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Why is my nursing dog losing weight and fur after puppies?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Maltese | Female | unspayed | 10 months and 19 days old

Hi. My dog gave birth a day ago and shes been gradually loosing weight since her pregnancy as well as her fur. We are feeding her three times a day but she's still skinny. She has 5 puppies they look well but im really concerned about my dog.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Linda G, MS, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on December 24th, 2018

Hello. Popcorn may have some underlying disease or parasites. Make sure you are feeding her a very high quality puppy diet, as pregnancy & now nursing can make tremendous demands on your pet. She needs all the calories she can take in to prevent further weight loss. It is also possible that her fur loss is also a normal consequence of her pregnancy. Many dogs will blow their coats at this time. Once she weans her puppies, her coat should return fully. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

    Veterinarian

    Published on February 14th, 2017

    Unfortunately, sometimes puppies do not make it, and I'm so sorry Tator Tot has lost two of her puppies. She needs to be fed a puppy formulated food, as she require higher amounts of protein, calcium, and calories to support nursing all those puppies. If she isn't receiving a puppy food, she may not be getting enough nutrients, causing her to lose weight. She could also have intestinal worms or an illness causing her weight loss. I would take Tator Tot and her puppies into the vet immediately for a health check to determine why she is losing weight. Once the cause is found, then they can discuss treatment options with you.

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