Shih Tzu sore tits from nursing

Question
My shih tzu is nursing 6 beautiful 2 week old puppies. Her skin around her nipples is starting to become red and raw from the little stinkers "punching" while they eat. I am constantly wiping her belly down with a warm wash cloth or rinsing her belly with the shower nozzle. Is there something I can put on these sores to make them a little less uncomfortable? And when should I start feeding them "real food"? Do I feed them formula and solid food or switch to water and solid food?

Answer
Hi Tina. There's really not much that you can put on them as the pups are still nursing. You could try just a tad bit of neosporin. Make sure the pup's toenails are clipped, this will help. You can use human fingernail clippers on them. If the spots are warm, you may also want to take her in to the vet. When they're about 3-4 weeks old, you can start to feed them about once a day. Start by soaking puppy food in either water or puppy formula. Gradually up the amount of feedings over the next few weeks, so that by the time they're 6 weeks old, they're completely weaned. Good luck!