Maternal Behavior Problems
Issues
Maternal Behavior Problems
Abnormal maternal behavior is either excessive maternal behavior in the absence of neonates or deficient maternal behavior in the presence of the dam’s own neonates. The latter is more common in dogs, the former in cats.
SYSTEMS AFFECTED
Behavioral
GENETICS
There is no identified genetic predisposition, but a breed disposition for deficient maternal behavior in Jack Russell terriers indicates that there may be a genetic component. There are genetic models in mice. The genes responsible for deficient maternal behavior in mice are paternally imprinted. If this is true in dogs and cats, one would expect that rejecting mothers were normally mothered themselves, but their grandmother may have been deficient. The genetic basis should be investigated in dogs and cats.
INCIDENCE/PREVALENCE
The incidence of deficient maternal behavior has not been determined but seems to be low, less than 1% of cases in a behavior practice. Maternal behavior in cats and dogs that do not have offspring is more common.
SIGNALMENT
Species
Dogs and cats
Breed Predilections
Poor maternal behavior may be more common in Jack Russell terriers and cocker spaniels, but there has been no quantitative study.
Mean Age and Range
There is no particular age at risk, but primiparous females and older bitches seem to be at risk of deficient maternal behavior.
Predominant Sex
Female generally, but some males may allow suckling behavior.
SIGNS
- Deficient Maternal Behavior
- Absent maternal behavior; the mother simply abandons her offspring. This is most apt to occur after caesarean section.
Poor Maternal Behavior
The mother stays with her offspring but will not allow them to nurse.
In other cases the mother may show inadequate retrieval of young, insufficient cleaning of the young, or failure to stimulate elimination.
In another form of poor maternal behavior, the bitch carries the puppies from place to place without settling down or, in the most extreme form, kills some or all of her litter.
Abnormal Maternal Behavior
The bitch or queen may allow her offspring to suckle but kills her offspring either at birth or over a period of days. Occasionally the bitch, or more rarely the queen, will abandon or attack her offspring if it has changed in odor or appearance. A female may be disturbed by another animal or by people and can redirect her aggression to her offspring.
A bitch may accidentally disembowel or even consume offspring completely while eating the fetal membranes and umbilical cord. This should be distinguished from normal licking, which can be quite vigorous, even dislodging the pup from a teat.
Maternal Aggression
Cats with kittens may be aggressive to other animals, especially dogs in the same household. Bitches may be aggressive to unfamiliar humans or even to familiar humans, especially if they are hypocalcemic.
Excessive Maternal Behavior
The pseudopregnant bitch or bitch spayed during the late luteal phase of the estrous cycle adopts, attempts to nurse, and guards inanimate objects (stuffed animals or even leashes). The pseudopregnant bitch may have mammary development and may be lactating.
The newly spayed queen may steal kittens from a lactating queen. Queens post-spaying may also lactate if suckled.
CAUSES AND RISK FACTORS
The presence of kittens in the environment of the recently spayed cat is a risk factor for excessive maternal behavior and kitten stealing.
The risk of excessive carrying of pups, redirected aggression, or even cannibalism is increased if there are other dogs or too many people present in the nest area.
Primiparous females or those subjected to caesarian section are at higher risk than multiparous or naturally delivering females.
A large litter of kittens or sick offspring.
DIAGNOSIS
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
The most important differential is between primary abnormal maternal behavior and poor maternal behavior secondary to mastitis or metritis.
Lactation tetany can result in aggressive behavior, although this behavior is rarely directed at the puppies and occurs later in lactation, not at parturition.
CBC/BIOCHEMISTRY/URINALYSIS
Usually normal unless other medical conditions are present. Blood calcium levels will be low if the bitch is suffering from lactation tetany.
OTHER LABORATORY TESTS
Only as indicated by metabolic conditions of the bitch or queen.
IMAGING
Only as indicated by other problems.
PATHOLOGIC FINDINGS
Presence of milk in the mammary glands of females with excessive maternal behavior.
TREATMENT
APPROPRIATE HEALTH CARE
Normal health care
DIET
Adequate diet for nursing bitches and queens to meet energy and calcium demands.
Restricted diets for pseudocyesis to discourage lactation and diminish milk production.
In the case of deficient maternal behavior, the bitch or queen should be fed ad libitum to encourage lactation.
CLIENT EDUCATION
Abnormal or Poor Maternal Behavior
The bitch that is carrying her pups or exhibiting redirected aggression to them should be isolated in a quiet, dark area. The bitch that bites her pups should be muzzled. The owner must stimulate elimination of the puppies or kittens because the muzzled female cannot. An Elizabethan collar inhibits cannibalism in queens.
The bitch should be attended at parturition and the pups removed temporarily if she is biting the pups themselves in addition to the umbilical cord.
Bitches and queens with poor maternal behavior may exhibit the same behavior with subsequent litters.
Excessive Maternal Behavior
Cats that have stolen kittens should be separated from the biologic mother and kittens.
The mothered objects should be removed from the pseudopregnant bitch.
Food intake should be restricted to inhibit lactation.
Maternal Aggression toward Animals or Humans
The best treatment for excessive maternal aggression is to separate the kittens; weaning alone may not suffice because the presence of the kittens alone may sustain or even reinstate maternal aggression in a queen separated from her kittens for several weeks.
SURGICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Delay spaying for 4 months post-estrus to avoid post-spaying maternal behavior and its accompanying aggression.
Spaying avoids future excessive maternal behavior in the absence of young.
PATIENT MONITORING
The puppies or kittens of females with deficient or poor maternal behavior should be monitored daily to be sure that they are gaining weight.
PREVENTION/AVOIDANCE
Place a nursing female in quiet, comfortable quarters away from noise and disturbances by other animals or people.
Do not rebreed females with poor maternal behavior. Determine whether any female offspring of the female with abnormal behavior have also exhibited poor maternal behavior. In other species, poor maternal behavior is a paternally imprinted gene; the father must contribute the gene for poor maternal behavior. The daughters of rejecting mothers will not reject, but the daughters of their sons may.
Deficient maternal behavior can occur with each litter; do not rebreed.
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS
- Loss of offspring.
- Hand-reared puppies and kittens frequently have abnormal or deficient social behavior. This is due in part to insufficient suckling time and to the consequences of lack of maternal licking, which adversely affects response to stress and reproductive behavior.
EXPECTED COURSE AND PROGNOSIS
Excessive maternal behavior usually wanes around the time of normal weaning (6–8 weeks).
Poor and deficient maternal behavior can occur with each litter.
MISCELLANEOUS
PREGNANCY/FERTILITY/BREEDING
Consider especially drug use and effect of disease on the fetus.
Do not breed dogs with history of poor maternal behavior.
SYNONYMS
Mismothering
Visit your veterinarian as early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment are essential.
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