I got advice from an experienced breeder that puppy born yesteray afternoon may be getting to weak to suckle, and thus gave some nutri drops and colostrum at 11.15pm last night.

Within an hour the pup was more active and had a desire to suckle.  Mum was quite intimidated by him when he wanted to nurse and seemed to lick him off the teat every time or want to sand up to get away from him, this was worse near where the vet had made the incision for the c-section that should never have happened.  I comforted her I managed to get him on all 4 teats of mums right hand side from 12.15am until 12.45am.  His sucking reflex was so strong I thought maybe Mum and him had 'got it' now.  By the time pup had reached her third and fourth teats nearer her forelegs Mum was relaxed and snoozing whilst he suckled I felt so much better knowing he'd had a good feed.

I set my alarm for 2.50am and pup seemed quite lively-ish and although making motions to find a teat he never seems to open his mouth and want to suckle.  After 20 mins with no joy (I can't seem to express milk down to a droplet on her teat) at 3.10am I tried to give 1 drop of nutridrop, some went in his mouth and some didn't.  About 5 mins later I tried some pup col again, he didn't seem to want it and squealed a bit wth me only getting a few mouthfuls down  him, Mum was anxious so I returned him and she cleaned him.  I then tried to get him on a teat again to no avail for about 25 mins (until 3.35am).  He just seems to have hardly any sucking reflex to make me able to get him latched on to a teat???!

As he's still not had that flash of energy and sucking that I had when I 'd given nutridrops and colostrum at 11.15pm (within an hour he had energy and suckled).  I've again given a few mouthfuls only of pup col and 1 definite drop of nutridrops (between 3.35-3.40am).  Still no joy getting him to suckle on a teat and he and Mum are just quiet for now.

Am I doing enough/too much, shall I try to leave them to it for another couple of hours whilst I sleep and then see how she's doing in 2 more hours?  I'm worried he may suckle whilst I am asleep and I'll not know and this may be why I've not been able to get him to suckle again when waking at 2.50am (ie did he suckle from the bitch whilst I was sleeping).  I am not sure how likely this is as I felt she was more comfortable with him latching on whilst I was there to reassure her and stop her knocking him off.  I have been trying the teats on my girls left hand side this time to try and get the milk flow down evenly.

Is the sucking reflex less because pup was apart from Mum for a few hours whilst the vet cut her open uneccesarily?  Is there anything I can do to stimulate this reflex?

I'm not rich but money is no object if it is going to save my puppy, at the moment I am wondering if in the morning I should I take him to another vet hospital (my one is a sub practice of the main group) and see if they can asssess and feed any better?

Success again at last.  I rang the veterinary hospital I've used before out of hours (it's much further away) and spoke to a vet I know there who I trust (she's leaving soon otherwise I'd transfer there). 

After agreeing a plan of action with her over half an hour, as I was saying my goodbyes the puppy woke up and started sucking hard, so I've helped him on a teat and will watch him making sure he evenly suckles on all the ones the left side this time.

This is such a relief, worrying about this little boy has helped to divert my ruminations on the death of the little girl - I so want this boy to live.  I feel sad as we had planned to keep a girl, but we can't keep a boy.

I've read so many times on here about post whelping problems with puppies and it always touched my heart, but I never realised just *how* great the emotional pain would be when I experienced it myself.

Please do not start a new topic every time you want to say something :) JUst add it to your still active thread :)