My dog had a C-section. Why won't puppies latch? Can she breed again?

Hello there. If your dog has a c-section the puppies can nurse off of her just like if Lily gave birth to them naturally. You do not have to bottle feed the puppies as long as Lily produces enough milk to keep them fed and growing.

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.

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.

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!

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.

There is an increased risk of uterine rupture in patients that have had a cesarean before. The veterinarian that performed the cesarean may be able to give you a better idea Jade's relative risk for this based on the state of her uterus at the time of surgery. Dogs that have needed cesareans before also at a higher risk for complications during labor in the future. I would discuss your concerns as well as the risk of complications with your veterinarian before breeding Jade again.

I would recommend to get Lucy spayed. That way you neither of you have to go through this again! Some dogs do not have strong maternal instincts. Lucy also really young to have a litter. Two years old is the youngest they are suppose to be bred. You will have to make sure that the puppies are eating enough and if she will not nurse then, you will need to supplement them with formula (bottle feeding) and can start to transition them to puppy food around 4 weeks old. Wait until 3 months after the puppies were born to get Lucy spayed. That way the reproductive organs return to normal size and she will lose less blood. Best of luck!