Hello, its me again! Having had a lovely quiet relaxed day yesterday Mabel has been very agitated since 2am this morning. She is panting heavily, searching, crying, running around the house and garden and seems to have lost something. It is getting worse by the hour and she is distressed. All babies accounted for and she has fed them on and off when shes not trying to rip the vetabed to shreds with me catching flying puppies. Again, any advice greatly appreciated.
Emma

Hi

You need to talk to your vet it could be a start of a eclamsia and needs treating quick.

Could be her hormones just running riot and she may calm down but it isnt worth risking it.

Wendy

Contact your vet immediately in case she's developing eclampsia (don't let anyone tell you that doesn't happen till later - one of mine had it at 3 days after whelping). Better safe than sorry.

Thank you...I will call the vet...she doesn't seem normal and just keeps running past the whelping box crying (as do I!).
Emma

I agree with the others, this is not normal behaviour there is definitely something wrong, she sounds terribly distressed.  Any news on her yet???  Hope she is ok.

Back from the vet....who said that she seems absolutely fine, possibly cystitis but to wait until tomorrow to decide if she needs antibiotics. I did raise the issue of eclampsia but he said not. Just after my last post she calmed right down, has eaten and drunk and seems back to her normal self. Her temp is normal too and she has now slept for most of the morning, she must be exhausted. She was very keen to go out in the car and didn't seem to mind leaving her babies behind...we were gone for 12 minutes in total and I had a sitter for the puppies! She does have diarrhoea and I wonder if she has some stomach cramps??

Glad she's feeling better! :) Diarrhoea's normal if she's eaten lots of afterbirths; also her uterus will be contracting down and her intestines getting back to their usual positions after weeks of being squished up, so yes, her insides will be uncomfortable for a while. Make sure she has plenty to drink and only light, easily-digested food for a few days. White fish, potato, chicken, rice, eggs (scrambled or hardboiled) are all good.

Phew!  That is good news, let's hope all will be well with her now.

Just a wee thought to do with her pacing up and down and crying and running around the house and garden as though something is lost, per chance you haven't thrown out any afterbirths or placenta that she is getting a scent of have you, if all were not eaten and some are in a bin bag outside she may be picking up the scent and it would make her think there is another pup somewhere.

Just a thought!

Otherwise I hope that any possible cystitis will clear up nicely for her.

Poor you, now you can relax. :-)

The scrambled egg has gone down a treat!! No, no afterbirths as she ate them all. She has been the model mother today and actualy I don't think she does have cystitis as she has no frequency to go outside and is just being too normal. Something upset her last night and I can only hope that she has a better night tonight...I'm shattered!!

It could be the demand for calcium on her body as her milk lets down properly.  Can you get some liquid calcium (from your vet), and give it to her strictly in the amount recommended (1ml per kg of bodyweight).  I would never be happy whelping a bitch without it.

pja

Thank you, I will ask the vet in the morning.

Merlot did exactally the same, trying to dig holes rushing around and generaly unsettled for 5 days after her pups born, them she settled when I relented and took her out for walks with the others, just washed her down with antiseptic on our return and now she feels she is part of the family again. She is very happy to leave her babies and go out for her walk, I kept her on a flexi untill today (pups now 4.5 weeks) and she if as fit as a flea and never had a problem feeding 9 babies. she is eating me out of house and home now! pups eating well from bowls as well now.

We too have taken Mabel out for a couple of short walks on the lead as she was very keen to go. As it got dark last night she started getting agitated again and barking, rushing around etc. My husband thought that perhaps as our kitchen is quite large with glass sliding doors to the garden that perhaps she felt too exposed and was worried for her babies. We moved her and her pupps to another room with no views and she immediatley settled and had a fantastic night! Little tiny pup putting on weight so all well for the moment!!

Calcium usually does the trick. I have had bitches do exactly the same thing your girl has done, and I have given them liquid calcium.
Your vet should know.  I never ever have a litter now with out calcium by me.
Rachel