question pls help

can dogs produce milk if they haven't had babies, and can kittens nurse from dogs?

Originally Posted by Peppersmommy

can dogs produce milk if they haven't had babies, and can kittens nurse from dogs?

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Honestly, I don't know....I believe it would be preferable for kittens to either nurse from their mom or from another cat...if that isn't available...then they probably would do best with someone who can feed them.

Katie

If you dog hasn't even been pregnant it is doubtful she can give milk. And if she could, her milk would not be adequate for a kitten because a kitten needs special nutrients- KMR would be a better bet, or perhaps a surrogate momcat who has lost her kittens and will accept yours.

well my husbands brother told him that 2 kittens were nursing from a dog. The dog hasn't ever had babies.. so I thought that sounded kindof funny.

Kittens will TRY to suckle at whatever they perceive as a nipple, but that's no guarantee that they will get anything out of it, or that it's good for them.

when we first got Maverick my bf and I woke up one night to find her sucking on HIS nipple!

are they under 8 weeks? if not it might just be a comfort thing.

I've heard of dogs nursing other animals like baby racoons and such but the dog would have to already be nursing a litter in order to produce milk. I have heard of rare instances where animals can spontaneouly produce milk when not pregnant but I don't know how valad those claims are.

When my beagle Molly was two days from delivery my siamese Mow (who was about two years old at the time) nursed off of her, but my other siamese Sarah recently had kittens and she will not let anyone but her kittens nurse.

When I was married to my first husband, his dog Maggie nursed my dear departed Mr. Bo Jangles along with her litter of pups. I don't know whether it was nutritionally adequate, but that he spent the better part of two months living in the dog house with Maggie and the puppies.

Mr. Bo also loved to eat Doritos, and would come running at the sound of the bag opening...off topic I know.

my Nanas rb bitch used to have all the kittens suckling off her, she never came into milk however!

They claim she is producing milk.. but has never had babies, nor is she pregnant.

hmmmm.....most peculiar mama! Surely someone with more knowledge of mammals could settle this for us, but this reminds me of something I read somewhere about an adoptive mother being able to lactate even though she did not bear the child.

I just found this story on a google search, not sure if it's true or not, but a sweet story.
http://www.dogsx3.com/articles/articles49.html