We love French bulldog puppies. They are full of life, and their little paws are just the cutest things! But baby Frenchies require some care, otherwise, they might get sick. Colostrum is an important source of nutrients, full of antibodies and essential vitamins. Every Frenchie owner should know what colostrum is and why puppies need it after birth. The real reason why puppies should consume colostrum is not because of protein but because of the antibodies that help them struggle against infectious diseases. Here in this blog, you will know everything about why your Frenchie puppies need colostrum immediately after birth.
What is Colostrum?
Colostrum is the first milk that a mother produces after giving birth. It’s full of nutrients, antibodies, and hormones that help an infant’s immune system develop. Colostrum is only produced for 24 hours after giving birth, so it’s very important for the health of your baby.
What are some nutrients present in colostrum?
Colostrum is a nutrient-dense substance that is produced by the mother dog. It is very effective at helping babies develop their immune systems and learn to eat solid foods. Some important nutrients present in colostrum are
Immunoglobulin’s
Immunoglobulins in colostrum are designed to protect newborns from foreign substances, such as viruses and bacteria. They help the baby’s immune system fight off infection until it is able to develop its immune system.
Lactoferrin
Lactoferrin is a protein that is found in milk. It plays an important role in the immune system, and it’s present in colostrum because it helps to protect the newborn animal from infections and other pathogens. It protects pups from those pathogens that cause inflammation.
MSM
Methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM, is a naturally occurring sulfur compound found in colostrum. It plays an important role in helping to protect the body from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is mainly due to free radicals and their interactions with other molecules in the body. These interactions can damage cells and contribute to chronic inflammation and disease. MSM has been studied for its potential health benefits, including anti-inflammatory effects and antioxidant activity.
PRP
Proline-rich polypeptides are a specific type of protein present in colostrum. They help to protect the newborn from infections, and they also help to stimulate the growth and development of the digestive system. PRP also stimulates a less active immune system and is a moderately overactive system.
Why your Frenchie puppies need colostrum immediately after birth?
Protect from Allergies
Your dog’s immune system is designed to fight off germs and keep him healthy, but sometimes it gets a little overzealous. That can cause allergies and other uncomfortable symptoms like itching, rashes, and inflammation.
That’s where colostrum comes in! Colostrum contains PRP that helps moderate your dog’s immune system so it doesn’t get too worked up, which can help prevent all of those unpleasant symptoms from occurring in the first place.
Improve Immune system
Colostrum has many benefits for puppies, including improving their immune systems. Puppies are born with very little immune protection. They need to be exposed to a variety of bacteria and viruses in order to build up their defenses. When they don’t get that exposure, they can become sick more easily and have trouble fighting off infections.
Colostrum contains antibodies that help protect the baby from harmful bacteria and viruses by neutralizing them before they get into the body. In addition, colostrum helps keep the baby’s intestines healthy so that harmful bacteria can’t grow there and cause illness.
Colostrum is so important to a puppy’s immune system development. It’s recommended mothers feed their puppies within one hour of birth to give them the most benefits.
Promote gut health
The gastrointestinal tract is a crucial part of the immune system. It’s where up to 90% of the body’s immune system functions take place!
The gastrointestinal tract is like a gateway to the entire body—it’s where all your nutrients come in, and it’s the place where all waste gets dumped. And guess what? That means that without proper protection, bacteria can sneak right through the gate and into your bloodstream.
Colostrum helps keep everything locked down at the gates so that bacteria don’t get through—which is why colostrum is such an important part of a healthy diet for puppies!
What is the right time to give Colostrum to Frenchie puppies?
Colostrum is the first milk that a mother produces for her puppies. It’s full of antibodies and nutrients that help the puppy get off to a strong start in life. Because it’s so important for their health, it’s important to know when to give colostrum to puppies.
The best time to give colostrum is between eight and twelve hours after birth, but it can be given up to twenty-four hours later if necessary. Because newborns can’t absorb nutrients as well as adult dogs, you must feed them as soon as possible after birth to give them the best chance at developing healthy immune systems and intestinal tracts.
It’s also important not to overfeed your puppies after they’re born—it can lead to digestive problems later on in life. If you have questions about whether or not your puppy needs more food than usual, just talk with your vet!
If your Frenchie puppy is over 12 hours old, it can’t soak in antibodies anymore. That’s why it’s so important to feed them colostrum right away—it’s the best way to protect them until their immune systems start kicking in.
If your Frenchie is unable to get colostrum due to some incident like the death of the mother or if the mother is ill then there are some things you can do. You can feed ready-made colostrum supplements to your pup. These supplements are easy to feed and boost your pup’s immune system.
Conclusion
If you have been researching the world of French bulldogs you may know that all pups must be fed colostrum within the first 12 hours of birth or their immune systems will suffer later in life. Most of the time, the mother dog is already caring for her puppies and feeding them colostrum. However, sometimes puppies are born prematurely and are not yet in the mother’s care. In these cases, it is up to you to care for the Frenchie puppies by feeding them colostrum yourself.
