Question on post partum
 

My lucy gave birth to two beautiful babies on Friday at 3 a.m. She pasted both placentas and I know there are no more babies left we had an x-ray done four days before she gave birth. She is acting weird though, my Sabrina who had pups last year did not act like her, Lucy does not want to leave her babies to eat or drink water, if I do not hand feed her and bring water to her she will not eat or drink. Also I have been keeping up with her temperature, last night it was normal at 101.4 but tonight it is at 100.7 is that normal for her temperature to drop? Please answer this question as I am extra nervous and am getting ready to take her to the emergency where I will surely be charged an arm and a leg, thank you.

Is this her first litter?

yes this is her first litter

Her temp is fine. Since this is her first litter, I personally think that she's just nervous and doesn't want to leave them. Many bitches won't leave for the first few days even after several litters. As long as she will eat when you hand feed her, then that is good. Leave food and fresh water close so that she can get to it at all times and not have to go far. As in, I would leave it right next to her.

:thumbup: Well said. Most new mommas will not want to leave the puppies the first few days. I have had to hand feed and cater to many of them for the first week. It sounds like she will be a great momma. Congratulations and good luck with your new babies.

:yeahthat:
One of my females actually acted that way every time she had puppies. The first 3 to 4 days she wanted to be completely catered too. After the first few days she does start to wander out of the whelping box just abit, but races back as soon as one of her babies makes a squeak.

Lucy is doing that now, yesterday I figured maybe if I take her out of her whelping box and out of the room with the babies she would eat, but as soon as her babies started to cry she wanted back in the room and was actually crying to get back in the room I had to let her back in.

I have another question while I'm here, is it normal for another female dog who is spayed to act like the new babies are hers? My sabrina also keeps crying to get in the room with the babies whenever she hears them cry, she helped lucy during her whelping, Lucy was tired and I guess didn't want the 1st baby near her, she would run from the baby I guess because she was still giving birth to her other baby, anyway Sabrina jumped into the whelping box with Lucy and picked the baby up and brought the baby to the corner with her, started to lick the baby and cuddled with the baby I guess to keep him warm while lucy was birthing the other, anyway, since then she acts like the babies are hers, Lucy does not seem to mind when Sabrina comes around but when the boys are anyway near the room she is in they don't even have to go in the room Lucy starts to growl. Is that normal for Sabrina to act like she is and for Lucy not to mind it?

Yes it is normal for females to want to get to babies that are not theirs. I think it is the motherly instinct. Most new mommas will not allow it and you have to be very careful because I know of several occasions where females actually got into a fight over the puppies and killed them.

Your females temperature is fine. It is normal to range anywhere from 100 to 102 degrees. If it every gets over 103 then you need to get her to the vets or give antibiotics if you have any.

I have a female that does the same thing. Only difference is, it usually takes her a week or more to actually leave her whelping box for more than 30 seconds.