Hi, my bitch whelped 6 days ago and am wondering how smelly the discharge should be at this stage? She whelped 11 puppies and the discharge is watery blood coloured which I gather is normal. The problem for me is the smell. I'm a first time breeder, and am attempting to keep her rear end as clean as possible (carefully dry also). I don't think she's got any infection as she's contented, feeding pups well and eating/drinking well. She has been showing some discomfort scratching her bedding and trying to dig a hole in the garden yesterday. Could it be her uterus contracting is causing the discharge to flow more?

I've had 3 babies, so know it hurts your stomach when the uterus contracts (good sign) I presume its the same with dogs?

Any advice from those much more experienced than me is welcome. This sure is a very steep learning curve, one I wouldn't miss for the world even though we've lost 2 babies... so sad! All others seem to be doing great though which is keeping me going at the moment despite suffering acute sleep deprivation. Noisy little critters...lol!!!

What do you mean by smelly, can you say how it is smelling? My bitch just had a slight metalic smell (like the smell of blood) but not strongly and for a while after birth she did smell like whilst she was in whelp (from all the fluids etc) but there was no nasty smells.... Yes there uterus does contract back down like ours, but I don't know for sure how long it takes and whether it is normal still on day 6 as my bitch was settled nicely by that stage. Maybe someone else could advise.....or if you are worried a phonecall to the vet, they should be able to advise over the phone. Congratulations on your new litter  :-)

Just another thought about the hole digging, is she in a quiet area of your house as she may be thinking that it would be safer to rear the pups in her big hole in the garden than where you have suggested she raise them ;) maybe covering the whelping box to make it more den like (unless you have already done this)

They have discharge but it definitely should not be smelly.  Sounds like an infection if it's as smelly as you say, she needs to see a vet.

Was she checked by a Vet post whelp? If not it COULD be(not saying it is as it's impossible to smell over t'internet!) she has a lost pup still inside? Especially is she's still contracting?? I would visit a Vet or get yours to call round! You can never be too careful...but that was the first thing that came into my head...

We recently had a bitch whelp and about a week later have a dark discharge and it smelt sweet but horrible
it was like a thick custard consistancy,turned out she had open pyometra,we had to give her antibiotics and thankfully
she recovered.

Thanks for that, Yes I would say it smells like the amniotic smell from the whelping. She had 11 pups so I'm imagining her uterus has got quite a lot of contracting to do also. The discharge is clear with a little blood staining. I'm thinking if its not infection, maybe the smell is just worse because she's in a warm environment. She's a long-coated breed also, so the fluid is on her feathers all the time unless we wash her off.

Its our first time so haven't smelt that smell before.... have smelt better!!!!!

Thanks again
Tanya

Feel her tummy if you can't feel anything, and you accounted for all the afterbirths, it just might be the dicharge after welphing like we have after a baby. When you wash her down put a little savlon in the warm water. That should help a litter. You can imagine what it is like with a sammie, long white coat!!

Yes, we've been washing her down daily as you suggested. This helps for a while, but with the long coat it is usually wet with fluid after a few hours, then the smell returns. I'll try not to worry unnecessarily and the vet is coming for a visit tomorrow to check them all out, I'm sure she'll be fine until then.

Thanks again