I am desperate to find someone with a recently whelped bitch.  My Chihuahua girl had an emergency C-section last night.  Second litter, trouble free pregnancy, but complete inertia.  She has no milk at all.  And is totally oblivious to the cries of her puppies. She hasn 't even cleaned them.  They are crying all the time.  I've wee'd and poo'd them, and given supplements, but they are still constantly crying, and I can't just sit here and not try something.  I would be forever grateful if someone could help. Please, please, if anyone can help would you phone me on 01452 859411. I don't mind driving a couple of hours to get a foster Mum.  There are five pups, and they are a decent size.

Ring Heather Ridley 01945 450475  and feed them yourself rather than ask someone else to do it and risk infection.

Thanks Val.  They don't stop crying, even after I've fed them, and it's worrying me, that's why I wanted to get bitches milk down them..  However, thanks for the number, there is no reply at the moment.

Hi there.I had a similar thing with my Peke girl. She had total inertia and had a C-Section.It was her 1st and last litter,and she was frightened of the pups.i didnt leave her alone with them for a minute and bottle fed the babies.Through all this she was always lying next to them,as I had them in a secure pen in my bedroom.Well within 24hrs she started to respond to their cries and allowed them to suckle.She never looked back and was a brilliant mother. The newborn pups cried constantly, I had to do all the toileting etc. I was told that pups do cry alot if born from a C-Section. I hope all turns out well for you.

Thank you so much for that.  I just feel so helpless with the crying.  You feel so guilty at having bred a litter!  I have arranged to have my girl spayed before her next season because of this.  I'm worried because she has no milk, worried that she isn't interested, and worried about the crying.  Not having sleep for 2 night in a row makes you touchy!  I'm happy to do the toileting, and I'll carry on with the feeding, and hope I have the same happen as you did with your girl.  Also, I do feel that nothing is a substitute for bitches milk.

It's not easy is it!  One thing I will say is do try not to worry too much while you're around the bitch and her puppies.  She sounds like she's stressed enough and will pick up vibes from you which will make her even more up tight.  It's difficult to say 'don't worry' but the calmer you are the calmer and more relaxed the bitch and puppies will be.

Hope it all goes well :)

Debs

Keep putting them on the bottom two teats the milk should eventually come. Sorry to hear the situation .

Edited to add if the mum is not snuggling into them are they warm enough also.. I know it isn't too cold just now but they get so much heat from the mother.

Have you tried putting the pups on her to try and get some milk flowing.  Not all bitches get the milk flowing right away especially after a C section.

Can anyone remember the Husky in OZ that wanted to kill her pups the first few days but they got her to accept them several days later, obviously they hand reared up to that point.

My youngest adult bitch was frightened to death of her pups born normally and I had to force her to stay int eh whelping box during whelping and until she had 6 pups.  I just put them on her teats though and praised her and eventually she relaxed.  She wouldn't clean them at first either.

Thank you all for your input.  And heartfelt thanks to Sarah for the phone call.  It helped to hear about your experience.  I had only ever experienced a C-section before when I had delivered live pups, but a dead pup was caught under the ribcage.  Of course, Mum had already suckled pups prior to surgery, so I'd never experienced live pups delivered under anaesthetic.  I'm not the type to panic, give me a breech or respiratory difficulties, and I feel that at least I can get on and do something constructive, and feel in control.  But I felt useless when pups were fed and toileted, but the screaming went on and on.  I had no idea that it was usual.  The incesssant crying made me feel out of control.  Sarah you're a gem with your helpful suggestions, and you were right, Polly didn't have a clue that they were her puppies.  I changed the way I had been cleaning them.  Put her little bed next to the whelping box for her, and got on the floor instead of having them on a table.  I spread bath towels on the floor, and let her watch me with the warm water and cotton wool.  She had the odd lick and sniff, but wasn't unduly impressed.  I made a huge fuss of her, telling her all the time how wonderful she is.  Her tail didn't stop, and she wasn't upset or distressed in any way.  Eventually, Polly was on my lap being fussed, and I had put the pups in her bed after cleaning.  I ignored the awful crying and just loved and fussed my girl.  In the end, the cries drew her normal instincts out.  She leaped into her bed, and started shoving them under her.  I didn't even have to force them on to teats, they snuffled them out just fine,  The crying went on for a good time, but I knew they had all been tugging quite hard, and hoped that it would bring her milk down.  Well, after an hour and a half, silence reigned, and I could have cried with relief.  I will, however, bear in mind, that you had screaming for 4 days.  If you hadn't told me that it's usual, I would not have known, the vet doesn't warn you!  Same as your Peke girl, mine will not be having any more litters.  But at least I know things are certainly looking much better.  I really appreciated being able to talk it through.  Thank you so very much.

Wonderful.
Brought tears to my eyes.
So glad it worked out
x

Fantastic :d

Debs

So happy that everything is going good

Brought tears to my eyes too :) So glad everything has worked out fine. My older bitch had a C-section 5 years ago, but took to the pups straight away so I didn't have any help or advice to give.

Wow, thats moving...
Karen

blimey!!! what a experince! well its moved me to tears!! So glad its turned out ok

Well done xxx

Hi there!  Just an update for you all, as I know Champers tend to take an interest in others problems, and like to know the outcome. All pups are suckling strongly, and milk is flowing well.  Polly has settled down to what is normal maternal behaviour, and is very attentive.  She has now been transferred to the whelping box, and is happy and settled there.  The vet phoned me to see how things were going and Polly is going to be checked over in the morning.  It's been suggested that she has another oxytocin jab, to ensure any muck left behind is cleared.  Can anyone tell me if there seems much point, as two jabs didn't get her to contract in the first place.  Before I took Polly into the veterinary hospital, I turned the central heating on to constant, and plugged the heat pad in ready.  At least everything was nice and warm to come back home to.  Polly was panting, but the pups weren't warm enough, and I wanted to ensure the body temperature stayed up.  But things worked out fine.  When the pups had been suckling well for a couple of hours I turned the heat pad off.  That was hours ago.  Polly has stopped panting, but the pups are not chilled at all now that she is nursing them.  Central heating still on of course, but things are on the way up!  Mum has been out to the toilet several times, and happily returned to her pups straight away.  She hasn't eaten loads, but then she's been through a lot.  However, I do keep offering her a drink.  She doesn't want to come out of the whelping box, but I'm happy to hold a drink for her to lap.  So far she's never refused to drink as long as I hold it so that she doesn't have to move from her pups.  Thank you to Suzanne for the call offering a freshly whelped Mum to assist me.  It's been wonderful to talk to people who know just how I feel!

>So far she's never refused to drink as long as I hold it so that she doesn't have to move from her pups.

Absolutely 100% normal. :) This phase can last several days. :)

I would offer her food in the whelping box too.  I do everything to encourage Mum to stay with pups including keeping them unobtrusive company almost constantly.  I feel this way nothing interferes with the bitch pup bond.

Thanks Barabara. I've been offering her food which I'm happy to hold for her, but she didn't seem interested.  The effects of anaesthetic have probably reduced her inclination to eat.  However, earlier I poached some white fish in milk which didn't seem to tempt, but I've just tried again with it, and she wolfed it down.  Which is another step in the right direction.  I don't mind what she eats as long as it's something!  Things are going in the right direction! 

Really, really glad that things are looking up, all the best, you'll probably need a holiday to get over it all!!! :D

Yep sounds good.  It can easily take 36 hours for anaesthetic to clear when they are spayed, and they can be really out of it after a C section (my Tula was, and for her it was her third litter so she knew what pups were).

With the two bitches that I have known to have C sections the milk wa slow to come in for both as well as the maiden bitch being slow to understand about the pups.

I'm feeding my bitch Pedigree Puppy Complete (dry) If I offer her a bowl in the whelping box under her nose she's not interested but if I cup it in my hands she eats it all! This has happened every time for 3 days, not just once.  Mind you, it may not be the thing to try with white fish and milk....:-)

Fantastic news, really glad it all worked out :)
Sounds like all is going well x

So pleased to hear all is going well now.

Great that things are going well now! :-)

Just read this from the top with my fingers crossed that everything would work out ok :-D

So glad things are looking up now :-)

Lisa