We have just acquired a new male JR pup at 7 weeks old. Our old girl, also a JR, - 10 years old and not related at all to the pup, has started lactating and feeding the pup.

Is this normal?
Is this healthy for the old girl?

Had dogs and Sporting Dogs most of my life and worked at a pet farm (dogs) as a kid. That seems strange at a minimum. Especially, a seven week old pup. No answer but strange to my thinking.

False pregnancies as they are known, are not uncommon with dogs. My springer spaniel went through one after her first season when she was just over a year old. After she came off heat her mammary glands started to swell as though she was ready to lactate and she took to nesting, hiding away under beds and behind furniture, scratching away to make a birthing nest.

I had planned to have her spayed after her first season but after the vet confirmed she was having a false pregnancy he advised to wait until that was over before spaying otherwise if spayed during the FP she would forever remain in that FP state.

Eventually she returned to normal, was spayed and all worked out well.

It seems false pregnancies are triggered by hormonal changes such as after coming into season and in your case holzer375, a young just weaned pup coming into the family.

I am a 1975 graduate of Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine. Practiced for 40 plus years before semiretiring. If you have a 10 year old intact female dog of any breed you are courting disaster with a potential pyometra. I used to call it "the silent killer" of intact female dogs as they don't show much if any signs before they are about to have their uterus rupture and then you are looking at peritonitis and a dead dog at worst, and a very large vet bill at best. If you don't know what that is Google it. Anyone who tells you that spaying a dog that age will affect their hunting ability is full of s**t IMHO. PM me if you want more information.

It certainly does not sound normal.

As above, have your vet look at your older pup.

That does not sound good. i will get her to a vet immediately.