Is my dog too tired after c-section and caring for new puppies?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Lulu. Nursing puppies is tiring, but she should not be really tired. I'm concerned this can be a sign of a postpartum problem. I would take her and her puppies into a vet immediately to get checked out. I hope this helps!

Its reasonable to give er a few days and see if her behavior starts to improve, as long as her appetite is normal, she's not having any vomiting or diarrhea, her breathing is normal, and she will get up and walk to greet you when you call her. If she won't get up on her own, or is she's showing any other symptoms, you need to take her to the vet. If it's just that she's more tired, etc, give her a few days. If its not improving in the next 3 or so days, take her to your vet. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach !

Take care of them constantly and feed them. Mothers usually are quite tired after parturition and you will not be her number one priority anymore. She will spend most of her time with them and she will be reluctant to go out for walks leaving them alone. As they begin to play and explore, her responsibility become more about ensuring their safety and teaching them proper behavior. Up until they are about 6 weeks old, she will give them nearly constant attention.

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.

Hi, sorry to hear about Daisy's troubles! Pyometra surgery in most cases is relatively uncomplicated. She should be on pain medication and antibiotics that your vet would have provided. many pain medications for dogs can make them sleepy. 60 hours post of she should be starting to feel back to herself within another day. If she is still lethargic and is having any problems like not eating diarrhea, a fever or acting dull, she should be rechecked by your vet. If she is not having any of these, she may just have hard a tough time with anesthesia. I would say by day 3 or 4 if she is not back to herself, call you vet and ask if it could be related to any medication she was sent home with. If she is on pain medication, you may also want to try to cut the dose in half to see if that helps. Good luck, wishing Daisy a speedy recovery!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Kali may be showing signs that she misses her puppies - dogs can be emotional and they do understand loss. This will usually resolve over time. If Kali remains lethargic or not acting herself for longer than a week, she should be seen by a veterinarian as another medical issue could be present. I recommend feeding her her usual diet and ensuring she has plenty of water. I hope this is helpful!

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. : )