HI

My bitch has just had her first litter of five puppies.  I am a little concerned that she is still panting a day after and she seems to have some discharge.  Is this normal??

Yes, the panting occurs as the uterus contracts and her insides start to settle back into their normal position - any human mother will tell you this can be quite uncomfortable! This usually lasts a couple of days or so, intermittently. The discharge (again like human mothers) can last a few weeks. As long as it doesn't suddenly become bright red or smell unpleasant then it's normal.

I have had bitches pant with discomfort for a week after whelping. 

And I've had bitches discharge for over 4 weeks - no 2 bitches are the same.

Have you read the Book of the Bitch?

Thanks both for your advise.

I will keep an eye on her..

Its been three days now after her having her puupies.  and everytime my girl goes to the toilet she starts to dig.  This only started a day ago also her two back teets seem rather large incomparison to her others.  She also has a slighty coloured discharge.  Any advice??

I had the same problem 3 years ago. My girl was digging & got a raging temp around day 5 after whelping. After a scan to make sure there were no remaining puppies or placentas she was given anti biotics for 5 days. She passed a peice of membrane 2 days after a/b's started. All ended well, but my vet was talking about emergancy spay & scared the life out of me. :(

she will start to contact as her uterus starts to go back....thats normal for girls to do this the only time to worry is when shes doing it in the whelping box as pups can get hurt so watch for that!...she will loose discharge shes just had pups ;0)
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digging is normal for 2 weeks after whelping and so is panting, just make sure she doesnt dig up her pups!

> Its been three days now after her having her puupies.  and everytime my girl goes to the toilet she starts to dig.

The digging is her reaction to pain, and her uterus is still contracting.

> her two back teets seem rather large incomparison to her others

The two back teats always carry the most milk.

> She also has a slighty coloured discharge. 

Which she will have for weeks yet.  Have you read the book of the bitch?  I know I've already asked this once, but there was no reply.

One of my first litters, I made the mistake of trying to keep the room warmer for the puppies.  I didn't realise that mum keeps the pups warm but she needs to be comfortable, not hot.  If your room is too hot, the pups scatter about the box making crushing more likely and worries mum.  My bitch dug a few holes in the garden to move the pups too but she never got the chance to take the pups out.  She eventually dug a hole through my sofa and buried all the litter in there.  That'll teach me, eh!!

Sorry Cracar it must have cost a bomb but I couldn't help laughing to read that, your naughty girl!!! :-D

Not only that, but this was quite a few years ago when suites were still quite expensive(no DFS and world of sofas then!).  So after that day I went out and bought a lovely new italian cream leather sofa to replace the eaten one.  After a wait of 8 weeks sitting on garden loungers waiting for the sofa to come it arrived looking lovely.  It lasted for another 5 months till the pup I'd kept from that litter ate the arms off the sofa one day!!  I came home to literally no arms left on the ends.  No throw was covering that 'scratch'.  I had to hide him when OH came home and try to blame 'his' cat!!  Never worked.  Funny but every pup from that bitch turned out to be a chewer and passed that through many generations!!

sorry abit off topic my girl thats just had pups isnt a chewer and dad isnt too so fingers crossed these 9 not be!! but her sister can chew tho anything LOL
xxxx