Hi just updaate on holly who had 3pups Wednesday Evening  - she settled down and nursed throughout the night with no sign of any more pups Or distress so all was fine till 10am next day(yesterday -Thursday) where she was straining again took her to vets where she had oxitocin and gave birth to one still born and two healthy pups- 16 hours after her last one the previous night! Mircal I think! Mother and pups doing well I'm just worried about her panting? She's doing it quiete a bit tonight- she had check up at 6pm at vets where thee vets wereextremly pleased with her but is the panting normal? It's not constant and the box isn't too hot and she hasnt any pups or plancentas in her and has had long lasting antibiootic. Other the the panting/ heaving breathing she seems fine any help would be appreciated. Ta!

Panting is completely normal after a delivery.

How long for afterwards? Sorry to sound silly but Its first whelped bitch N I'm such a worrier n stay up all night at the slighest whinge of a pup or pant of my bitch

Hi. My bitch panted for about 10 days afterwards.  She also dug on and off. 

Yip my bitch panted for at least 5 days.  The first 3 nights after whelping were the worst though and her panting sounded really heavy.
I'd have been worried had I not been told and read up on here that it was normal.

I am told that it is due to the womb contracting i.e. pains

Agree with alison that the pain is a contributing factor.  Her body has a lot going on now, it's working overtime!  All those hormonal changes, milk production etc.

I've had them go on for over a week.  You already know it's not down to anything being left inside her.  She's on antibiotics, so I see no reason for you to worry unduly (easy for me to say I know.)

Just make sure that she is drinking a lot.  It's often a good idea to encourage this by holding a bowl up to them, as they don't like moving away from pups.  I always put some evaporated milk in boiled water - give it lukewarm.  I find they drink a whole lot more this way.  Much more than with plain water.

> I'm such a worrier n stay up all night at the slighest whinge of a pup or pant of my bitch <IMG class=qButton title="Quote selected text" alt="Quote selected text" src="/images/mi_quote.gif" width=20 height=10>

You are right to stay up with her at this time.  It will reassure her, and you will be alerted if she lies on a pup.

I've got a bitch who has a single pup (two were dead) born Thursday and she's still panting. She's absolutely fine. :)

Yes, I've the same with my bitch, on her second litter.  First was like shelling peas, this one we were to and fro the vets eventually a dead pup born on way to vets, then a live one at the vets..7 live pups by 11pm, following day at 10am another dead one, followed by two miraculously alive, although one much smaller than the rest.  All are doing well.  Sophie is still panting a bit - not as bad now, I do offer her a drink and she often settles, I think it's the stress of the birth that makes them pant.

Thanks for the reassurance and advice ! It's mainly at night Or when pups are nursing when she pants but other then panting she has a run on the garden, trots around the house for short time n eating and drinking perfectly fine- just not nice seeing her panting! 

mine were the same i gave calcium tablets and lots of cottege cheese and puppy milk to help her :)

> I've got a bitch who has a single pup (two were dead) born Thursday and she's still panting. She's absolutely fine. :-)

Sorry to go off thread Marianne - is this the bitch that you had bad luck with last time?

Sorry to go off thread Marianne - is this the bitch that you had bad luck with last time?

Yes it is Jean -last Thursday was awful. I don't know what happened -been suggested it may have been partial inertia. (?) (Bitch had been herpes vaccinated before mating, at 7 weeks of pregnancy, and was on antibiotics at time of mating, half way through pregnancy and during final week.) Mum sitting on my lap Wednesday evening, pups kicking a lot, all fine. Unlike last time, the pups moved a lot and she was much bigger so I was so hopeful. She started panting and pacing so I stayed up with her all night. I dozed on and off but woke up every time she moved.

  In the morning I fell asleep a bit deeper, woke up by the bitch digging next to me in MY bed, opened my eyes and there was a dead puppy next to me. I hoped against hope that the pup was dead due to me not getting to her in time, so when the second pup was born soon afterward I more or less pounced on him immediately, tore the sack off and used every trick in the book that I know (have not had to revive many pups but have done many, many kittens) but he was dead. Two perfectly formed pups, dead.

We'd been told both by the vet and the lady who scanned (twice) that she only carried two pups again so I totally broke down and the poor bitch was running around crying. I gave her the dead pups and she tried to get them going but of course it didn't work so she was really upset. After an hour and  a half all of a sudden she went back in the whelping box and out popped a third pup -and it moved. Alive. A total miracle. He's 5 days old today and doing fine. I will never try for another litter from this bitch and this pup is going nowhere even if he ends up oversized! He's the most doted on pup ever from both mum and me. :)

That's such a sad story, but I'm glad it's got a happy ending...:)

As everyone has said about the panting, I was concerned when my bitch did this after whelping, but she was perfectly ok, even if the panting did make me worry!!! I agree that it's probably the uterus contracting, especially if it's worse when the pups are suckling.

Oh Marianne, after what you went through last time too.

I have to admit that the inertia doesn't really surprise me.  Just my observation, and I stand corrected by large dog owners if I'm wrong, but I do find toy breeds are much worse for this than a decent sized dog.  And I do think that small litters cause less strong contractions.  So, when you say partial inertia, I have had similar more than once.

Like you, I won't ever try for a second litter from a bitch that has inertia.  Suppose that's why I have a houseful of spayed bitches!  I bet it was such a relief that a live pup arrived for her to clean and love.  I once had a Chi bitch that had one puppy that didn't last long (breech birth), and her grief almost wiped me away.  It was so sad to watch and hear her cry for it.

I did smile at your remark about the boy staying, even if he goes oversize.  I have a boy here that I originally kept for show.  His type was lovely, and coat coming through really well (Long Coat Chihuahua), he just went on to grow to Shetland Pony size, and I love him to bits.  So you're not the only one!

Have to say that you're not the only one to have a bitch whelp in your bed either! 

I remember how upsetting things were with your girls last try.  I am so sorry that you lost 2 perfectly formed pups.  You can't help but ask why can you?  Seems so unfair when people have dogs locked out in sheds producing litter after litter, yet when you do it all right, things like this happen.  I do feel for you, it is such a disappointment.

how is mum doing now ? pups ok too ? has she stoped panting so much ? hope all is good :)

The panting can be pain as the womb contracts, (after pains) just like us! digging is also pain.
If she hadn't been to the vets I would say have her checked to see if there is a puppy still there, but! you have so she will be fine loads of love. After pains are very painful.

Hi all! Mum and pups are fine had a few hairy moments with thinking she weren't producing enough milk and then mastis but all seems good now- she's eating as much as I like but vet sid that's kinda common in maidan bitches but she has plenty of milk now! I'm actually sleeping more through the night now and not up every hour!  

Hi all! Mum and pups are fine had a few hairy moments with thinking she weren't producing enough milk and then mastis but all seems good now- she's eating as much as I like but vet sid that's kinda common in maidan bitches but she has plenty of milk now! I'm actually sleeping more through the night now and not up every hour!  

glad to hear it!!!
xx

great news ...carnt wait till i can lol

I think I spoke to soon! They seem to have slight runs and are having them without simulation they seem like a yellowy runny paste with what looks like seeds in?!? I've heard this could be normal they are nursing fine have chnaged mums food to pedigree chicken puppy food as she is being so fussy with food! She also has very very slght mAstitis which vet said isn't worth antibiotics as she is healthy otherwise!

runny poo is fine if their feeding well ive had this this 3 litters before ,i remember rushing to the vets thinking omg their going to die! pups shouldnt get the runs at 9days old but they was all fine ,vet said it could be mums milk was very rich .

Ye I was about to rush them to th vets which would be a small fortune as it's night but I'm going to see how they are tomorrow I do think it's the change if food becuase she is passing very smelly wind but is her normal self other then that!

I'll close this as you have started another thread to ask about the "poo" issue.