Right we have had a bit of a traumatic day with our girl that has delivered by c section with big complications a massive litter of 10 puppies. Unfortunately one has died.

She's doing great and has started to warm up to puppies. However she does not have much milk at all. And at the moment isn't too keen on feeding them either. And I currently have 9 puppies that won't stop crying because they are hungry. My question is do I bottle feed them or do I keep trying with mum. 

Any advise is much appreciated it. Thank you

How is she doing this monring?  It usually takes quite some time after a c-section (a good many hours) until things settle in.  I'd keep the puppies nursing if possible, because they need the colostrum.  Maybe the milk has by now already come in?  I do hope so. 

I am sure that Mamabas and Brainless, among others, will chime in here and give you good advice.  Good luck to you!  (So sorry you lost one.)

To be honest she's doing great. And seems in good health. Unfortunately she needed to be spayed during her c section due to one deformed puppy getting stuck and ripping the uterus. But we have 9 healthy puppies that are currently a bit unhappy and frustrated as they have been sucking on mum for a while but not much coming out. I'm really reluctant in bottle feeding them when mum is willing to feed but just don't seem to be producing the milk.

Thank you.

Hi - Having had probably more C.Sections with my girls than I should have, I can tell you the milk always came in and provided enough for the newborns without my having to bottle or tube-feed.   Even with a really bad situation, delayed 'Section and so on, I got them all home and onto mum to the point when the locum called that evening to make sure all was well, she was amazed to find them all latched on and happily nursing.  Mind you of the original 9, we only had 4 survivors so not quite the situation, sadly I have to say, you have with your big brood.  But fact is newborn puppies shouldn't need lashings of milk even if the crying because they are not getting enough (?) is of concern.   They do need the first milk, and the very act of nursing should stimulate lactation.    And you can keep newborn puppies going with a glucose/water solution too.

On another happier whelping, but still a C.Section, the 9 puppies in that litter all latched onto mum, who managed to walk out of the office but zonked out in the car during the 10 min. trip home to the point I had to carry a 'dead weight' from the car, on sheet ice (Christmas Eve in Canada) to the whelping box.   Actually it was good that she offered no resistence to my attaching her puppies as they could get on with nursing without worrying her.

Are the puppies warm enough because they do need to be kept at around 80F in the bottom of the box - two things that produce crying would be too chilly and lack of milk.   But I'm sure you have that under control and so hopefully after a brief delay from the C.Section, the nursing should bring the milk in.    I'd have a supply of Whelpie or other bitch replacer milk (or even goats milk) on hand, just in case.

Good luck.

Keep the pups plugged onto Mum constantly. Don't expect anything from her as she may well be confused due to the anaesthetic, and pups also may be sleepy or restless due tobthe drugs.  So clean puos bottoms with wet wipe and have them on teats pretty much constantly in first three days, even waking pups.

Expect a slight weight loss, which should be regained second day and increase from there.

You may never see milk yet a bitch have plenty, but milk in the way we think of it doesn't come in as with us, until day there.  First it's colostrum that gradually changes, and the nursing brings in the quantity needed, in a Demand and supply basis.

With both the C Sections I have had with my girls, I had them spayed at same time, as they were due to be spayed after their litters, and I didn't want two abdominal operations in short time.

Hi everyone thank you for all your reply. Our girl is doing amazing and milk has started to kick in now but unfortunately we lost one of the smallest pup early hours this morning. It didn't have to energy to try and get milk from mum or even bottle. We tried syringe but I suppose it just wasn't meant to be.

The other pups are doing great and greedy. We have some weight loss from the biggest pups but the little runt has put on weight and is attaching really well to mum.

Fingers crossed the rest will do just fine.

I really appreciate all the support. This is our first litter and gosh it's a BIG one.

Sounds good keep weighing daily for at least first week, making sure  slower pups are plugged on note often.

I am going to disagree with the others, when in doubt I always feed the pups.  Glad they are doing well.  I also have toys and they are very delicate.

Thank you. We have started to do both mum and bottle. We are getting a better result with weight gain this way. As although mum has milk it isn't a lot.