Partipaws Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Hello just wondering what I should make of the following? Puppies are 3 weeks old and are healthy, growing fast and always full bellied - mum has been doing a great job for the past three weeks! Over the last couple of days I have been wondering if the milk is drying up? pups seem to be fighting for milk and seem unsatisfied! So have been topping them up with biolac! I have just noticed today that the pups faces - around the mouth - after a feed is stained with diluted blood and milk (its not a lot but it is noticeable on the white faces)?? I have never heard of this before! My girl has at one point had a lump develop in one of her breasts but that was during the first week and I managed to massage it out while applying cool and warm packs on there and have not had any problems or signs of mastitis since? There are no signs now of lumps, nor any redness or swelling or feeling hot?? I am awaiting my vet to call back, but thought I would ask the question here in the mean time! Thank you in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partipaws Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share Posted December 28, 2009 also I have thought of teething and possibly drawing blood at the nipple - no visible signs of cuts etc on nipples - and checked pups teeth development - can see some slight signs of the teeth budding - but thats all?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EISHUND Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I'm not sure what is wrong in your circumstances, but I find with my pups, they do tend to get a bit of staining around their mouths from suckling. A sort of dirty pink/red colour. Hopefully that's what it is with yours too. Keep us updated, hope all is well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aziah Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I'm not sure what is wrong in your circumstances, but I find with my pups, they do tend to get a bit of staining around their mouths from suckling. A sort of dirty pink/red colour. Hopefully that's what it is with yours too. Keep us updated, hope all is well. I was just thinking the same as LMWS - could you take a photo to show us? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellz Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 At 3 weeks there is no earthly reason why you cannot begin supplementing them with solid food. Instead of topping them up with Biolac (essentially expensive and really not that necessary at this age), offer them some solids. Start with some very fine mince and put it on your fingertip and offer it to them. If they take it without question, move onto pink slushies and you'll find that they will be happier and so will your bitch. 3 weeks is such a rapid growth period that even if you don't want to, often you HAVE TO start introducing solids, if only for the sake of your peace and sanity and that of the dam as well. I'm not saying that I'm right, but my Stafford puppies are 5 weeks old now and have been eating solids since 3 weeks, albeit between good long mummy drinks. Now, that they are largely "independent" and spending more time playing and outdoors in the puppy pen there, they still get drinks from mum a few times per day (at my insistence not hers) and she sleeps with them at night so they can drink ad lib, but they're also just as likely to be found slurping at fresh water and whinging at me to give them "real" food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partipaws Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share Posted December 28, 2009 yes thats exactly what it sounds like - dirty pinkish colour!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partipaws Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share Posted December 28, 2009 At 3 weeks there is no earthly reason why you cannot begin supplementing them with solid food. Instead of topping them up with Biolac (essentially expensive and really not that necessary at this age), offer them some solids.Start with some very fine mince and put it on your fingertip and offer it to them. If they take it without question, move onto pink slushies and you'll find that they will be happier and so will your bitch. 3 weeks is such a rapid growth period that even if you don't want to, often you HAVE TO start introducing solids, if only for the sake of your peace and sanity and that of the dam as well. I'm not saying that I'm right, but my Stafford puppies are 5 weeks old now and have been eating solids since 3 weeks, albeit between good long mummy drinks. Now, that they are largely "independent" and spending more time playing and outdoors in the puppy pen there, they still get drinks from mum a few times per day (at my insistence not hers) and she sleeps with them at night so they can drink ad lib, but they're also just as likely to be found slurping at fresh water and whinging at me to give them "real" food. Thank you Ellz - i did try them with some mushed up solids, I kept it runny so that they could lap it up - but it has been unsuccessful so far - I had some biolac on hand so just did that instead while still trying to get them to accept the solids. I will keep at them as it sounds like I should really start weaning them onto solids - you have made some good points - as I was going to start doing so in a weeks time, but it wont harm them to start earlier especially now that they seem unsatisfied at the end of a feed and are growing quickly - they need all the food and milk they can get Thank you for your help and advise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aziah Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Next time you attempt to offer them solids, make sure you take mother dog away from them for a couple of hours, this way they won't have been feeding from her and should be a little more hungry and willing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellz Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Don't bother with mushed up solids to begin with. Just try them with a teensy bit of fresh mince on your finger. And don't bother with weetbix, farex or anything else that is grain based. No sensible dog would eat that stuff! Once they are accepting the mince, and most will take it very quickly indeed, even the littlest, go for the pink slushies......just good quality meat made into a pink thickshake. They'll spend more time sucking the juice out at first than they actually will eating the meat but they're still getting the goodness of the meat and learning about different tastes and sensations and textures at the same time. And the BEST meals are the ones they stand in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozstar Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 I have had it in the past where my mothers have had yucky milk, goes a blood or dark brown colour. These teats I tape up so the pups can not feed off them as it will upset their tummies. The teats still need to be expressed a few times a day and sometimes it does clear up. Scarlets litter is now 3 1/2 weeks old and have been eating mince from my hand for the past 2 days and they love it Tomorrow I will start them on soaked puppy dry and mince mixed together. Leanne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 with some mushed up solids, I kept it runny so that they could lap it up - but it has been unsuccessful so far Lapping takes some skill and it's a bit beyond most 3 week old pups - solid food in tiny pieces (very tiny for Poms!) is the way to go and is more natural plus easier for the pups. I have always started pups on scraped meat - get a piece of beef snitzel or cheap steak and scrape it with a serrated knife, you get the flesh with none of the gristle, fat and fibres. Goes down very well for a first meal (and mum usually likes the left overs) First two or three meals are the same, then on to highest grade premium mince meat for a couple of meals. It's usually several weeks before I introduce grains and other such junk food to my pups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Lapping takes some skill and it's a bit beyond most 3 week old pups - solid food in tiny pieces (very tiny for Poms!) is the way to go and is more natural plus easier for the pups. I have always started pups on scraped meat - get a piece of beef snitzel or cheap steak and scrape it with a serrated knife, you get the flesh with none of the gristle, fat and fibres. Goes down very well for a first meal agreed largeish bones with heaps of meat on are also terrific for first feeds- pups start out sucking, slurping, nibbling, then chewing...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Lapping takes some skill and it's a bit beyond most 3 week old pups - solid food in tiny pieces (very tiny for Poms!) is the way to go and is more natural plus easier for the pups. I have always started pups on scraped meat - get a piece of beef snitzel or cheap steak and scrape it with a serrated knife, you get the flesh with none of the gristle, fat and fibres. Goes down very well for a first meal agreed largeish bones with heaps of meat on are also terrific for first feeds- pups start out sucking, slurping, nibbling, then chewing...... ;) :mad :rofl: at the thought of Pom puppies chewing on half a cow. I love giving the Stafford pups chicken wings - they chew and suck everything off so what's left looks like a cartoon of a cow after the pirannahs (sp!) have been there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellz Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Yep, my 5 week olds have only been lapping with some semblance of coordination for the past week or so, prior to that, they mostly just sucked at everything and gummed it all to death! Bad Alice the Yank puppy (9 weeks tomorrow) was a bit slow about feeding, probably due to not having any competition at the food bowl. She's now one of the "gang" and is eating well and drinking well. They're so cute when they drink water now....they're obviously working out the difference between hunger and thirst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullbreedlover Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 If the milk appears dark and bloody after you have expressed some she may of just had a small burst blood vessel. Shouldnt be too much of a worry unless it gets worse. For years and years we have brought our pups up on farex as their first lapping solids. Mince on the finger is fine but sometimes it can get stuck to the roof of their mouths. Make sure it is moistened. Just be careful about milk or solids going down the wrong way in the bubbas. Just try one bub at a time We always use the first solids as a top up after mothers milk. So everyone has different ideas but go with what suits you best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 at the thought of Pom puppies chewing on half a cow. be a cute photo though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chopperlodge Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 At 3 weeks there is no earthly reason why you cannot begin supplementing them with solid food. Instead of topping them up with Biolac (essentially expensive and really not that necessary at this age), offer them some solids.Start with some very fine mince and put it on your fingertip and offer it to them. If they take it without question, move onto pink slushies and you'll find that they will be happier and so will your bitch. 3 weeks is such a rapid growth period that even if you don't want to, often you HAVE TO start introducing solids, if only for the sake of your peace and sanity and that of the dam as well. This is what I am going to have to start this week, (my ferocious ferrals are 3 weeks now). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partipaws Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share Posted December 28, 2009 at the thought of Pom puppies chewing on half a cow. be a cute photo though! LOL - I will try just been up the road to grab some goodies!! well we humans needed some goodies as well and grabbed some mince - never thought of bones - but definitely sounds like a good idea! So when I get a chance to find the biggest dinosaur bone I can find I will take a pic!! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Partipaws Posted December 28, 2009 Author Share Posted December 28, 2009 Thank you so much for everyone who has replied and offered some great advice and suggestions. Puppies loved the mince - particularly "fat teddy" so will go about this and slowly introduce some moisten down puppy food etc! Now the crying has began - "We want more real food" as Ellz has explained - lol - amazing how quickly they learn! Thank you all once again! hope you had a lovely Christmas and all the very best in the New Year. jess xxoo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellz Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 hehe...and now the real work begins. Remember that once you start assisting the "input", most bitches are less willing to help deal with the "output". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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