My dog is panting and whining after C-section. Is she in pain?

Your dog likely is in pain. Pain causes panting. A c-section is a bog operation and the vet cuts through a lot of tissue and there is also blood loss. If your vet gave you some pain medicine, you should give it as prescribed. If not, you should get some from your vet tomorrow morning. If she has lost a lot of blood then she would also pant to get sufficient oxygen to her body and brains. Make sure she keeps drinking, eating, pooping and feeding her puppies. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!

Panting can be a sign of pain or discomfort. I would recommend calling your vet and letting them know about the panting. If she isn't on a pain medication then she may need some, or need additional medication. Also be sure her gums look nice and pink. If they are pale in color then she needs to be seen right away. Other signs to watch for would include lethargy, decreased appetite, heat or swelling or discharge around her incision, or fever (rectal temperature over 102.5). If these occur, she needs to see the vet ASAP.

The panting should gradually settle after labour has finished . Unless it is just happening on and off which could be normal, if mum Is separated from puppies to go to the toilet for example. If it does persist she could be running a temperature or she could have more puppies in her tummy. This might not be the case, and it might just be normal for her but just to give you different scenarios so that if she continues to be unsettled you take her to see a vet. With regards to her water intake, always leave plenty of fresh water available and if you are worried about not drinking as she normally does add some water in her food. Hope everything continues to go well !

Abdominal surgery is a serious surgery, especially when infection is involved. So sleeping a lot would be normal and one way of healing. The shivering and panting is likely caused by pain, so make sure she takes her pain medicine on time. Best let her rest. She may not be hungry today, which is okay. Make sure she has fresh water available. She should be a lot better tomorrow.

Please have Storm seen by a vet right away. She may be dealing with an infection or an electrolyte imbalance that can occur in dogs who have recently given birth that could be causing her pain or leading to a feeling of weakness (hence the panting). Both of these conditions can be very dangerous, and need to be treated right away. Good luck, and I hope she feels better soon!

It sounds like she should be examined by a vet to determine the source of her pain. She could have neck or back pain, arthritis, abdominal pain, etc. and your vet should be able to localize the pain and decide the best way to treat. She may need an anti-inflammatory and your vet can prescribe. Do not use any human OTC pain relievers as they can be toxic to dogs.

Yes, I would be somewhat worried. It is possible there is a retained piece of placenta or puppy (likely non-viable) still inside her. Panting is usually indicative of pain/discomfort. I suggest you take Luna to the vet for an exam. If you take her in, be sure to take the puppies with you.