I've heard of this in dogs, cats and other mammals.  There's even a James
Herriot story called Moses the Cat that talks about mammals nursing other
mammalian species.
> seems that the older dog's milk came in, probably from allowing the pups
to
> suckle from day one even tho not her own litter, and perhaps because
there was
> a need in the "pack" for more milk to be produced to maintain survival.

Perhaps our Lactnet veterinarian can elaborate on the cause of this

We routinely stud our male beagles and have developed quite a network of
"lady callers" in our area.  There was one bitch who was probably
peri-menopausal (if this *really* happens in canines) who would come into
heat and come visit one of our studs.  She would never have a tie, though
she was obviously in heat.  Anyway, the younger bitches in her pack would
conceive and she would nurse some of the pups too.  "It takes a pack of
dogs to raise a pup?"

Maurenne Griese, RNC, BSN, CCE, CBE
Birth and Breastfeeding Resources
http://www.childbirth.org/bbfr  (under construction)
Manhattan, KS  USA
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