Your dog may pant for a few minutes or a few hours after giving birth, which is normal. She’s just tired and trying to cool her body down. You may see leaking fluids, called lochia, for several weeks after giving birth. These fluids are natural and normal, resulting from the shedding of your dog’s uterine lining. Healthy lochia should be odorless, and may range in color from greenish-brown to blood-red. If your dog hasn’t licked her pups clean within a few minutes of birth, wipe the puppies’ face and nostrils with a damp, clean cloth to remove the placental sac. Then, give the pup back to their mother immediately.
Continue to replace soiled bedding regularly to ensure that the area remains clean and inviting. Keep a stash of clean bedding near your whelping box for easy access.
If your dog doesn’t appear interested in her new pups, this may be a sign of infection. Check her for other signs of distress, such as whining, dilated eyes, or foul-smelling discharge. If these are present, contact your veterinarian immediately.
It’s not uncommon for a dog to have diarrhea after giving birth. The birthing process can loosen the stool, and she may have runny poops for the next 1 to 2 days. On the flip side, if your dog doesn’t have much of an appetite and is eating less, she may not poop for 1 to 2 days. If she still hasn’t eaten or gone poop after 24 hours, contact your vet.
If your dog doesn’t want to drink water, try offering her chicken broth.
Include special treats to whet your dog’s appetite. Consider offering cottage cheese, eggs, liver, or other nutrition-packed delicacies. Although she may sleep more than usual, when she’s awake she should appear bright-eyed. Your dog should have a good appetite and stay on her normal potty schedule. [7] X Research source
Your dog may have a slightly elevated temperature in the first 24 to 48 hours following birth. A rise in temperature up to 101. 5 °F (38. 6 °C) is normal, as long as it’s not paired with any other signs of illness. If you want to check your dog’s temperature, use a rectal thermometer.
If your dog appears to be avoiding nursing her pups, check her mammary glands for signs of infection. Mastitis is a bacterial infection of the nursing glands, and easily treated with antibiotics. Your dog’s milk should be white and smooth, with no signs of clotting. Signs of mastitis include coloration of the milk (usually pinkish or yellow).
Your dog should have delivered as many placentas as she did puppies (for instance, if there are 6 puppies, there should be 6 placentas). If she has not birthed all of her placentas, contact your vet right away. Reddish-brown discharge is normal for a few weeks after giving birth. However, it should not have a smell. If you notice signs of metritis, seek veterinary assistance immediately.
If you notice signs of eclampsia, seek veterinary assistance immediately.
Ensure the puppies have a clean, safe place to nurse. Make sure bedding is clean and dry. Keep the whelping box warm. Ideally, keep the temperature around 85 °F (29 °C) for the puppies’ first week. Keep an eye on the puppies as well, and make sure they are active and feeding multiple times a day. If a puppy seems lethargic or uninterested in nursing, take them to a vet. While it is sometimes true in the wild that moms will eat their puppies, that rarely happens in domesticated dogs. [13] X Research source
It’s a good idea to keep puppies contained in their own area, at least until they open their eyes. Try setting up a baby gate to keep them in one area once they start walking around. While the puppies are sleeping, take mama out for a break. Let her lie down on her own or go potty without puppies trailing behind her.
Continue to gradually increase the amount of solid food over time. The texture of the food should go from soup to Cream-of-Wheat to oatmeal within about a week’s time. Puppies will continue to nurse as they are weaned. By week 6, they should be offered soft, moist food as well as puppy kibble. Puppies should be completely weaned by week 8.
Start to accustom the puppies to the sounds of everyday life. Bring in new people, one at a time, to play with the pups. Turn on your household radio near the puppies for 5 minutes at a time.
