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Colostrum is crucial for puppy survival, providing both immunoglobulins and nutrition for the newborn. • The immunoglobulin concentration in colostrum in the first two days post-partum is five times greater than milk, but the levels drop very quickly with time. • Colostrum's immunological quality varies from one dam to another, and also in the same dog between teats. The teats offering the highest-quality colostrum will also vary between bitches. • Monitoring growth over the first two days of life is a good indicator for predicting puppy survival in the neonatal period. • There is currently no complete (energy + immunity) substitute for canine colostrum.
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32 / Veterinary Focus / Vol 26 n°1 / 2016
Canine colostrum
KEY POINTS
• Colostrumiscrucialforpuppysurvival,
providingbothimmunoglobulinsand
nutritionforthenewborn.
• Theimmunoglobulinconcentrationin
colostruminthersttwodayspost-partum
isvetimesgreaterthanmilk,butthelevels
dropveryquicklywithtime.
• Colostrum’simmunologicalqualityvaries
fromonedamtoanother,andalsointhe
samedogbetweenteats.Theteatsoffering
thehighest-qualitycolostrumwillalsovary
betweenbitches.
• Monitoringgrowthoverthersttwodaysof
lifeisagoodindicatorforpredictingpuppy
survivalintheneonatalperiod.
• Thereiscurrentlynocomplete(energy+
immunity)substituteforcaninecolostrum.
Introduction
The neonatal period is a major risk period in the dog,
since approximately 20% of live-born puppies die before
they are 21 days old; 70% of deaths are in the first week
post-partum (1,2). Puppy survival within the early weeks
is particularly dependent on colostrum, a specific secre-
tion of the mammary gland produced during the first two
days post-partum. Colostrum is both a source of nutrients
and a source of immunoglobulins (Ig), as puppies are
almost agammaglobulinemic at birth. The risk of neonatal
mortality therefore depends on two factors: the quality of
the transfer of passive immunity (evaluated by circulating
IgG levels at 2 days of age) and the growth of the puppy
between birth and 2 days old (at worst, weight loss
should not be more than 4% of birth weight) (3,4). The
immunity and energy supplied to the puppy by colostrum
is therefore essential, but there is no guarantee that all
puppies in a litter will receive sufficient colostrum; at two
days of age, about 20% of puppies have a passive immu-
nity deficit and 30% show insufficient early growth (3,4).
Colostrum formation and
composition
Colostrum is the first mammary secretion produced after
delivery (and is occasionally present before parturition),
with the transition to milk occurring between day two
and three of lactation (Table 1). The actual quantity of
colostrum produced by a lactating bitch is unknown.
During gestation, the mammary tissue develops under
the influence of estrogens and progesterone, and secre-
tion – induced by prolactin – is only possible when pro-
gesterone levels drop. Some colostrum compounds are
synthesized by the epithelial mammary cells (proteins,
lactose, lipids) while others, such as immunoglobulins (Ig),
white blood cells, hormones and certain growth factors,
are taken from the maternal bloodstream. Macroscopi-
cally, colostrum is yellowish and more viscous than milk.
Qualitatively speaking, it is distinguished from milk essen-
tially by its high protein concentration (twice that of milk
secreted two weeks post-partum, being especially rich in
immunoglobulins), a slightly higher lipid concentration
Sylvie Chastant-Maillard, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ECAR
Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, France
Dr Chastant-Maillard qualified from Alfort Veterinary School (France) in 1990 and is currently Professor of Reproduction
at the National Veterinary School of Toulouse (France). A graduate – and current Board Member – of the European
College of Animal Reproduction, her main interests are in applying ideas inspired by, and developed from, other
animal species to dogs and cats, with the aim of reducing the incidence of mortality in puppies and kittens.
Hanna Mila, DVM, PhD
Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, France
Dr Mila qualified from Wroclaw Veterinary Faculty (Poland) in 2009 and is currently a resident with the
European College of Animal Reproduction, based at the National Veterinary School of Toulouse and the Centre
de Reproduction des Carnivores du Sud-Ouest (CRECS) in France, where she completed a PhD thesis on
immunological and nutritional determinants for survival during the neonatal period in the dog. Her main
research interests are in canine colostrum and the physiology of newborn puppies.
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33 / Veterinary Focus / Vol 26 n°1 / 2016
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(10% more) and a lower carbohydrate content (half that
of milk) (5,6). For various reasons (a paucity of studies,
considerable variability between dogs, and disparity in
analytical methods), measurement of key components
of colostrum differ between studies; protein levels are
typically between 4-14%, lipid levels between 6-13%,
and carbohydrate levels between 1.7-2.3% (5,7,8 and
unpublished data).
In addition to casein (60% of total proteins), immunoglob-
ulins represent between 20-37% of colostral proteins
(6,7,9,10). Three classes of immunoglobulin (IgG, IgM
and IgA) are present in canine colostrum (with IgG, at
60-75% of the total, predominating) whilst IgE is unde-
tectable. IgG in the colostrum is initially around 15-30 g/L
but it falls very quickly, dropping to ~5 g/L on day 7 and
less than 1 g/L on day 14 (unpublished data). The IgG
concentration in milk is therefore 20 times less than that
of colostrum. IgA represents 16-40% of colostral Ig but
subsequently becomes the most common immuno-
globulin in milk (7,10) (Figure 1). Most IgG comes from
the mother’s serum, although a small fraction is pro-
duced locally in the mammary gland (11). The mammary
gland is responsible for concentrating IgG, such that
colostral levels are typically 3 times higher than in the
maternal bloodstream, although there is no relation be-
tween the colostral concentration of IgG and the maternal
serum concentration (10,12). This selective concentra-
tion is under endocrine control, with the Ig stored in the
mammary alveoli until its release after parturition (13). On
the other hand, most IgA and IgM appear to be produced
locally in the mammary gland by lymphocytes (13).
Table 1. A comparison of colostrum and milk composition in the lactating bitch ((5) and unpublished
data).
Days of lactation
1 3 7 14 21
Nutrients Colostrum Milk Milk Milk Milk
Proteins (g/L) 143.0 102.3 81.7 66.8 68.4
Immunoglobulin G (g/L) 23.8 * 5.9 0.6 0.6
Lipids (g/L) 132.2 137.2 132.1 118.5 112.5
Lactose (g/L) 16.6 29.3 35.4 39.9 39.4
Calcium (mg/L) 1,363 1,366 1,773 1,950 1,929
Phosphorus (mg/L) 935 914 1,166 1,175 1,359
Energy (kcal/L) 1,831 1,761 1,657 1,493 1,444
* value unknown
Figure 1. Immunoglobulin
levels in the colostrum and
milk; IgG, IgA and IgM were
recorded from the mammary
secretions of six Rottweiler
dams (7).
Immunoglobulin (%)
Time after whelping
24h 48h 1W 2W 3W 4W 5W 6W
IgG
IgA
IgM
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© Chloé Robic, ENVT.
Trypsin inhibitors are also found in the colostrum (but not
in the milk), reducing degradation of colostral Ig and
potentially increasing its absorption by the newborn (14).
Colostrum also contains antimicrobial factors (such as
lactoferrin and lysozyme), hormones (cortisol, thyroxine,
insulin and growth hormone) and growth factors (e.g.,
insulin-like growth factors, epidermal growth factor and
nerve growth factor (15)). These are involved in the de-
velopment and maturation of various organs such as the
thyroid and intestines, as well as being vital for general
puppy growth (see below).
Canine colostrum has high levels of two enzymes,
gamma-glutamyl transferase and alkaline phosphatase,
respectively 100 times and 10 times more concentrated
than in maternal serum (16). These two chemicals are
essentially absent from the circulating blood at birth, and
so detection of these enzymes in a puppy’s serum will
confirm ingestion of colostrum (although the enzyme levels
do not correlate to the IgG concentration).
Finally, canine colostrum also contains various cells
including macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes.
These cells are absorbed by the puppy before the intes-
tinal barrier closes, and either enter the circulation, or play
a role in cellular, humoral or local digestive immunity (17).
Roles of canine colostrum
Immunological protection
The endotheliochorial placenta in dogs is almost com-
pletely impermeable to large-sized molecules such as
immunoglobulins. This explains why puppies are born
with low circulating levels (around 0.3 g/L) of IgG, as
opposed to 8-25 g/L in adult dogs (3,18,19). Colostral
intake allows the acquisition of passive immunity, such
that a neonate’s IgG serum concentration will be in the
order of 6 g/L 48 hours after ingesting colostrum;
85-95% of a puppy’s circulating Ig is thus of colostral
origin (20). The provision of Ig, which is potentiated by
colostral anti-trypsins, is the most specific role for colos-
trum and is the determining factor for puppy survival (3),
as most neonate mortality is due to infection (21). The
colostral lactoferrin seems to play a marginal role in a
puppy’s immunity (22) while the role of immune cells
contained in colostrum is still not well defined. For pas-
sive immunity to be acquired, puppies must receive
colostrum within the first eight hours of life (Figure 2).
This time frame is critical for two reasons:
Firstly, colostral IgG decreases rapidly in the rst few
hours post-partum.
Secondly, the rapid closure of the intestinal barrier; this
is the point at which macromolecules (including IgG)
can no longer cross the intestinal wall to enter the
bloodstream, so that while a puppy absorbs ~ 40% of
ingested colostral IgG at birth, only 20% is absorbed
four hours after delivery and 9% twelve hours after
delivery. 24 hours post-partum, absorption is nil (20).
The immunological quality of the colostrum, in terms of
IgG concentration, is quite variable, both between female
dogs and between teat pairs of the same female (Figure
3). In one study looking at the colostrum of 44 female dogs
from 13 different breeds in a single breeding kennel, the
IgG levels varied between females by a factor of 5; neither
the dam’s age or breed size, nor the litter size, appeared
to influence the colostrum’s immunological quality (12).
The IgG concentration in 180 samples from different teat
pairs varied between 0.8 and 61 g/L, with a variation co-
efficient of 42% between teat pairs of the same bitch
(12). However, the teat pair producing the highest-quality
colostrum varies from one animal to another, so there is
no value in advising puppies should suckle from one
particular teat. Nevertheless, the marked variation in
immunological quality between dams (and between the
teats of the same female) may mean that certain litters
have an increased risk of neonatal mortality.
The colostrum supplies most of the IgG for systemic
immunity, while IgA ensures local and digestive immu-
nity, and in particular mucosal immunity. Colostral IgA is
involved in local defense of the digestive tract and this
role is continued with the ingestion of milk, which is rich
in IgA. Other than the fraction absorbed into the blood-
stream before closure of the intestinal barrier, IgA is
Figure 2. It is important to encourage early colostral
intake – within the first eight hours of birth – for optimal
transfer of passive immunity.
CANINE COLOSTRUM
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© Reproduction, ENVT
distributed throughout both digestive and non-digestive
mucosal sites (20,23).
Although transfer of maternal Ig helps reduce neonatal
mortality, at the end of the pediatric period, when a
puppy is 6-8 weeks of age, maternal immunity can
interfere with puppy vaccination. The higher the IgG
concentration acquired by two days of age, the higher it
is during the pediatric period (24), and this increases the
risk that a puppy may not be protected after vaccina-
tion. However, the interference is variable, being dependent
on the individual animal, the immunogenicity of the vac-
cine, and the dose given.
Growth
Puppies have low reserves of adipose tissue at birth,
and have limited glycogenolysis ability. The early energy
supply from colostrum is therefore indispensable; growth
is only possible if the energy supplied exceeds the pup-
py’s maintenance requirements (Figure 4).
The energy value of colostrum is at least 20% greater
than milk, although the energy content can vary between
dams (albeit within a fairly small range, by a factor of 1.6)
and there can be slight differences between teat pairs of
the same dog (a variation coefficient of around 8%, as
opposed to 42% for the immunological value). Age,
breed and litter size have not been shown to affect the
energy value. 52% of the energy supplied by the colos-
trum is protein and 40% comes from lipids; variations in
the energy value are principally explained by variations in
the lipid levels (25).
Whilst the immunoglobulins and energy supplied from
colostrum influence the risk of puppy mortality during
the neonatal period (3,4) it is interesting to note that the
immunological quality and energy value of colostrum are
not correlated (28). In addition, the quantity of average
colostrum that must be ingested for satisfactory immu-
nity is 1.3 mL per 100 g of puppy body weight (assuming
the puppy’s IgG serum levels reach 2.3 g/L, with a diges-
tive absorption rate of 40%, a hematocrit of 35%, and
IgG levels in the colostrum of 20 g/L). In contrast, the
average quantity of ingested colostrum required to cover
energy needs is much higher, at 12 mL per 100 g of puppy
body weight (energy need of 212 kcal/kg per day if the
colostrum supplies 1800 kcal/L).
Figure 3. Immunological quality of colostrum
according to number of teat pairs (12).
Box plot of the IgG concentration of the
colostrum in 44 female dogs. Each box
represents 1st and 3rd quartiles (25th and
75th percentiles, or 50% of the population
studied). The bar in each box represents
the median, and the whiskers represent the
1st and 9th decile (10th and 9th percentile).
M1 indicates the axillary teat pair and
M5 the inguinal pair. The medians are not
significantly different – indicating only
one pair number does not systematically
produce colostrum of higher immunological
quality – but the whiskers are very long,
reflecting the large variability between the
same teat pairs in different dogs. Teat pair number
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
M1 M2 M3 M4 M5
Colostrum IgG concentration (g/L)
Figure 4. The growth of a puppy over the first two days of
life has a direct impact on its chances of survival. Weight
loss should not exceed 4% of birth weight.
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5
10
15
20
25
-20
R² = 0,30294
-10 0 10 20 30 40
50
Although it seems much more difficult to cover the
energy need than the immunological need, a slightly
higher proportion of puppies are deficient in energy
(30%) than in Ig (20%) (Figure 5). Whilst the threshold
levels of colostral IgG and energy required to control neo-
natal mortality have been determined in some species,
they are currently unknown for the dog.
Organ development
In addition to growth, colostrum is also involved in the
development and maturation of certain organs, in par-
ticular the digestive tract. This is linked to colostral hor-
mones and growth factors. One study reported that
puppies fed colostrum had gastrointestinal tracts
60-95% better developed when compared to puppies
of the same body weight given a synthetic milk formula-
tion (26), although other studies do not consistently
observe this (27).
Induction of colostrum production
and release
Sometimes a dam produces little or no colostrum at
birth or immediately post-partum. This agalactia may be
as a result of premature birth, cesarean section, endo-
toxemia or malnutrition, but it is most commonly due to
post-partum stress, particularly in primiparous females.
A quiet, calm area should always be provided at whelp-
ing, and in some cases medication may be recom-
mended for anxious dams to encourage colostrum pro-
duction (Table 2).
Alternatives to colostrum
When the dam is absent or does not produce enough
colostrum, it is essential to source a substitute in order
to limit neonatal mortality. At the very least an energy
supply must be provided for the puppies, but a supply of
immunoglobulins is also desirable. The ideal scenario is
to have another bitch who has given birth less than 2-3
days previously, and either make her adopt the puppies
or draw colostrum from her to administer to the puppies.
If an adoptive dam whelped more than 2-3 days previ-
ously, her milk will ensure sufficient energy supply (since
the energy value of milk is only 20% less than that of
colostrum), but the supply of IgG will be insufficient: milk
contains only 1-2 g/L of IgG compared to 20 g/L in
colostrum, so a puppy will require 13-26 mL of milk to
supply the same quantity of IgG obtained from 1 mL of
colostrum. Data is not available for puppies, but kittens
fed with milk from a foster cat had no significant transfer
of IgG (28). Formula milks are void of canine immuno-
globulins and have an energy concentration of about
1 kcal/mL (i.e., half that of colostrum) (29) and so again
ensure a nutritional supply but no immunological supply.
Conversely, serum drawn from an adult dog will contain
immunoglobulins, but at a concentration around 3 times
less than that of colostrum, and will have only a limited
energy value. Trials administering canine serum orally at
birth to puppies deprived of colostrum showed an
increase in circulating IgG, but at a much lower level
than that obtained from standard colostrum (18,19).
Figure 5. Growth and
transfer of passive immunity
are key indicators for
puppy survival. The graph
represents data from 149
puppies; 18 died before
day 21 (red dots) and 131
were alive at day 21 (green
triangles). The thresholds
for survival during the two
first days of life are weight
loss of less than 4% of
birthweight (approximated
here to a nil growth) and a
serum IgG level at the age
of two days above 2.3 g/L.
Growth between 0 and 2 days (%)
IgG < 2.3 g/L
Alive at day 21
Dead by day 21
IgG serum concentration at 2 days of age (g/L)
CANINE COLOSTRUM
Graph adapted from (3) and (4)
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However, one study (18) showed that oral administration
of canine serum at birth to puppies deprived of colos-
trum did result in reasonable IgG levels. This suggests
that, in some puppies at least, administering serum may
ensure that the minimum protective IgG concentration
(i.e., 2.3 g/L) is reached.
Currently bovine colostrum as a source of heterologous
immunoglobulins is of interest, as it is easy to collect and
readily available, but it has yet to be evaluated in puppies
for its immunological or nutritional value. Another source
of abundant Ig is IgY (from immunized hen eggs), with
recent work showing that serum containing specific anti-
bodies against canine pathogens (E.coli and CPV2)
obtained from hyper-immunized eggs can be adminis-
tered to puppies to provide immunity; the authors trialed
administration of oral IgY to puppies before closure of the
intestinal barrier and obtained promising results in terms
of overall health, with improved growth over the first three
weeks of life (unpublished data).
In the absence of an ideal substitute, the only solution
currently available is to establish a colostrum bank, as
currently practised for cattle and horses. Breeders can
draw milk from a bitch on the second day post-partum
(which ensures her own puppies have acquired passive
immunity). Generally, milking a lactating bitch is easy;
after cleaning the skin with a chlorhexidine-based soap
the colostrum can be collected in small-volume plastic
tubes and frozen (Figure 6). Small quantities of colos-
trum can then be thawed (at 37°C (98.6°F); under no
circumstances should a microwave oven be used) as
necessary and administered by bottle or feeding tube at
a dose of 1.5 mL per 100 g of puppy body weight per day.
Conclusion
Canine colostrum is a secretion with a very particular
composition designed to meet a puppy’s specific needs
– namely, provision of passive immunity, energy and cer-
tain factors required for organ growth and differentiation.
The quantity of colostrum received may be a limiting fac-
tor in the survival of certain puppies of a litter, whilst the
impact of maternal nutrition on the quantity and quality
of colostrum produced remains to be explored. From a
practical point of view the development of a colostral
Figure 6. If a dam cannot supply colostrum to her litter,
colostrum can be drawn from another bitch between 24
and 48 hours after she has whelped, ensuring her own
litter has received immunity but before the Ig levels have
dropped.
Table 2. Medical and other treatments indicated for agalactia in the bitch.
Medication Effect Dosage
Acepromazine Tranquilization; favors release of prolactin and
increases secretion of colostrum 0.1-0.2 mg/kg SC
Metoclopramide Release of prolactin 0.1-0.2 mg/kg PO or SC q8h
Aglepristone Reduces progesterone levels, and hence
encourages prolactin release
15 mg/kg SC 59-60 days post-ovulation.
Administration is only recommended
20-24h before cesarean section
Oxytocin Local action stimulating the release of
colostrum, but not its production 0.5-2 I.U. SC q2h
Fenugreek or fennel
supplementation
Stimulates milk secretion but mechanism
unknown
Oral administration; optimum dose
unknown
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substitute or supplement which can provide immuno-
logical support effective against canine pathogens as
well as an energy supply would constitute a crucial ad-
vance in controlling neonatal mortality in puppies.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank all the people who con-
tributed to improving knowledge on canine colostrum,
particularly Karine Reynaud, Elie Marcheteau, Marie-
Blanche Bertieri, Jennifer Anne, Maelys Martin, Milène
Gonnier, Lisa Rossig and Stéphanie Coinus.
References
CANINE COLOSTRUM
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