Lactation

• Poor milk production and whelping porridge recipe

Poor milk production and whelping porridge recipe

Q: What would cause a momma to have colostrum for the first 3 days and no milk after that?  I have a dog with that problem, I don’t know what's up with her or is she just spoiled?

A: It is tough when you have problems with your girl’s ability to nurse her puppies. Colostrum is the first milk for puppies. The greatest importance is in the first 4 hours, as the gut is completely closed by 24hrs. As this time frame from 4 to 24hrs progresses, the ability to absorb immunoglobulins decreases. I have posted a link to a paper on this at the end if you are interested. So, the good news is that your puppies got the important colostrum, but the bad news is that she started drying up, which needs to be addressed. One of the most important things we can do for our new moms is to make sure that they have appropriate calories and have significant amounts of liquid. I have even had to bait the water with chicken or beef stock to encourage them to drink, but you do whatever it takes to get the liquid into them. I have also successfully used Fenugreek, adding a pill or two (depending on the size of the dog) to each meal until the milk increases and your girl smells like maple syrup. Then I gradually back off while watching the milk supply. 

Another trick I have used is one I learned while living in Iceland, which is the use of a Whelping Porridge recipe from my Icelandic breeder friends that I will share. At first, I thought there was no way! Then I started researching why it works. Did you know that oatmeal, specifically steel-cut oats, as in a good “porridge” is good for nursing bitches? Oats are a galactagogue, which increases breast milk production, and they are very healthy for the digestive tract and good roughage after whelping to get their system back on-line. The egg is great protein and other vitamins and amino acids, the calcium is from the milk and yogurt, the molasses or karo for glucose for energy, and this porridge gives you the perfect post-whelp meal. I serve 1⁄4-1/2 cup with each meal. 

So, the next time your bitch whelps try this Whelping Porridge Recipe – 

• 1 cup steel cut oats (not instant, or quick cooking) 
• 2 cups of goats milk or water 
• 1 tbsp karo syrup or molasses 
• 1 raw egg (whisk before adding). 
• Cook over medium heat, cool and add an additional 1 cup of whole milk yogurt or another cup of goats milk.

If you still have problems then I would have you speak to your veterinarian about using other pharma options such as metoclopramide (Reglan), intranasal oxytocin, or domperidone.

Chastant S, Mila H. Passive immune transfer in puppies. Anim Reprod Sci. 2019 Aug;207:162-170. doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2019.06.012. Epub 2019 Jun 13. PMID: 31255495; PMCID: PMC7125514.