Hi there, have posted previously about my bitch who is whelping this evening. She had her first pup an hour ago with no problems, shes cleaning/drying her off but she has not let down milk. I have spoken to the vet who says that this is okay for now, I have milk replacer at the ready but what I wanted to know and didn't really get an answer for was how long before she does let down milk and how long should I leave it before we go the oxytocin route/before I use the milk replacer? Obviously the pups need colostrum so milk replacer is not the long term answer. Never had an issue with this before, please be kind I am trying not to stress.

She may well not have any milk until a few more pups are born.   Additionally, milking a teat is not the same as a pup feeding. 

Have you tried putting the pup to the milk bar?   the action of pup paddling and trying to find the nipple should make a difference, this may also help labour to progress too.    You can always remove the pup to a safe part of the whelping box or a heated pad in a box whilst she delivers the next one  ;-)

Don't worry; I had a bitch who didn't let her milk down until the whole litter was born. Just keep the pups warm - they won't starve, even though you'll be worrying!

Agree with dill...as soon as that puppy is dry I put it to the milk bar (teats) get the puppy suckling,it brings on contractions and encourages pups to flow better...there'll be enough milk don't worry too much at this point....let her get through the labour and birth and I think you'll find more puppies come the better she'll be her milk with come down don't worry this early...

I am so pleased things have started to happen. Congratulations :)

Agree with the others just get pups plugged on to stimulate things, and just move them when next one on the way.  I usually have them on a heat pad and just make sure they don't get swamped again by birth fluids when the next one comes.

Thanks Newyork! We have 7 so far, they do seem to crowd around the back so have been on hand to move them away when the next appears- she has been amazing- hasn't needed any help at all apart from the moving- I couldn't be more proud! They are all suckling fine, welcome to the world little ones :)

Congratulations :-)

Now the hard work begins :-D

Oh my goodness, think we have finished up with 9!

Never once did I manage to express any milk from my girl.
I tried numerous times to check she was producing but found nothing each time.
The pups were content and I hardly ever heard them cry. I eventually stopped stressing as they were gaining weight and happy so figured my girl was producing just the right amount with nothing 'extra' for me to express.

Wow - hope she's settled down well and you managed some sleep too

Get all those puppies tagged and weighed and weigh every 4 days until you notice a weight gain difference..personally I weigh as soon as theyre born and dried off then the only other times I ove them is to put fresh bedding in when shes finished and when another pup comes I use a washing basket lined with vet bed and a heat mat to keep them warm with a towel over the top if its cold outside...
congratulations on the safe delivery of your babies as others have said now the fun starts
theres a WEALTH of good info on here if you ever need it...

I weigh my puppies every day!!!  Especially in the first week, even when you can see them gaining weight.
I also remove the puppies into a warm basket when another is immanent and put them back as soon as the new arrival has been cleaned off etc
Above all - enjoy the experience

> I weigh my puppies every day!!! 

yes me too. and do so pretty much until they wont fit on the scales. It is a very good way of picking up a pup that needs a little extra help in the beginning.

I also weigh every day until they are running around, then weekly until they leave!    Bedlie pups aren't huge, so they fit the scales for a long time :-)

Keeping a record is useful, you can then look back and see any trend of losing weight for individual pups. 

But also having the records of several litters gives you a guide as to how your pups generally develop :-)     Very useful in case a pup appears to not be doing well, you can look back and compare how the litter as a whole is doing gainst previous litters,  and individual pups too  :-)

Weighing daily is easy enough.   I just do it when I change the bedding, mum is usually outside on a garden visit.     I take the scales to the pups and record them as they are being settled in the clean bedding :-)    mum doesn't even know they've been moved ;-)

I certainly weigh every day in the first week or so, but don't keep a  permanent record of more than birth three days a week, 10 days and then weekly.

Any pup I think is not doing as well I may weigh more often, but if they are all fat and sassy after a week or so I just do weekly. http://barbelka.awardspace.co.uk/wpimages/wpbd20f432_0a_06.jpg

I tag each pup after birth after I weigh them.  I use a stand of coloured owl for each pup leaving a fairly long tail, which is then easy to see. http://barbelka.awardspace.co.uk/wpimages/wpfe443ea7_0a_06.jpg