New Mom with Soft Poops

[feistychins]

One of our rescues gave birth to three kits last Monday. She has been doing well and taking great care of the kits. Friday (yesterday) her poops started to get a little soft and by the evening were very soft and large but still formed.

I removed the apple/water I usually give to a mom and now she has just plain water. I removed any alfalfa hay she had, as I usually provide both alfalfa and timothy to new moms. She now just has timothy hay. I gave her some whole dry oats last night because I have had good results with that helping when a chin gets softer poops.

She is eating, active and overall is very healthy. The kits are gaining weight every day.

I have never had a new mom get soft poops before. Since it has been four days since giving birth, I thought it unusual she would get this now.

Is there something else I should be giving her? I tried acidophilus last night and she would have nothing to do with it. I can get some into her if needed.

Any suggestions? Is this sometimes normal after giving birth and I just have never had a problem with it before?

Thanks

 

[tunes]

It happens sometimes. In the future, I wouldn't offer a 50/50 bottle unless there's a need to, i.e., unless mom isn't producing milk. Most moms produce milk just fine and there's no need for it.

 

[feistychins]

OK, thanks. She is better this morning than she was last night, so maybe the worst if over.

 

[starleomach]

I find that happens usually right after giving birth...the first day they have soft stool. I agree with peggy that juice isn't necessary for mom's producing milk

 

[feistychins]

The mom is worse today. I have cleaned the cage each day and wiped down the top of the house several times a day.

I have never had a mom get soft poops with kits before. She is on water, Oxbow pellets and hay. Since the kits are only 6 days old, I did not want to restrict her to only hay as she is very hungry nursing three.

I have given her some more whole oats hoping to binds things up a bit. Is there anything else that I can safely give her that will not hurt the babies?

 

[tunes]

Do you any Lifeline? Do you have activated charcoal? I use a shredded wheat, dampened on both sides, and rolled in loose activated charcoal. I have no idea why, but they like it. Ick.

I'm not finding anything on line that says AC would harm the kits while they are nursing. I don't know why it would anyway, but I was doing some digging to confirm.

 

[RDZCRanch]

If you don't have lifeline you can pick up some Acidophilus at the grocery store(capsule form) and sprinkle that on the shreddie as well, just to give her a little added boost of probiotics.

I also haven't heard of activated charcoal being harmful in any way. I'd still want to give her something like lifeline or probiotics to help her digestive system correct itself.

 

[CTChin]

I haven't had loose stool here in soooo long. Must be the change from Mazuri to Purina. However, I always found just a piece or two of shredded wheat worked wonders. That...and lots of good hay. I'll have to keep the AC in mind. Thanks Peg.

 

[feistychins]

Don't have lifeline, been meaning to get some. Don't have activated charcoal either. I do have acidophilus though and the shredded wheat. I'll try those and see how things go. I feel so sorry for the kits. Struggling under mom right now is not the most pleasant experience.

Good to know about rolling the shredded wheat in the charcoal because I've tried burnt toast before and the won't touch it.

 

[tunes]

You can get activated charcoal at Wal-Mart or other pharmacies, and if you have a grocery store with a pharmacy in it, they have it there as well. It's cheap and good to keep on hand.

 

[kristen]

I have a mom this happens too for a few days after having kits, every time. Like CTchin said, some shredded wheat should help it firm up. After my female has kits she gets a wheel of shredded wheat through out the day and we see normal stool again within 1-3 days. As long as it keeps getting firmer, keeps form and she keeps eating we don't worry with this case. Pregnancy and birth can do crazy things to ones body.

 

[feistychins]

I am going to get activated charcoal tomorrow. Just realized I wrote kits were 'struggling' under mom when I meant to write 'snuggling' :err:

 

[feistychins]

Just wanted to thank everyone again and give an update. Yesterday was a full day with NO soft poops :thumbs: She has been doing well today also. I did end up taking the pellets away and giving only Timothy hay for one day. I also gave the plain shredded wheat. The store did not have activated charcoal, but have orderd it for me so I will have it in my first aid kit.

I have not had soft poops here in well over a year and normally it's not a big deal, but the kits were a big concern for me. They are doing well.

 

[CTChin]

That's good to hear Andrea