I am new here, so I hope it is OK to approach this topic in this particular "slot".  Please advise if this is not the case.

Hello to all.  I (age 72, but not tottering yet) have been breeding for over 20 years now. I live in Switzerland and was a founding member of the Swiss breed Club (FCI).  Right now I have a 4.5-year-old bitch who is pregnant for the 3rd time.  Her first two pregnancies were uneventful. She was eating perfectly normally until about day 32 or so (just when the puppies' growth started to take off!), and ever since then (about a week now), she acts as though the very feel of food in her mouth is repulsive to her.  I have the feeling it is a big litter.  Too soon for an ex-ray, though.  This is not the first time I have experienced this with a bitch, but it is a mystery to me all the same.  And of course worrisome.  I have read a lot on the internet about similar problems, refusal of food even throughout the entire pregnancy, everything turning out just fine all the same, etc.  Naturally I have spoken to my vet about this and asked if there is something they can do to alleviate what appears to be some kind of nausea, and indeed, they gave her an injection and some medication which reduces nausea in the brain, assuring me that this is perfectly safe for the puppies.  They examined her, and all seems to be well.  She seems to feel fine, goes willingly for walks, charges out to bark at the postman, relaxes on my lap and loves her tummy rubbed and tickled, but she refuses to eat on her own.  I have resorted to (lovingly and gently) "force-feeding" her.  I puree the food I want to get down her, put her in the kitchen sink, open her mouth, put the food in, and encourage her to swallow.  In a way, she almost seems to appreciate this, even though she wishes I wouldn't do it.  But then I rinse her off (what a mess!) and off she goes, and the food stays down.  I cannot tempt her with any food at all except a sandwich spread (resembling liver paste), but that is no nutrition.  I would be interested - to say the least - in your experience and comments!  Thanks!

Hi Nimue,

one of my Bitches went off her food at about day 25 with her first litter, dog food was an absolute no-no, after checking with my vet I made her a chicken casserole with veg and potatoes and brown rice (no onions/peppers etc as they are poisonous to dogs) initially she would eat that and gradually I introduced soaked kibble until she was eating just soaked kibble and by 45 to 50 days she was back eating dry kibble she went on to have a good sized litter for her breed with no ill effects.

hope she is eating soon it is such a worry.

Dear Hen,

Thanks so much.  I just fed Felicia her main meal, while the other dogs ate theirs as usual.  I do believe that she is going to continue these shenanigans until the birth or even thereafter.  A sort of "ritual" seems to become quickly established without which she would not eat anything at all.  I went through this with her mother as well.  Naturally, if she were not pregnant, I wouldn't play along.  But it's a no-win situation right now with basically no leeway whatsoever for "starving" her into eating normally.  Since I puree everything I stuff into her, she doesn't know if it's dogfood or what.  I normally feed Orijen and add some gluten-free canned food as well, and for Felicia now the occasional egg yolk, liver, horsemeat-glutenfree sausage for dogs (from a special butchery), lactose-free yoghurt, etc. as well.  I bought a plastic raincoat and use it turned around for a bib.  What should be covering the dog's back covers her chest and front legs instead!

I had a litter from a bitch who had enteritis mid pregnancy before she cam to me to whelp.  I had to hand /force fed her as you describe, but I did not puree the food just soaked it to form moist balls and put them down her throat and stroked until she swallowed

I had to do this for the last weeks of pregnancy and 4 times a day until puppies were weaned.

In her case the enteritis had left her very thin, so I really had no choice.  She reared the pups well.

I've successfully used Royal Canin Recovery in this situation.
High calorie and easy to syringe into the corner of the mouth through a large sawn-off syringe.
I warmed it slightly to make it more 'flowing' and this kept one of mine going through a loss of appetite post whelp.

First of all this could well be down to not enough room inside if she is stuffed with puppies.   And for sure, bitches don't need bulk as their pregnancy advances - small multiple meals, with mainly protein.    The puppies should take all they need so don't worry about them.   Mum may look like 'two planks stuck together' once she has whelped, but armed with knowing how many puppies she will have to provide for, then you up the amount she's eating as much as you can.

I'd not be rushing to the vet, unless there are other concerns (nasty discharge, copious etc.etc.) and I'd certainly not panic much as to be honest, apart from our first litter which was a singleton puppy only, when I did panic as all the books told me she should be eating loads - not so, she /nature knew best - she didn't need much food with just one puppy!, all our greedy Basset mums tucked in!   Even if I have had to feed smaller meals more frequently because of the lack of room.

If it will make you feel better, I'd be talking to my vet about what's going on which I'm sure you will have dond.

ps   I'd never 'force feed'.   Nature knows best and you could do more harm than good by doing this - however well-meaning you are.   And I'd be offering things that are easily digested - poached chicken breast, white fish (cooked), scrambled egg and natural yogurt (which can help settle down uncomplicated digestive upsets).

My bitch went off her food at 7 weeks, I have never had a bitch do this, even if I did get some food down she was sick.  The only thing she wanted to eat was Bonio biscuit. I let her and then after four days she started to eat her meat again and is fine, so long as I don't give her too much food. She is looking quite big and was still happy to go for walks.  No other biscuit just bonio would she eat except toast with peanut butter on. I got assured all would be okay.

My girl also went off food after giving birth, but after a day or two, I was able to coax her to eat with some frozen white fish fillets (boughts in bags from supermarket), that had been microwaved and cooled.

Dear MamaBas

Thanks for your message.  You wrote: 

ps   I'd never 'force feed'.   Nature knows best and you could do more harm than good by doing this - however well-meaning you are.

I'd very much appreciate knowing what sort of harm you mean. 

This afternoon she ate her horsemeat sausage on her own and with relish.  She wolfed down quite a lot of it too!  So I am hopeful that this whole thing is perhaps only temporary after all....

> ps   I'd never 'force feed'.   Nature knows best and you could do more harm than good by doing this - however well-meaning you are. <br /><br />I'd very much appreciate knowing what sort of harm you mean.

If her digestive system is upset to the point she's refusing to eat naturally, forcing food into her isn't likely to do her much good, or be very kind.   My opinion.

Just thinking about from a human point of view if u dint feel like eating force feeding will just make you feel worse amd probably be sick. I don't breed but know breeders who have resorted to all sorts in this situation.ruce pudding seems a favourite or smoked salmon.sausages basically anything that would get your dog eating

Just thinking about from a human point of view if u dint feel like eating force feeding will just make you feel worse amd probably be sick. I don't breed but know breeders who have resorted to all sorts in this situation.ruce pudding seems a favourite or smoked salmon.sausages basically anything that would get your dog eating

Dear MamaBas,

Thank you for sticking with me on this!  I do appreciate it!  The funny thing is (and I am certainly prepared to admit I'm wrong): To me her digestive system does not seem to be "upset"!  That is to say, I see no symptoms of this other than her reluctance or refusal to eat.  There is no vomiting, no diarrhea, no gas, nothing at all, and she seems to feel fine.  I do see your point entirely, though, and thanks for bringing my attention to it.  Were she gagging or vomiting or anything even approaching such things, I would immediately take her to the vet.  In any case, I shall continue to be careful about whatever I might "help" her consume.  I am encouraged by the fact that this morning she again ate her sausage on her own and with gusto.  Nothing else though.  This sausage contains no grain, very little fat, and is made by a local butcher using horse meat from local sources known personally to him.  At least she eats it!  That's already something!

Well done you with the sausage!!  Even if I'm not really into using horse-meat .   I guess my feelings re 'force feeding' stem from seeing some of the show-crowd doing this (not in the UK although it might happen here too) with their hounds, when they looked 'rib thin'.   And this, for me, is downright cruelty.   I do still think that if she was off her food, something was telling her not to eat.   Normally healthy dogs will eat - and to force things, could well not be a good idea.