My bitch and her pups went for a check-up today.  The pups are in great shape weighing in at a staggering 1lb4oz for the dog and a petite 15oz for the bitch (they are just 6 days old).  Unfortunately mum is not so good. 

When she goes out for wee, sometimes she falls onto her side and she cannot get back up again.  We have to physically lift her onto her legs and as soon as she is on her feet she runs around like and idiot!

The vet seems to think that she is holding her wee for too long and the release of the urine is causing her to faint.  We are going to monitor the situation over the next few days and if she does it again more frequently then she is going to have to have blood samples taken to see if there is a real problem.

Has anyone else encountered this problem in a bitch after whelping?

What breed is she. I have never heard of this ever before. I know my bitches get stiff from laying too long on their side with the pups and I try to encourage them to go out a bit more often. Try massaging and manipulating her back legs and hips.

She is a staffordshire bull terrier.  My vet says it is very rare.  Apparently he has only ever seen it twice in his 15 year career and only one of these cases was found in a dog.  She doesn't lie down for very long she is up and down like a yoyo.  No trouble getting out of her bed or anything it only happens just after she goes for a wee first thing in the morning.  I am hoping that it is just fatigue or stiffness but had to get her checked out just in case.

Like I say we are monitoring the situation and she seems fine at the moment.  Scoffing puppy food down like no tomorrow and drinking lots.  Hopefully this will help her.  I'll try massaging her.  She used to have a massage before she had the pups and quite often would go to sleep while I was doing it.