You cut the cord yourself before mama gets to it. I assume you have whelping supplies ready? syringe, hemostats, scissors and etc. Do you know how to take the sack off their face and cut the cord? You have to get that sac off fast. Don't wait for mama to do it. pm me if you have questions.

Yes I have everything, My Breeder/mentor has given me tons of info. She has years of experience. I am prepared, I am going to cut the cord myself. She said to leave an inch or slightly more of cord. I have a syringe for the mouth. I have cloth baby diapers to clean the pup. I just didn't know if I cut the cord if Momma would still go after it. So much to remember.....I just don't want to mess up.

Just an update: Molly had her puppies on Tuesday night... on my couch upstairs! :rolleyes:

She had 4 girls and 1 boy. All are in the 5oz range so they are all as healthy as can be.

Molly has had a hard time though. This is not her first litter. For those who are debating getting an oxytocin shot - DO IT. Seriously. I am 100% sure Molly has a retained placenta (ALL the symptoms are there: dark green stringy discharge (its VERY foul smelling), heavy panting, there is a mass near her vagina as well, she has had MASSIVE diarrhea, etc.... so its not been "fun". No sleep for me!

I have been feeding her lots of chicken and rice, whelping pudding, cottage cheese (but she won't touch it much), scrambled eggs (one a day), etc... she won't touch kibble. I have also been giving her 1/4 tablet of pepto bismol a couple times a day with 1 tums in the AM and 1 in the PM.

I have been in contact with my vet several times. He has been in surgery all morning or else I'd be THERE and not HERE typing. Early this morning was when I got really concerned b/c her temp began to rise (got up to 102.6 very quickly) so my vet told me to put an ice pack on her to keep her temp down (until my 2pm appointment). So far, this has stabilized her temp right at 102.5 so I feel more comfortable having to wait. I have some oxytocin but I feel at this point, I should just take her in so he can do a full evaluation and make sure she is ok, the puppies as well. I also don't think she has been producing enough milk (although the babies are growing) b/c they are feeding ALLLLL the time. So I have been supplementing with a puppy milk replacer and feeding it to her as well.

I am assuming its ok for the puppies to still be nursing at this point since there is no fever? I guess I will see what the vet says. I will be getting everything ready to go as soon as I get off here. I will keep you all updated.

You sound prepared :) I always cut the cord myself OR I hold the cord on the side by the baby and let mom cut it. that way she cant cut it too close to the baby. I like to leave an inch or more.

Delores how is your girl doing? Any changes?

we are all, hubby included, just hanging out in the air conditioner today. i think I will probably have two litters by this time tomorrow.

I guess I overreacted. :rolleyes:

The vet said its not a placenta, just afterbirth and that its normal. Apparently my thermometer reads high :rolleyes:, her temp at the vet's was 101. So we got some antibiotics and some stuff for the diarrhea.

So anyone had to deal with afterbirth that's been inside for a few days? The vet said the antibiotics will help break it down and then it will kind of dissolve and to worry unless it swells.

*sigh* So maybe I need to just destress and get some sleep. *sigh*

I'm glad to hear that Molly checked out okay and congrats on the healthy litter of four. So where are the pictures of the little cuties?:p
But I am a bit confused :confused:.......isn't "placenta" and "afterbirth" the same thing? Maybe what Molly's showing is just bits or pieces of it????? IDK, I'm just glad to hear that all is well.

Oh Dee........how exciting......and stressful at the same time. Two litters!!! Good thing your hubby is there to help you and/or for moral support! Good luck to you and your girls! Let us know.

wow! well keep us posted!!!!! Did you get xrays on either girl?

I'm working on the pictures. ;) Those lil boogers will NOT hold still! Actually there are FIVE. ;) 4 girls and 1 boy.

I thought placenta and afterbirth were the same thing, too? My vet said it was different. I asked him about it and he assured me they were different. He gave me some Clavamox (antibiotic) that is supposed to "break it down" and he said her body will release some of it naturally (could take 3-4 weeks) and the rest would just kind of dissolve inside. She doesn't have a fever (I will check this daily to make sure one does not develop just in case). Anyone else have any thoughts on any of this?

On a positive note, I finally got to take a one hour nap this afternoon. Niiiiiiice!

Females always have a greenish discharge after having puppies, whether they pass all the placentas or not. Sometimes the bleeding will last for weeks after they have pups. That is why it is important to cover you furniture after they have pups or they will leave spots here and there. I always monitor the temperature for the first few days and I usually hand feed the mommas to make sure they are eating.

Congratulations on the new litter.

Here are a couple of pictures.

1. Molly and her babies
2. Check out those ears already! :D
3. What a lil cutie! Its hard to get a good picture b/c they keep moving.
4. And a picture of Daddy (Max), he was laying in my lap like this while Molly was nursing...

I knew there would be discharge... but I didn't know about the mass that is near her vajayjay (you can feel it easily by palpating her teats), its rather large. I guess I had never heard of it before and got nervous b/c of the similarities to the symptoms of retained placentas.

Thanks.