Puppy's are here! So our girl has given birth, by section to 4 very chunky lovely puppies. 3 girls & 1 boy. All happened quite suddenly. Can anyone let me know what to expect after delivery by section? The puppies have had two feeds so far, we've helped them go to the toilet coz Mam is just too tired and now they are now sleeping soundly. We will weigh them before the next feed & start keeping a record. Slightly worried about our girl. She is very tired & shivery after the anaesthetic. Hasn't really acknowledged the pups as yet. She doesn't seem to have a great deal of milk as yet either. One pup is rather sleepy and isn't managing to latch on as well as the other three but otherwise so far so good. In for the first long night of many I presume!

Congratulations  on the safe arrival of puppies and your girl safe too...

Your girl will be shivery.  And in pain for a while yet, as her uterus needs to contract back.  My bitches don't usually let down milk until around day 3.  And their biggest drain on milk is a couple of weeks away.  The pup that isn't getting latched on will still need to get mums colostrum while she still has some.  Give this pup priority and if need be, let the stronger pups start the flow first and then remove them and give the teat to Mr Slowcoach.

I'm worried that you say pups have had 2 feeds.  Aren't they in the whelping box with mum?  My bitches pups latch on right away, and suck constantly, even falling asleep on the teat.  I expect them to be on mum constantly at this time.  Me needing to pry her away to take her out for a wee. 

Was your girl spayed at the same time, or are you doing it in 12 weeks?  If pups are that chunky I certainly wouldn't want to risk another section.

Let us know how things progress.

Yes they are all in the welping box with mam although, we have moved the pups over to the heat pad and they are all sleeping... For now. I probably should have said two constant feeds with a little sleep & toilet in between... What would you recommend I feed my girl over the next few days? My heart is breaking for her. She looks so helpless & dazed. Thanks so much for your comments

Poor little love.  It's difficult not to feel sorry for them when you realise that it's you that mated her, it wasn't her decision!  I know that's how I always feel anyway.

Being kept calm and quiet is about all you can do for her at the moment.  Once she isn't feeling quite so detached from reality you will find it's quite a big change.  Their natural maternal feelings take over.  It amazes me when I see the pups being fed, and mum ignoring any pain.  Not like us!  They really do just get on with it.

I always tempt my girls with anything, rather than let them go down in condition.  I try minced steak, scrambled egg, white fish poached in milk, tuna, chicken.  You get the idea?  Anything their heart desires really.  I know lots of breeders just feed the normal dry food, but my girls lose all interest in it.  And once your girl starts full time cleaning of her babes, you would be surprised just how sore their tongues can get.

Hope all continues to improve - keep us updated. 

Sorry, should add, hand feed if you have to.  And always in the whelping box.  You won't want to encourage her to leave pups for her food.  I even hold a bowl of goats milk up to her face.  Whatever works! 

The situation directly following a section is indeed difficult to accept and understand.  But don't worry, all of a sudden Mum will suddenly perk up and take over!

Having perhaps had more Sections than we should have (secondary inertia), I have never had a problem.   Yes the weight of the puppies can drop during the first couple of days, but the 'joy' of bringing a slightly groggy bitch home after surgery (there has to be a plus) is you can latch the puppies on to take what they need while mum sleeps it off.   And it's great having nice clean puppies!!    We have never had a lack of milk problem, from coming home.   And provided you allow the puppies to be nursing, this will stimulate lactation.    You'll have to be right there while she's groggy to make sure she doesn't freak out, finding herself with these strange little beings that smell of the vet as much as anything.   But again, we've never had a problem once the puppies are out!!    Even with a disaster litter, when the locum actually called round to check on mum and surviving puppies, she was amazed to find mum with her puppies all getting on fine.    Well I wasn't going to mess around bottling /tube feeding them if I could avoid that!

To be honest, I can't remember our mums shivering after a C.Section, but we had them under a brood lamp, all snuggly and warm.   I did have to clip the tiny nails almost from day one to avoid them dragging at her stitches as they nursed.

Thanks so much for your wonderful comments. Today our little girl has taken to those puppies like a duck to water. We were slightly worried last night as she didn't seem to acknowledge them at all. But she let them nurse. After a good sleep & lots to feed she has brightened up and it with them at all times, nursing & cleaning. They are so settled & content for newborn puppies. Mind you they are a good size. So far so good. Our children will be home from school later today so wondering how our girl will take to that. But she's happy with me & my husband cleaning around etc. She hasn't had bowel movement yet so keeping an eye on her for that. I did notice some blood coming out of her vulva today, although it was brown, like old blood. We are at the vets in a few hours too for a check up following the section. So will mention that then. What I'm wondering is how we will ever part with them.

> I did notice some blood coming out of her vulva today, although it was brown, like old blood.

Not unusual even if with a C.Section most of what's left after a natural birth, should have come out during the surgery.   But having a discharge for a while after whelping - normal.   Provided it's not copious or unduly offensive.

And as for them going home - believe me, even if you end up standing at the kerb weeping, by the time they are ready to go into the world, you will probably be more than ready to be shot of the WORK!!!        Mind you my reward was having one or two good puppies for the next generation, so it was pretty rare that all of our puppies went home!

Your bitch sounds very normal, the milk will come in more as the puppies suck, bloody discharge is normal for the bitch and can carry on for a couple of weeks, if it becomes smelly or she looks off colour then she could have an infection but it's unlikely. If she hasn't eaten any placentas which I guess she won't then she will poo when she is ready, you may have to put her on a lead to take her out if she can't bear to leave the puppies. All sounding good and believe me when you are cleaning up puppy poo non-stop then you will be viewing them leaving with different emotions!