I've got a litter of 8 ESS puppies they are 9 days old and for the last couple of days they haven't been going to the toilet regulary.  Some can go all day without going and others go 1 or 2 a day.  I am really concerned and don't know what to do.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

At 9 days old the bitch should be doing it still , if she isn't get cotton balls dipped in warm water and gently rub their bottoms.

If they are content the bitch probably is doing it when you are not looking.

I second that Blue, the mum will be eating everything, bitches are better than hoovers! The ones you see you are just getting to before she does.  If the pups are gaining weight, that means they are drinking her milk, so obviously she is cleaning up after them.  Don't worry.

Hi

My pups are 3 weeks old yesterday and I am yet to see one of them pass anything. Mum is so good I have a brand new white vetbed in the bed that has been there a week and is still spotless. I would be concerened if it was any other way

Wendy

Have I read the last post correctly??  You haven't changed your puppies bedding for a week

Hi

Yes you read that correctly one week today in fact

Every day I pick it up and check it and it is as fresh as when it went in the bed, it is vetbed and the paper underneath is still clean.

Mum cleans the babies before they make a mess.

I must also add they are 3 tiny terrier pups in a very large bed

Wendy

Surely there must be some dirt from mum after going out for piddle, poos and short walks etc....My bedding was washed 3 times a day minimum, whether it looked as if it needed it or not.....hygene is very important at this stage

I had 3 large vet beds on the go.I did as much washing with our litter as I did when my kids were tiny babies. :D
Even if it looked clean I was that paranoid of any germs or smells I would wash it anyway.

I change bedding 3 times a day too.

I changed mine twice a day unless it was obviously soiled but to be honest I think vet bed is such an uninviting environment for bacteria I wouldn't get too excited about it after all how often are you all bathing the bitch that they are all sucking from and snuggling up to :)   Any germs on the bedding are the same ones she carries and has a good level of immunity to which she is passing to the pups. 

yes, I can understand that, but, to not change bedding for a week!!!! 

I think we would change it for our own needs :) but I'm not convinced the pups will come to any harm if you didn't, after all youngsters of all types stay in the same nest for the first couple of weeks in the wild they generally only get moved on once they start taking solid diet and leaving poos behind don't they.

Now that you put it like that...what can I say :)  human paranoia has a lot to answer for ;)

Agreed but I hope to have a better survival rate than they do in the wild.

I think we would change it for our own needs and Any germs on the bedding are the same ones she carries
PS  I change my knickers more than once a week for the same reason!! ;)

I should hope so too!  Turning them inside out and wearing them front then back only keeps them going for 4 days :p :D

:D :D

I should hope so too!  Turning them inside out and wearing them front then back only keeps them going for 4 days

I see.  Posh aren't we :D :D :D :D

You are clearly unfamiliar with the habits of the well heeled :p :D

Hi

Whoops what have I started

Reading what I have written does sound bad I know but honestly I would not risk my pups.

Mum is not going out for a walk. She is only in my garden which is paved. I wash and disinfect it every day. My floors are all solid, these are hoovered and washed at least once a day, I didn them twice today as I had people in so washed after they left.

The bed is spotless, my pups do not smell, the newspaper under the vetbed is dry and clean. The bed is in a pen 6 foot by 3 foot this has newspaper and another blanket in. I change these every day and wash the floor under it.

I have them in the sitting room so I would know of any odours.

Any bugs they can pick up from mum. I have watched my bitch she cleans them constantly they never have a chance to pee or poo on the bed. I lift the blanket and check it against my cheek it is dry and clean.

At first I was changing it constantly as it was getting dirty but it was from mums drippy bits, This has stoped now

Hope this explains

Wendy

Wendy, don't worry, you sound as if your doing fine, .....make the most of it, it wont last lol.......you'll be washing every day when mum hands over! ;)

Hi

Would you believe the day after I posted I lifted the blanket and the papers were soaked. I have had to change the blanket and wash the bed at least twice a day since.

I have also started to wean them which I think makes a big difference to.

Wendy

lol Wendy :) a typical case of speaking too soon....welcome to our world :D :D

What a difference a wean makes :D

I cant believe that mum hasnt any discharge which would soil the bed? Isnt she losing any blood after the birth?

>At first I was changing it constantly as it was getting dirty but it was from mums drippy bits, This has stoped :)

Crumbs! My bitches have always lost discharge for about 5 or 6 weeks!

Mine did for 8 weeks last time!

I expect they are all different :)  In fact with her first litter, mine had nothing after 3 or 4 days but it went on a lot longer when she had her last at age 6.  So I consulted my vet, he said it was a feature of the older bitch.

Aha...that expains my problem.... ;)

That explains things or me too.