Hi all,
My girl gave birth on sunday morning and has since been checked by our vet who said everything is shutting down normally inside her, the thing is she is panting heavily tonight she's also moving about alot, outside her whelping box and nesting anywhere she can.

i know they nest post labour as their uterus contracts its just she's panting more now than what she did when she was in labour. Is this normal??

If it continues i'm calling the vet, i would like to know if any off you have experianced this before.

keep eye on her as sometimes it can be lack of calcium ,with it being 5/6 days i think it is this ,if it was me id ring vet

joanne xx

Is the Vet sure that there are absolutely no pups dead or alive left? Otherwise, yes it can be a calcium deficiency...do you have calcium to hand??

I whitnessed the vet having a good feel of her abdomen and she felt inside her vulva so i'm guessing she would of felt something.
All i got from the vet was some whelpi for the mum and any pups that may struggle (litter of 8), so no other form of calcium.

it does sound like the calcium to me id call the vet she may need a jab but im not a vet so only they would know ,but if it was me thats what id be doing !!
it can be life threating to your girl if not sort very soon .

joanne xx

To be honest it's something everybody should have in their whelping kit, ready to use as it can have a dramatic and immediate effect...your only solution, if she continues to exhibit symptoms is to phone and see a Vet urgently, as they can go downhill rapidly...I would be on the phone now! Honestly I would!

She has stopped panting now and is back in her whelping box, she's still breathing slightly quickly but stopped panting. i've spoke to the vets and she's told me to keep an eye on her if she shows signs of twitching, shivering and the panting begins again, she's told me to give her another bowl of whelpi and shes happy to see her in the morning.

Thank you for your help.

If she starts again like that the morning will be too late! IF she starts again, insist the Vet sees her...it is far better to be nervous, but safe, than it is to be reassured by a phone call and too late!

i took your advice and took her to the vet. Her calcium is exactly how it should be, the vet mesured her blood and said it needs to be between 2 and 3. hers measured just over 2,5 so that ruled out the need for calcium.
She checked her abdomen once more and ruled another puppy out.
Her general appearance is that of a healthy dog.
She did however say that her teats on her right side are slightly harder than her left and this could be a condition that needs treatment, nothing major just antibiotics. She did say what the condition was called but with all the worry i've forgot. She said that it could be the reason for her panting. She administered a shot of anti-biotics (which are safe for the puppies) and i'm to go and see her again when the vets open.
Thank you for your help, at least i can sleep now.

do you have calcium to hand??

not sure about this sentance, when my bitch whelped i was told only IV calcium works and is instant, so how would you have it to hand? just curious

> do you have calcium to hand??
>
> not sure about this sentance,

Never had to do it but if you have liquid calcium or tablets and you can get them into the bitch at the very onset of eclampsia it can help.

I have had two bitches that I took to the vet for IV treatment one was only just showing signs the other took eclampsia so quickly that by the time I got her to the vet she was rigid, it was like carrying a cardboard cut out, the only thing moving was her eyes.  Vet gave her IV calcium and 5 mins later she walked out the treatment room looking for her babies.

Not something I would ever want to experience again. 

Rox, it's something we have a gut feeling about, like when children are ill...we might not know exactly what IS wrong, but we know something is...I know it was probably an expensive Vet visit...but, now you know there was something wrong and she will be more comfortable and able to care for her pups now! It is very hard to give a definitive diagnosis over t'internet...may I suggest you get hold of 'The Book of the Bitch' by Evans and White, ISBN 1-86054-023-6 available at Amazon and an invaluable 'bible' for Breeders. It gives you everything you need to hand. Maybe a look at www.hyperdrug.com (also called Canine Chemist) will show a list, using the search option, for whelping essentials. These will help you no end if you breed again. Early intervention by a knowledgable breeder can save a fortune in Vet bills and possibly save a bitch and her pups! As you will also be aware, giving her a bowl of Whelpi wouldn't help her mastitis anyway!!! It's always better to be safe and sure...if you need any other help, please come back and ask, no-one is judging you, we just want to make sure you're prepared next time!

All the best, Dawn (you can PM me too if you need something ok?)

You see you learn something everyday on here! ;-)

That sentence meant that a little liquid calcium can save a life and, if further treatment is needed, keep a bitch alive till she can be got to a Vet! A lot of good breeding practice is PREVENTING problems from occuring...like a boy scout, be prepared, read, read and read some more(The Book of the Bitch and more!)...have a knowledgable mentor either with you or on the end of a phone.

Don't guarantee the vet can feel, my Jasmine, 4 years ago had a litter and I was 100% certain she had retained a pup, even though it couldn't be felt and labour had stopped, she had settled down with her family like she had finished.  We took her into the vet a few hours later (bank holiday weekend coming up) to get her checked, the vet said no pups left, she had finished, felt her tummy so hard poor Jasmine wee'd on the table, even gave her an internal.  I asked for an oxytocin injection as I still wasn't convinced, she finally agreed and told me to take her home.  On the way out of the surgery Jasmine started pushing and I could see a pup presenting......one very embarrassed vet, and sadly one dead pup :(

sharon same thing happend to me with my other girls 1st litter , was told no pups left but my gut feeling was she had ,i took her to em vet at 11.30 at night she was panting and vet told me she needed calcium vet gave her 1 and i asked to oxi jab she told me ok its your money :( ...i was mad but on the way home in the car she also had another pup also dead !! ...we just know !! i always go with my gut feeling now !.