Post partum appetite changes

It is common for both dogs and cats to lose their appetite at some point in the 24 hours preceding the birth as they become restless and prepare for the arduous task ahead. On the day of the birth many will not eat anything except for the placental tissues and after birth as each youngster is born. Eating the placental tissues and after birth provides the new mum with an excellent source of protein and a vast array of nutrients, she requires to support her in the few days immediately following the birth when she is unlikely to be interested in food.

The birth process is extremely tiring and involves a substantial loss of fluids leaving the new mum extremely tired and at risk of dehydration, replenishing her fluids and restoring her energy is of utmost importance and can be challenging until her appetite returns. A good alternative to food in this initial phase is a fortified milk drink outlined by Dr Billinghurst in his book; grow your pups with bones (1998) as: 250ml milk, 1 tsp honey, 1-2tsp flax seed oil, 1 egg and 1-2 junket tablets all combined in a blender and left to stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving. This drink provides valuable hydration, energy, protein and the much-needed minerals such as calcium to produce a healthy milk supply, all in a natural food-based form making it the perfect intermediary solution to aid the recovery of a new mum off her food.

A new mum’s appetite usually returns within a few days of giving birth, it’s important during those few days to ensure she is encouraged to eat and drink using a variety of tasty, nutritious, and easy to eat options such as the fortified milk mix, bone broth and minced meaty bones.

If you’re looking for an easy, well-informed read on nutrition, one author worth checking out is Dr Ian Billinghurst with chapters devoted to breeding specific nutrition, the above article is based on the text “Grow your pups with bones.”

The above is provided to inform only, animal breeding involves many complex issues and with an abundance of abandoned animals already available, adoption is recommended.

Source

Billinghurst, I., 1998. Grow your pups with bones. Bathurst, New South Wales: Warrigal Publishing.