it and her system will tolerate it; sometimes (not often, though) an adult dog's system won't tolerate milk well. I can't let Bimmer have much of it as it gives him a bellyache. We give our dogs calf milk replacer when they're growing up, and Charley's always given it to his whelping dogs as a dietary supplement and he was extremely successful raising Euro Dobermans for years. At this point, probably anything that would stimulate her to eat is a good thing. You might try some home cooked additions to her food, like chicken, beef hearts, ground turkey, cottage cheese, beef or chicken broth (unsalted) etc.

Her taste may also have undergone a change with all the hormonal upheavals she's going through and it may be that just trying her on the feed your dogs eat will turn the trick.

It certainly won't hurt to try feeding her in another room. If it upsets her all you'll have to do is let her back in with the pups

By the way, just in case you want to check, you can get calf milk replacer at most farm feed stores, co-ops, etc. It's available in either 40 or 50 pound bags (I can't remember exactly how much they weigh), and the price should be between $20 and $30 - much less expensive than puppy formula generally is. I'd stick with the puppy formula for the puppies, but the calf replacer works very well for the older, weaned pups and mother dogs.

Let us know how things go.

[LaylaMuddy]

How long has she been with you now?

About a week now.

Is this her first litter?

Nope this is her 3 or 4th.I'm going to have her spayed after this litter is 8 weeks old.

.....just trying her on the feed your dogs eat will turn the trick

My friends dogs & my dogs already eat the same thing. lol They eat Drs.Foster & Smith Lamb & Brown Rice with a Drs.Foster & Smith Vita-min Tabs Plus & about 3(for females)-4(for males) tsp of Drs.Foster & Smith Vitacoat on top.

[LaylaMuddy]

BTW,Thanks Renee.

[JRT_Rattie_Mom]

I think that is the cutest "puppy piles" I've ever seen! I sure hope mommy gets feeling better soon!

[Renee750il]

Is she eating somewhat normally yet?