My Female Dog Has No Milk

Female dogs, being mammals, will produce enough milk after giving birth to feed their whole litter without needing any help. But, sometimes, milk can be lacking. What should we do then? We'll tell you everything in detail.

Nursing in Female Dogs

A dog's pregnancy lasts about 62 days. Throughout this period we can notice how her abdomen and mammary glands increase in size. This is due to the puppies' growth and preparation for nursing. We may even see milk coming out of the mammary glands.

Puppies are usually born inside their amniotic sac. It's the mother who, with her teeth, tears it open, cuts the cord, and eats the birth remains. She also licks her little ones to clean off any secretions they may have on their nose and mouth. After this care, the puppy starts nursing on the first mother's milk, known as colostrum.

Besides being food, the milk contains antibodies the mother passes on to her puppies, improving their immune system. At first, the pups will nurse every few hours. As they grow, feedings become more spaced out. Around six weeks of age they start trying solid food until fully weaned.

But nursing isn't always this simple. Sometimes, for various reasons, milk can be lacking. In these cases we need to act quickly, see the vet and, if necessary, supplement the puppies with specific artificial milk for dogs, since being so vulnerable, a few hours without eating can have fatal consequences.

The absence of milk is called agalactia. This condition can be due to milk being present but unable to come out. Other times, the mother simply isn't producing milk. Agalactia occurs in a small percentage of mothers.

When the Mother Has Milk But It Doesn't Come Out

If the mother's mammary glands appear firm and swollen but no milk comes out, we can suspect she does produce it but it isn't reaching the outside. We may notice this by seeing the puppies restless and whining, since they'll be hungry.

Nursing works based on a stimulus. This means the puppies' sucking is what activates the mechanism for producing and releasing milk. That's why, as long as the puppies nurse, there will normally always be milk and it will come out. Unless the mother has an infection known as mastitis.

Any circumstance that prevents the puppies from nursing will affect milk production.

Also, some traits of the mother can also affect her milk flow. For example, mothers that are very nervous, under high levels of stress, or scared will influence nursing in different ways:

• Preventing their little ones from nursing: a restless mother that doesn't stay still in the nest long enough won't let the puppies suck effectively.
• Blocking milk release: the release of milk to the outside is mediated by the hormone oxytocin. In situations of stress, nervousness, or fear, other hormones are released that block oxytocin's action. So the milk doesn't come out.
• Also, some physical issue with the nipples, such as a deformity, will also affect nursing since it will prevent the puppies from nursing normally.

If we suspect the puppies aren't getting milk, we need to contact the vet. They'll assess the situation and can prescribe medication in the necessary cases. On our part, we should try to get the puppies to stimulate the mammary glands as much as possible to establish good production as soon as possible.

When the Mother Doesn't Produce Milk or It Isn't Enough

These cases are true agalactia. If in the last weeks of pregnancy the mother hasn't developed her mammary glands, we could be looking at this condition. It can have a genetic basis and, unlike the previous situation, has no treatment. These mothers' puppies will need to be fed artificially.

A different situation occurs in a small percentage of cases among mothers of very large litters. These female dogs do produce milk but don't manage to produce enough for all their puppies.

This is usually linked to insufficient feeding of the mother, especially in the 2-3 weeks after giving birth. During this period the mother will need more calories, since it coincides with the most intense nursing stage. That's why it's important to take good care of her diet throughout the whole maternal phase.

Supplementing the Puppies

In cases where the vet considers it necessary, we'll need to feed the puppies ourselves or, at least, supplement the milk they're getting from their mother — which it's very important they keep receiving, even if it's just a little, since it will provide them with antibodies. Bottle-feeding doesn't mean separating them from the mother.

You'll find different brands of milk formula for puppies for sale. They're sold as a powder we need to add hot water to, shake, and serve in the included bottle. It's modified cow's milk formulated to meet puppies' nutritional needs. We should never give them cow's milk, other mammals' milk, or plant-based drinks.

It's important to check the bottle's temperature before offering it. We should also give it to them in the same position they would nurse from their mother. If possible, we'll feed them without separating them from her. This keeps them warm, and their movements will help stimulate the necessary milk production.