Wow...eight is some litter!! Congratulations! I've never had a Mom have surgery while nursing but I would imagine she is sore. For now, it's good that you're feeding the pups, even if Mom has milk. I would weigh them daily to make sure they're all gaining. They should all be plumping out and you should see good vigor with them all. Your girl probably isn't eating well due to the surgery. Hopefully she gets her appetite back soon. She definitely needs lots of water to produce milk. Maybe you try some chicken broth with the chicken. She might like that better. Also, you may get her to eat more if you hand feed her. My girls are usually picky anyway right after whelping so I spoil them with things like chicken, turkey, eggs and vanilla ice cream. Some Nutri-Cal would help her at this time, too. To see if she has milk, squeeze and pull up on a nipple, much like a baby does while nursing. Try it on one of the rear teats as they will be larger. Eight is a very large litter so keep a good eye on the pups since it will be tough for Mom to feed 8 growing appetites |