My dog had a C-section. Will her puppies need bottle feeding?

Hello. This is not always a clear cut answer. Some mothers are very accepting of their pups after a C-section. Some mothers do not seem to recognize the litter as theirs. There is definitely a bonding process that accompanies a natural birth. This can be missing with a C-section. Do watch her activity closely for the next day or so & intervene if necessary. I assume you are feeding the pups yourself, but there is always a possibility her maternal instincts will kick in. Otherwise, you may need to raise the litter on your own. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You can help the puppies try to latch to make sure they are getting milk. If they are not good at latching, you may have to supplement them with puppy formula using a bottle. I do not recommend breeding Bella again if she had a c section, it would be best to have her spayed. Best of luck.

I am so sorry to hear that Lilo lost all her puppies due to premature birth. Her appertite will take a few days to get back to normal. You should just continue to offer her the canned food and if she still doesn't seem to be recovering well, ask your vet for a prescription for a recovery diet such as Hill's A/D or Hill's Recovery.. I would also keep an eye on her rectal temperature to make sure she is not feverish, which can also cause a pet to feel quite sluggish and have a decreased appetite. Her post-op instructions should have been to keep her from running, jumping, and rough playing for the next 10 days until she has fully healed. You should also keep the incisoin dry and check it daily for any openings or drainage, which warrants a rechk with your vet if seen. If she has external sutures, you should be going back to the vet around that time to have the sutures removed. Typically after a major surgery like a c-section, the pet will have a bit of ileus (slow moving gut), which can delay pooping for 24-72 hours. As long as she isn't straining to go defecate, then its fine to continue monitoring her until she attempts to go. Plus her decrease in the amount of food she is eating is likely why she hasn't formed a good stool just yet. Give her lots of comfortable bedding and attention as she is likely mourning the loss of her pups. I hope that Lilo's spirits are lifted soon. Best wishes and take care. : )

Yes she can. Especially if she was not spayed during her c-section. You have to ask the veterinarian who did her surgery to determine if she still has her reproductive organs or not. I will say this however. Most vets will go ahead and remove the uterus and ovaries (reproductive organs) during a c-section because it is an easier and less risky surgery than leaving everything inside.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Some mom dogs are just not good mom dogs. In the circumstances where the mother dog won't feed the puppies you can either try to make Bella lie down and attach the puppies to her nipples (check first that she is producing milk), or if she is refusing the puppies all together you will need to feed and nurse them yourself with a bottle. This involves bottle feeding a puppy replacer (not just milk or 'puppy milk') as well as wiping their penis/vagina and anus so that they will pee and poop. I recommend a visit with the vet for both mom and babies to make sure Bella isn't sick, and to check on the puppies and be shown how to properly bottle feed. Best of luck with Bella and the puppies!

Hello. Just keep a close eye on everyone. Even the weaker puppies will fight for a nipple. As long as the puppies seem warm & content, & you see the mother dog cleaning up after the puppies, all will be well. Usually the only time you will need to supplement a puppy is if the mother dog is sick, or she has an extremely large litter. If you do find the need to help with supplemental feedings, make sure you use a puppy nursing formula like Esbilac. Take care.

Once they have an issue giving birth (dystocia) and they have had a C-section they will usually continue to have problems. If I were your vet I would have spayed her at the time of surgery. Sorry to say this but if you play the odds she will most likely need to have another C-section. Every C-section causes scarring/adhesions of the uterine lining making it difficult for the placenta(s) of the future puppies to attach. If you are serious about breeding her only use a male that is smaller than she is to reduce the size of the puppies - that may help with the birthing process but will not help the attachment of the placentas. And, be prepared for another C-section. Hope this helps. Best wishes.