9.
Look at the state of Jelly's abdomen in this photo -- see how prominent her ribs appear to be? This isn't an indication of malnutrition, but rather shows how much the puppies she was carrying have spread her rib cage. Jelly was also carrying a lot of fluid. Her ribs should return to a more normal state in a few months, but will always have more spring than they did before she gave birth.

We'll give her a protein and nutrient rich diet while she is nursing. Her nutritional needs are enormous while she is nursing, and we want her to get as much to eat as she needs, in a nutritionally dense form. We'll also make sure she has access to as much fluid as she requires. We usually offer her diluted 'Ensure' and low sodium chicken or beef broth, in addition to clean fresh water.