My dog had a C-section. Why is she rough with pups and not nursing?

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’ve seen it take up to a week for a new Mom to accept the puppies. Just calmly encourage her to lay with them. You can take a warm soft cloth after the feedings and stimulate them to urinate and defecate. And gently wipe them down two times per day until she starts doing it. If she never accepts the puppies I wouldn’t breed her again. I hope this helps! Good luck!

Yes, that’s normal. Mattie should be spending most of the day and night with the puppies at this point. When they get several weeks old she will leave them more but it is normal for mother dogs with new puppies to only leave them to potty and come right back to stay with them. If she’s eating and drinking and the incision looks normal then this is nothing to be overly concerned about. If she seems dull, not eating or inattentive to the pups then bring her in for a recheck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Some dogs are just not great mothers. A lot of times this behavior is repetitive with subsequent litters so I would consider spaying her after the puppies are weaned. She could start to improve in her habits but she may not. Sadly you will have to do more work if she won't cleaning them, etc. Hopefully she is at least letting them nurse. You can encourage her to lay in the whelping box with them more. It is ok for her to leave them for periods of time. Be sure Loki is eating high quality puppy food and that all of her mammary glands feel normal. Also be sure the puppies are having normal stool. I hope this helps and I wish Loki and her pups the best!

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. : )

I would take her to the vet for an examination because she sounds very unwell and there coukd be a medical reason why she isnt bonding with the pups. You shouldnt force her to feed them whilst you dont know what is wrong as it could make her sicker. Common problems in bitches after whelping are mastitis in the teats, metritis in the womb, hypocalcemia or electrolyte imbalances. I would get her to a vet as soon as you can.