my bitch had 11 pups 3 weeks ago. Up until now she has been great with them but all of a sudden she doesnt want to feed them now. I am worried she will get mastitis. What should i do?

Hi we started weaning pups early on as bitch wasn't too bothered by them but when we started that she wanted to feed them again,even when the pups visited at 12 weeks she was standing to feed them,very strange,sandra.

She might just be trying to wean them herself, and has decided the time is now, or she might be in discomfort when they are feeding off her. Check their claws. They can get very sharp, and when the pups are padding at her to get the milk flowing they could well be hurting her.
Keep an eye out for mastitis (heat and hardness initially) but she will probably dry up quite happily with no problems.

Wow...11 pups, are you giving any of them supplementary feeding or has she been rearing all of them herself? She might simply be running out of milk...that's a lot of puppies!

Caroline

Thanks for the replys. Ive been helping her out with the feedings. 11 is alot..poor girl, I cut their nails to help her out but when they see her they rush her like its the last feeding in the world. Im just worried about the mastitis.

You will know if it's starting because your bitch will become hot and hard in the affected glands and it can be tender for her when you touch it, the hot flannel and massage helps to soften up the tissue and releases the excess milk even when the pups don't. My bitch had mastitis on one side, I used a hot flannel to massage her with and then let the pups feed on those teats where the mastitis was developing and didn't have a problem again after 2 feeds as the pups drew the excess milk off before an infection could set in.