# Does prolonged lactation negatively affect health?



## madmouse (May 19, 2012)

So... I had a bit of a disaster with a doe that had an *extremely* large litter. I saw this doe growing worryingly large with babies. One day she gave birth to 2+ pups which she immediately cannibalized. She did NOT seem in distress or pain. The next day she gave birth to 13 or so more pups, which she culled down to 10. I was waiting to she if she would cull some more, as I would prefer to let nature take its course, but the doe began to deteriorate rapidly. Within a few days, she lost a shocking amount of weight for so short a time span and became lethargic and neglectful of the remaining pups. The pups themselves were beginning to grow thin and sad-looking. So I culled all but one of the bucks and the weakest does, leaving five pups. I took the five best remaining pups and split them between two other does who'd just finished weaning their own litters. To my relief, the mother looks better already- she's gaining weight and energy. The other two does rapidly adopted the new pups who are also looking up. My only question is, will it negatively affect the health of the two adoptive moms to nurse these orphaned babes, since they've just finished nursing their own whole litters? I'd rather cull the entire litter than put the health of some of my favorite ladies in jeopardy.


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## tinyhartmouseries (Dec 30, 2010)

Personally if they remain in good health and weight I would think it would be alright. Just supplement their diets with extra protien.


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

th: I agree completely with what you've said.

Beyond that, prolonged lactation can be beneficial, as it reduces the occurence of estrus. The cycling or hormones can be a factor contributing to mammary cancers. I had a mousie six years ago who had a litter, and when they were weaned, she developed a tumor. I bred her again, and the tumor disappeared, so I bred her again, and again. she remained in fairly good shape, but had the reoccurence of the tumor after not being bred for a fifth time, and I decided to pts. She was a very large pied brindle that was not obese, and also took any baby of any age to foster, one of the reasons I valued her.


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