Are we close to labor???

[elenita]

oh and I didnt let her eat all the afterbirths..She did eat 2 out of 5 though...thx
also when can i start introducing my little guy(our other doggie) to the new puppies?

Originally Posted by bjh

I have to agree with BamaFan about giving Tums and about antibiotics. I am been raising yorkies for over 13 years. Tums is calcium carbonate is it is not the right form of calcium that nursing mommas need. Actually calcium carbonate should never be given to dogs with kidney problems and unless you are 100% sure your bitch does not have any kidney problems then you could be doing more harm than good. The bitch needs a calcium supplement for at least 8 weeks and Tums are not for long term use. It could be damaging to the momma. Yes, vets recommend them but I feel a toy breed it much more likely to be harmed if not given the proper supplement. I recommend Pet-cal that can be bought at most Vet's offices or Doc Roy's Healthy Bones that can be bought at Revival.

I always have antibiotics on hand for the momma after she has pups. The new momma's temperature must be monitored closely. If the temperature goes above 102.5 then she needs antibiotics and should be taken to the vet if the temperature goes any higher. New mommas often get a stopped up mammary gland and that can lead to mastitis. If the back teats start getting hard then the momma needs antibiotics immediately.

As for momma not eating, if she ate a lot of afterbirths then she probably does not feel well. I hand feed my mommas sometimes for several days after they have pups. I have a female now with 10 day old pups that will not eat unless I put the food in the whelping box and hand feed her. She has a good appetite but she is majorly spoiled. My females get dry puppy food mixed with canned Pedigree puppy food and a few egg noodles and some yogurt. Scrambled egg and cottage cheese can also be added to their diet. It is essential that the momma eat at least 4 times a day with the last meal being right before bedtime.

[BamaFan121s]

Well, if she is already on antibiotics, then the chances that she is panting as a result of some internal infection is relatively low.
Dogs pant for many reasons--hot, stressed, sick...no way to tell for sure. I think that having the vet look her over at this point will be the safest route and will give you peace of mind. It's likely nothing major, but better safe than sorry.
As she the pups grow, eclampsia will be more of a risk when they are taking more and more milk from her. Talk with your vet while you are there about how to best supplement her and be sure to share with him any concerns you have regarding her diet at this point.
If hand feeding her for now is what you have to do to get some food in her belly, sobeit. Many new moms don't like to leave their pups for that long...even to eat or potty. If she is eating, even small amounts several times per day, that is good. (Better than one larger meal, once per day, IMO.)

Keep us updated after you've had her checked and let us know what the verdict is.

[BamaFan121s]

Originally Posted by elenita

also when can i start introducing my little guy(our other doggie) to the new puppies?

I would wait until they are older--a few weeks, eyes open, moving around. Momma may act aggressive towards him, he could hurt them (either purposely or accidentally). Too many 'ifs' at this point. What mom and pups need most right now is a stable, calm, quiet environment. Not the best time to bring your guy in and getting them all stirred up and momma more stressed.

[bjh]

Originally Posted by elenita

WOW WOW WOW, Yes, I am really confused.. mmm I do appreiciate the feedback but I am taking her to the Vet at 4pm today. She saw the ER Vet the night the puppies came and all was well.(Tuesday) Gezell does get treated like a queen. I do have to hand feed her the only thing she will eat(boiled white meat)and a dog treat now and then. She is eating small amounts maybe 2xs a day. I hand feed her in her whelping box then hold her water bowl for her and wipe her mouth .. When the Vet saw the puppy dies 3 weeks ago he put her on an antibiodic for unfection. Being our 1st litter I am very concerned as to what is normal behavior. YT helped me sooo much during her pregnancy and really prepared me. My main concern is her panting/breathing fast all the time. Actually I was so worried that when i was givin advice to give her tums, i tried it. I did read that on a website also. She wouldnt eat it all. Noy even half. When I gave her some chicken she settled down a little. Her temp is 101.4...I hope the Vet didnt say to come in because he is tired of me calling! All I know is this is a full time job that you have pay for!!! I will keep updates. Photo shoot I will try this week..if Mom lets me

What kind of dry puppy food do you have? You have got to get her to eat. Her temperature sounds good. Do you have Nutri-cal on hand? You should be giving her some of that. If you don't have any then try to get some from the vet or Petsmart if you have one close to you. Also you can syringe feed her some Pedialyte. Chicken alone won't have all the nutrients she need. Pedigree canned dog foods are the only ones I ever recommend because they are soy free. Pedigree puppy and Pedigree Healthy Digestion are good choices for nursing moms. Good luck at the vets. Please keep us posted.

[bjh]

Originally Posted by elenita

oh and I didnt let her eat all the afterbirths..She did eat 2 out of 5 though...thx
also when can i start introducing my little guy(our other doggie) to the new puppies?

I do not let the male around the pups until the pups are much older, preferably at least 12 weeks. All males are different so you have to monitor the introduction closely. I would never trust a male alone with a young pup unless I was 100% sure of the male. I know another breeder who had a male what actually killed some of her pups when the pups got older (over 12 weeks). Most males won't harm a little puppy as long as they can get away from them.

[elenita]

No, she was on antibiodic for one week when i saw she was bleeding a little. That was 3 weeks ago. He is going to do blood work for her calcium levels and take it from there. thanks

Originally Posted by BamaFan121s

Well, if she is already on antibiotics, then the chances that she is panting as a result of some internal infection is relatively low.
Dogs pant for many reasons--hot, stressed, sick...no way to tell for sure. I think that having the vet look her over at this point will be the safest route and will give you peace of mind. It's likely nothing major, but better safe than sorry.
As she the pups grow, eclampsia will be more of a risk when they are taking more and more milk from her. Talk with your vet while you are there about how to best supplement her and be sure to share with him any concerns you have regarding her diet at this point.
If hand feeding her for now is what you have to do to get some food in her belly, sobeit. Many new moms don't like to leave their pups for that long...even to eat or potty. If she is eating, even small amounts several times per day, that is good. (Better than one larger meal, once per day, IMO.)

Keep us updated after you've had her checked and let us know what the verdict is.

[elenita]

My male is 3lbs and very timid. He will be afraid of the puppies. They will be as big as him soon then 5 of them..he is gonna be funny to watch. I also have to keep him calm because he is the yorkie with the collasped trachea. I will wait to introduce them. Gezell used to treat him as a puppy. She goes downstairs to see him, wags her tail then goes back to her puppies. Her puppy breaks are usually to see me with lots of licking ..maybe she is thanking me in her doggy way..lol..thanks again YT

Originally Posted by bjh

I do not let the male around the pups until the pups are much older, preferably at least 12 weeks. All males are different so you have to monitor the introduction closely. I would never trust a male alone with a young pup unless I was 100% sure of the male. I know another breeder who had a male what actually killed some of her pups when the pups got older (over 12 weeks). Most males won't harm a little puppy as long as they can get away from them.

[bjh]

Originally Posted by mommadog1

"Practical Matters: Do not institute calcium supplementation during canine pregnancy
Sep 1, 2008
By: Margaret V. Root Kustritz, DVM, PhD, DACT
VETERINARY MEDICINE




Margaret V. Root Kustritz
Postpartum hypocalcemia, also called eclampsia or puerperal tetany, is a metabolic condition most commonly seen in small-breed dogs nursing large litters two or three weeks after whelping. It is characterized by ataxia, mydriasis, disorientation, tachycardia, and neglect of pups, with possible progression to seizures. Clients with dogs that have suffered from eclampsia often want to supplement the bitches with calcium during subsequent pregnancies; however, calcium supplementation during pregnancy is contraindicated.

Parathyroid hormone is secreted in response to decreased serum calcium concentrations. The hormone increases calcium concentrations by promoting osteoclastic activity and increasing calcium uptake from the gastrointestinal tract. Oral calcium supplementation causes persistent serum calcium elevation with subsequent downregulation of parathyroid hormone. When the ***** whelps and begins lactating, it is difficult for oral supplementation alone to provide enough calcium since it is poorly absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract. Because the parathyroid hormone has been downregulated in dogs receiving oral calcium, bone calcium stores cannot be accessed and hypocalcemia results.

Instead of calcium supplementation, pregnant bitches should be fed a well-balanced puppy or performance food during the latter half of gestation. Calcium supplementation during lactation will not cause iatrogenic hypocalcemia, so supplementation may be instituted at whelping.

Margaret V. Root Kustritz, DVM, PhD, DACT
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN 55108 "

What this article is saying is that you should never give a pregnant bitch a calcium supplement during her pregnancy. Once the puppies are born then the momma needs a proper calcium supplement. Calcium rich foods like eggs and cottage cheese are not considered a supplement. They are talking about a supplement like Pet-Cal.

Everyone should be very aware that there are exceptions to this rule. A pregnant female that is carrying a large litter and is not eating well can have what is called pre-eclampsia. If a pregnant female gets pre-eclampsia she will start having seizures and will need vet help immediately. I have only heard of this happening a few times but it can happen. This is why diet is so very important with pregnant bitches.

[elenita]

I have Iamms puppy food. She loved it during pregnancy along with cottage cheese and eggs and everything else. Now she is picky! One puppy(girl) I have to keep an eye on. She didnt gain as much as the rest. Yesterday she was 5.8oz today she is 6oz. She is the smallest of them all. good thing im going tothe vet. I have a lot of questions for him thx

Originally Posted by bjh

What kind of dry puppy food do you have? You have got to get her to eat. Her temperature sounds good. Do you have Nutri-cal on hand? You should be giving her some of that. If you don't have any then try to get some from the vet or Petsmart if you have one close to you. Also you can syringe feed her some Pedialyte. Chicken alone won't have all the nutrients she need. Pedigree canned dog foods are the only ones I ever recommend because they are soy free. Pedigree puppy and Pedigree Healthy Digestion are good choices for nursing moms. Good luck at the vets. Please keep us posted.

[Woogie Man]

I always boil up some beef liver for my nursing girls. It's very nutrient dense and even the picky ones seem to like it. Scrambled eggs and boiled chicken usually work, too. Sometimes what works at one meal won't work at the next so having a variety on hand is good. Mine also like the goat's milk. The pickiness usually goes away after a week or so and they will eat like they're on a mission. I also give 1/2 of a PetCal tab twice a day.

As for the panting, it's normal so long as a fever or odorous discharge isn't present. It's a sign of the uterus contracting to its normal size.

[bjh]

How warm is the room the puppies are being kept in? Are the pups on a heat pad? You don't want to keep the room too hot because if the mom gets hot it will effect her milk productions. I keep my pups on a heat pad that keeps a constant 100 temperature and I keep the room temperature around 76.

[elenita]

The room the first day was 85 but I was told not that hot so it is about 75 with a heating pad in whelping box. Problem is Gezell is always changing sides in the box so she sometimes lays on the pad...

Originally Posted by bjh

How warm is the room the puppies are being kept in? Are the pups on a heat pad? You don't want to keep the room too hot because if the mom gets hot it will effect her milk productions. I keep my pups on a heat pad that keeps a constant 100 temperature and I keep the room temperature around 76.

[WinstonMom]

New moms panting for a few days after giving birth is perfectly normal as long as there is no fever, I am sure she is ok. If she had a hormone injection to clean out her uterus, that will make her pant. I also find that my girls pant a lot until their milk comes in really well. As far as her being picky, that is normal as well. I usually cook up a batch of chicken and rice, I boil it up in some chicken broth, that makes it a little tastier. Scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, cottage cheese or yogurt are good supplements. The whelping pudding is good, I don't use it though, my girls have gotten diarrhea from it. You may have to hand feed her for a few days as she will be really reluctant to leave her pups, even to eat. As far as supplementing with calcium is concerned, speak to your vet about what supplement to use. I do not supplement my girls but that is my personal choice, I add raw chicken ground with the bones ground as well, when my girls start eating well again after birth. This always gives them the perfect ratio of calcium to phosphorus.
If she was eating well and was on a good quality dog food before having her babies, I don't think you have to worry about eclampsia this early after delivering. She will have calcium reserves and will draw on them. She is also not producing a lot of milk yet. Eclampsia usually rears its ugly head at three, four or five weeks when the babies are drawing a lot of milk from mom. If she was not eating well before delivery, then that is a different matter as she may have already drawn calcium from her reserves. Again, discuss this with your vet, just to be on the safe side.
Hope this helps some.

[elenita]

Hello, thanks for the advice. I decided to hold off on the Vet because my husband said Im paranoid and just not used to Gezell acting like this...I was just in the ER Vet tuesday night and she looked over Mom and puppies. Her temp has been normal and she ate plenty during pregnancy. Her panting has slowed down to just when she is feeding her pups. She is eating a little more now and I am still hand feeding. She is still very picky though. Only boiled chicken in broth and beef cubes. Some doggie treats and a little cesear soft food. I am waiting for her to start eating dry puppy food. I bought Nutra Cal today so Im hoping she will start eating more soon.
Puppies are all growing thank goodness. The only thing I am a lilttle concerned about is her milk closest to her bottom. Are those suppose to be so hard? It doesnt even look like the others have much in them. Could it be the puppies are only eating from the other nipples? Also, when I took her to the ER vet she did an xray to see if any sacs were left. She said she didnt recommed the shot because of its side effects.

Originally Posted by WinstonMom

New moms panting for a few days after giving birth is perfectly normal as long as there is no fever, I am sure she is ok. If she had a hormone injection to clean out her uterus, that will make her pant. I also find that my girls pant a lot until their milk comes in really well. As far as her being picky, that is normal as well. I usually cook up a batch of chicken and rice, I boil it up in some chicken broth, that makes it a little tastier. Scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, cottage cheese or yogurt are good supplements. The whelping pudding is good, I don't use it though, my girls have gotten diarrhea from it. You may have to hand feed her for a few days as she will be really reluctant to leave her pups, even to eat. As far as supplementing with calcium is concerned, speak to your vet about what supplement to use. I do not supplement my girls but that is my personal choice, I add raw chicken ground with the bones ground as well, when my girls start eating well again after birth. This always gives them the perfect ratio of calcium to phosphorus.
If she was eating well and was on a good quality dog food before having her babies, I don't think you have to worry about eclampsia this early after delivering. She will have calcium reserves and will draw on them. She is also not producing a lot of milk yet. Eclampsia usually rears its ugly head at three, four or five weeks when the babies are drawing a lot of milk from mom. If she was not eating well before delivery, then that is a different matter as she may have already drawn calcium from her reserves. Again, discuss this with your vet, just to be on the safe side.
Hope this helps some.

[BamaFan121s]

Originally Posted by elenita

The only thing I am a lilttle concerned about is her milk closest to her bottom. Are those suppose to be so hard? It doesnt even look like the others have much in them.

Seems like those are the ones that the pups always go for first. Sometimes you have to manually place the pups higher up. Hold warm compresses to her belly a couple times per day. It will help.