Belle had babies!

[dreyeeek]

Hi all! For awhile now i've been reading, watching videos and just lurking around here and everywhere getting as much information as I can get about dog pregnancy. Today is day 59 from the first tie and what do you know, my Belle had her puppies! Yesterday and the day before her temperature was 99.5 and she wasn't showing any signs that she was going into labor any day soon so I figured she just had a low temperature normally. Well, this morning I woke up earlier than usual because I have a midterm in the afternoon that I needed to study for. As soon as I woke up I could tell something was different. Belle kept walking around, digging everywhere and when she licked my hand, it felt colder than usual. I turned all the lights on and what do you know! Her water broke.

The first puppy was coming out breech so I knew it wasn't good. I helped her pull it out thinking in my head that it would be dead. Well to my surprise, right when half of its body came out, it started kicking! Belle went right into action and did everything a good mom would do. I did help her out with cutting the cord and opening the placenta. The second one came 15 minutes later and was also breech! To our luck, she also came out kicking and crying. I wasn't able to get an ultrasound to find out the exact amount of puppies but from listening to their heart beats I was sure there was 4 in there. The next two didn't come out until 3 hours later. I was worried at first but my instincts, and what Belle was showing, was telling me to just keep it cool and calm. I wasn't able to watch the birth of the next two because I had my test. Luckily my mom was able to get off work and assist Belle. Both came out kicking except for the 4th one who, according to my mom, was not breathing at all. This one also came out breech. After a couple of rubbing and heat, my mom was able to bring him back. Now we both thought all was over and done with, until my mom called me after my midterm to tell me she felt another one inside Belle's tummy!

I got home as fast as I could and after a couple of minutes the fifth one came out. He had no sac whatsoever and was already detached from his cord. He was kicking and crying though! He weighed in at 1.7oz and was definitely blue. I gave him some Bene-Bac, ( all of them actually) and he seems to be doing fine.

Now my question is, Belle definitely still has the placenta inside of her but she seems to be so tired and just done with the birthing process. How long should I wait before bringing her to the vet so we can get it out? Also, the puppies seem to have a hard time staying on once they have latched. Any tips on how to get them to stay? Sorry for the long post but this is Belle's first litter and I just want to do everything right.

[horsnaround]

you do not want to wait to long for the placenta to discharge as she can get a infection if it does not come out. I would call you vet and ask these questions.
Congrats on your pups and do share pictures

[carmen in nj]

you need to bring her to the vet for an oxitocyn shot, she needs to have this within 24 hrs of whelping. is VERY important if you suspect a retain placenta.
if you can get red rabsberry leaf tea, you can also give her half a cup now and half a cup tomorrow, this will help clean her uterus and help her with milk production. with 4 puppies is very important that you keep an eye on her calcium, with all that said, congratulations on your babies..
hugs,

[Verbena]

Congrats on your babies

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by carmen in nj

you need to bring her to the vet for an oxitocyn shot, she needs to have this within 24 hrs of whelping. is VERY important if you suspect a retain placenta.
if you can get red rabsberry leaf tea, you can also give her half a cup now and half a cup tomorrow, this will help clean her uterus and help her with milk production. with 4 puppies is very important that you keep an eye on her calcium, with all that said, congratulations on your babies..
hugs,

[dreyeeek]

Thank you everyone! She was able to expell all of her placenta and is doing much better. The 5th puppy however, didn;t make it He never quite learned how to latch on and when he did, he was too weak to keep sucking. I wish I learned more about tube feeding to maybe prevent his death. I've given him Bene-Bac and liver too. He was a tough fighter. Died on us twice last night and twice again this morning until he finally couldn't take it anymore

[Yorkiemom1]

Poor little soul.....breaks my heart........tube feeding is a life saver, when it becomes necessary.

[carmen in nj]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

Poor little soul.....breaks my heart........tube feeding is a life saver, when it becomes necessary.

I agree, that is one of the first things I learned from my mentor, is a must know when you breed.
so sorry for your loss.
hugs,

[gemy]

Originally Posted by dreyeeek

Thank you everyone! She was able to expell all of her placenta and is doing much better. The 5th puppy however, didn;t make it He never quite learned how to latch on and when he did, he was too weak to keep sucking. I wish I learned more about tube feeding to maybe prevent his death. I've given him Bene-Bac and liver too. He was a tough fighter. Died on us twice last night and twice again this morning until he finally couldn't take it anymore

Okay how do you know she expelled all the placentas as a) you did not do pre whelping Xray, and b) according to your admittedly inexperiernced person only "heard" 4 heart beats?

Get her into vets and she already should be going at 2-3 days after whelp which co-incidentially aligns up with when you do dew claws and tails.

O f course I do so hope with all your reading , that you did read the whelping bitch does at the minimum needs a calcium supplement. Sure hope you are doing that.

[dreyeeek]

I was not able to do x-rays because the day she was schedule to have it done (day 59), she had her puppies. And the reason I did not hear the 5th heartbeat was because he was so small and I was only able to confirm of him after the 4 came out and I checked to make sure she was done (which is wasn't). I'm a nurse so I am pretty experienced with the use of stethoscope and differentiating the sounds that go on in her body.
We went to the vet today and he told me there was no need for the calcium supplement and from what I've read on here, there have been different opinions on giving the mom calcium supplements.

Even though the vet told me she was fine I feel like I can still feel something inside her stomach. I've been told it might be her uterus but I just wanted to know if it was possible to still have an unborn puppy inside her? She was panting last night while nursing but it would come and go. She is doing fine, acting normal but being picky with her food.

[smartpuppiepets]

Originally Posted by dreyeeek

I was not able to do x-rays because the day she was schedule to have it done (day 59), she had her puppies. And the reason I did not hear the 5th heartbeat was because he was so small and I was only able to confirm of him after the 4 came out and I checked to make sure she was done (which is wasn't). I'm a nurse so I am pretty experienced with the use of stethoscope and differentiating the sounds that go on in her body.
We went to the vet today and he told me there was no need for the calcium supplement and from what I've read on here, there have been different opinions on giving the mom calcium supplements.

Even though the vet told me she was fine I feel like I can still feel something inside her stomach. I've been told it might be her uterus but I just wanted to know if it was possible to still have an unborn puppy inside her? She was panting last night while nursing but it would come and go. She is doing fine, acting normal but being picky with her food.

whelping mommas get hot and pant after the puppies are born and it can go on for a few days. If the vet palpated her and told you she is good, i would go with their experienced hands. Hard to miss an unborn puppy with palpation. Also, has she gone "potty"? that volume in the intestines could make you feel something in her belly.
Blessings in your litter.
XOXO