my brothers dog just started having her second litter of puppies, she gave birth to only one before she stopped bleeding. She then ate the puppy. Does anybody know why she would do this? and if she'll eat the other puppies when they are born?
2007-01-22 15:49:07 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Dogs
In my experience, the only reason a dog might do this would be if the pup were dead. I suppose it's possible that extreme stress may be the cause, but I have never seen that. Many dogs will eat a dead pup, just to regain the energy lost in producing it. Nature is pragmatic.
Can you feel any more pups in there? Whether you can or not, I would get the dog to a vet, and right away! Whatever was wrong with that first pup, I don't know if there will be any more, but it does sound as if she is having difficulty, and needs to be seen by her vet now.
Hope she will be ok, pups or no.
2007-01-22 15:59:02 · answer #1 · answered by meptastic 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Some dogs eat their young if it is born with a defect. Dogs can sense things that we can not see. Most likely this pup would have died anyway and she is preserving the chance for the other pups to survive and thrive. How old is she? Sometimes dogs over 7 or 8 will also dispose of their offspring. Are you sure the pup was even alive? If a pup is still-born that is another reason a mother will eat her young. If you can not find a reason for her to be doing this remove the pups from her after they are born and wipe them off. When they are dried put them up to nurse, it is important for them to nurse within an hour after being born. Good luck!
2007-01-23 00:03:53 · answer #2 · answered by Jnine 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Eating one puppy is fairly common. A lot of times a female will know that a puppy has a problem and will kill it so that it doesn't take resources from the rest of the puppies. However, if the female kills the rest of the puppies, she is unstable and should be spayed.
2007-01-23 17:06:05 · answer #3 · answered by majolica2002 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've had a dog do that once because she wasn't confident with where she was having them. We moved her, and the rest of the litter was fine. Could be something wrong with the pup that she's picked up on or she could be nervous or something.
2007-01-23 00:16:01 · answer #4 · answered by lisacantcook 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When a dog is littering she looses all her strength.......In order to gain more stamina she eats the pup.....So that she's got the strengt to give birth to all her other pups........The only way to avoid this is .....U shall hav to feed her milk & egg as soon she litters a pup... And see to that once she litters the pup she clean's but not eat it...
2007-01-23 00:20:19 · answer #5 · answered by sherin m 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If she knows there is something wrong with her baby then she will eat it. I know its sad and even kinda sick to us because we have the emotional attachment, but other species will kill thier offspring if there is something wrong. This is inate to them and ensures quality with in the species and therefore survival of the species.
2007-01-22 23:59:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
How longs it been since she had the last puppy? Like I say over and over, leave it to those of us who know what we are doing so garbage like this doesn't happen.
2007-01-23 00:00:36 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
wow I never heard of a dog doing that...I would call an emergency vet right away.
2007-01-23 00:01:43 · answer #8 · answered by kamsmom 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there must have been something wrong with the pup.. it would have died if she wouldnt have eaten it.. don t worry she shouldnt eat any more as long as their healthy
2007-01-22 23:58:23 · answer #9 · answered by Betsy B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
she knows they wont surrvive so they eat them
2007-01-22 23:52:29 · answer #10 · answered by chiq_gamer 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋