my bitch had a csection a week ago and had 3 puppies, she doesnt want anything to do with them and when i put them to her to feed she growled at them and tried to bite one, i have been bottle feeding them since they were born and they are doing well and gaining weight, will she accept them when they are a few weeks older as i am worried that she will harm them when they are running around.

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Hi There

Not so sure on that one, just be very careful, my advice to you is to continue to feed them yourself just to be on the safe side.
It probably because she has has a c section. Has she been feeding them prior to this?

she would only feed them at first when i held her on her lead and made her lie on her side, she was becoming aggressive and growling so i started bottle feeding them, she doesnt even bother going to the box they are in when they start crying, she walks straight past and goes to her bed.

hi.....its fairly common after a section:( i would keep putting the pups to mum little and often,be very encouraging with lots of praise when she does show them attention, the problem is that the poor girl doesnt know where they came from! she just woke up to find three hungry demanding pups, added to the fact that she wud be feeling out of sorts after all the drugs given. after a week of you bottle feeding she prob thinks there yours hence walking past them......will she have nothing at all to do with them? cleaning for instance.....does she feed or sit with them at all? my bitch had a section last year so i know how you must be feeling...thankfully after a couple of hours her maternal insticts kicked in tho. i have never been thru aggression with mine but i would have thought if you keep contact to a SAFE maximum now it will minimize problems later? gud luck

When my bitch had a section my vet left some of the plecenta in their as well as rubbed it on her and the puppies when she woke up. This way the smell was on them and this helped encourage her to nurse them. I had to bottle feed for the first 48hrs till her milk finally dropped. I kept putting the pups on her and made her lay there, then I would put their lil bums up to her when they had to go, eventually all kicked in and she started nursing and cleaning..................Alot of work. Hope things gets better, but I would encourage her to nurse if you can it's better for them :) Good luck

You could try homeopathic Sepia. It's the classic remedy for mothers that reject their young. I use it on cows that reject their calves.

If you look on here at "remedy of the month" it illustrates how it helps sheep. (I couldn't find a ref. on the web for dogs, only in my books). By coincidence (honestly) on the same page there is a copy of an email I sent them about how homeopathy has helped our calvings.

http://www.crossgatesfarm.co.uk/pages/newsmar2002.html It says use Sepia 200c but 30c from Boots or health shops would work as well.

Kath.

Hi Kath this is not the same subject at my training club i have been training a westie bitch and new owners they have been doing really well but there is now a new baby in the home and they have problems bitch is now rather sharp barks more pees in house again and is just back to being a pup seems on edge all the time what would you give to help her relax?

Hi CG,
As it's a different subject, I've started a new thread for you in "behaviour" titled For Corso Girl (dog/new baby). I hope you find it OK :)

Kath xx

Most female Bullmastiffs don't make very good mothers and I think a careful watch on your girl is a must at all times, she might decide to take to them herself but someone should always be there with her just incase.

Good Luck

Xena

i had to take the female puppy to the vets twice today as i noticed she was lethargic and floppy, she wasnt drinking her bottle even though she still had the sucking reflex on my finger, the vet gave her rehydration fluid because she is dehydrated, i am now giving her 10mls of it by syringe every hour day and night, i just hope she doesnt fade away as ive heard that puppies can even though she has been feeding well on the bottle up to now, shes 10 days old, the 2 males are doing well though.

Please be careful this is not the first sign of fading puppy syndrome. As your pups have had little to no milk from their mother they will not have received the important antibodies from the colostrum. This can put them more at risk to infections causing FPS.
First signs of FPS are loss of desire to suckle and feed, floppy and lethargic, then it progresses to muscle spasms and an unmistakable "seagull" scream.
My advice to you is to act before you get to the latter stages, FPS progresses fast. Anti biotics cannot cure only suport and prevent further infections.
If you think your pup could be showing the first signs please do a search on here for "new hope for fading puppy syndrome" and you should hopefully find a previous psot of mine detailing my experience and how 4 pups survived after a plasma transfusion.
I do not want to frighten you but best you know as sadly "some" vets can be a little slow on recognising FPS and usually can only offer support not cure.
Any further info regarding the plasma transfusion feel free to phone me.
I really hope this is not the start of FPS as I know how devastating it can be. Sadly when one pup is infected it can usually affect others in the litter if not the entire litter.
Keep us informed
Anne-Marie

the biggest pup is taking ages to drink his milk, he doesnt seem to be sucking, just biting and grabbing at the teat with his mouth, he doesnt seem to be pooing much either, both him and his sister are on antibiotics in case their brother died of an infection, plus the vet said to give them both rehydration fluids, it was only the female that was dehydrated a few days ago though. they are being wormed tomorrow when i take their mum to have her stitches out.

I am sorry to tell you this but you are telling me the symptoms of FPS. For some reason FPS usually affects the biggest pups first.
My advice to you would be to take no chances and give your remaining pups a plasma transfusion sooner than later.
Of course it is up to you but I have seen a litter of mine almost wiped out with this and it is so awful. 4 of my pups in this litter were saved by a plasma transfusion. The smallest pup of this litter at the time of the transfusion had not showed any real signs other than loosing interest to suckle slightly but I knew she probably would in time.
I hope I am wrong with your litter but I have to tell you my gut feeling to hopefully prevent you going through the same heartache I did.
Keep us informed.

Just a thought but if they are low possibly due to FPS I would recommend you not worming them until they have picked up a little.