Why is my dog whining and restless after giving birth to puppies?

Make sure she has water close by and see if she'll eat a biscuit. Often new mothers take a day or two to get their appetite back. Give her another day or so then if she still won't eat or drink then take her in. As far as the discharge goes it can be there for up to a week or so. If she stops nursing or the discharge has a foul odor then again I would bring her in for an exam. They may take an X-ray to make sure there are no more puppies and perhaps give her medication to contract the uterus to get rid of any fluid or afterbirth. I'm not overly concerned and think she just may need another day to improve. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Eris.

It could just be that Moonie is feeling a bit stressed out with all the sudden changes -- giving birth, nursing puppies, caring for puppies, etc and so is whining some for a bit more attention or some help. Continuing to monitor mom and pups and watch for any signs of issues is a good idea. If she does show any sign of illness, the puppies don't seem to be thriving, or she seems in a lot of pain or distress in addition to her whining (IE pacing, squatting or attempting to go potty but can't, appears to be in labor again, heavy panting, squealing in pain, etc) then a vet visit ASAP is best.

This could be due to fever or pain and I recommend a recheck by your vet as soon as possible. Low calcium levels can cause agitation and tremors but would be unlikely so soon after birth especially when you have started calcium already

This does not seem normal but I don't have a good explanation for it, and I would recommend rechecking with your vet. She could have a uterine infection or inflammation, or other post partum problems and blood work might be recommended as the next step.

My main recommendation is to check her temperature to make sure she does not have a fever (over 102.5). While it is normal for the temperature to rise for the first 24 hours after whelping, by now it should return to normal. If she does have a fever or the vaginal discharge has a foul smell, is increasing in volume, or she seems to be feeling any worse, then take her to the veterinarian. If you have a house call veterinarian in your area, that would be even better. Infection of the uterus, or metritis, is possible and should be taken seriously. At two days post-whelping, a reddish brown discharge is normal. If she has no fever and seems to be feeling better, then just make sure she has plenty to eat and lots of fresh water. Here is a link to a good article on nutrition. http://www.akc.org/content/dog-breeding/articles/the-care-and-feeding-of-the-breeding-bitch-part-two/ Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Bella! I think you need to bring her in to your vet again and have her rechecked. I specifically would ask them to check her calcium levels. Low calcium can manifest as very bizarre behavior and can be life threatening if not treated. If it isn't low calcium and she isn't better, it is still best to have her looked at again. Sometimes it can take some time for first time Mother's to accept their babies. Just keep putting her in the whelping box and allow the baby to nurse. I hope this helps and I wish you the best!

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 !