My chiuahuah(sp?) recently had 6 puppies less than 48 hours ago and although it's difficult to get her to, she breast feeds. But ever since the birth, she has been more sluggish than usual and her stomach/breast area is HOT like she has a fever, but the rest of her is normal temp, and she's hardly eating. She ate a little this morning but not like she usually does. She's NOT vomiting and she had dirreah(sp?) but it is clearing up. We have a vet appointment in the morning but I'm kinda scared because I don't wanna wake up to see her dead or something. So, is this normal behavior for a dog after giving birth or should we be really worried?
2007-08-10 14:11:12 · 7 answers · asked by thepoet_silentlucidity@verizon.n 2 in Pets ➔ Dogs
I'll be keeping the appointment but I feel a little better, thanks guys.
Also, she has been very clingy too. I guess that's because she still feels uncomfortable but my dog before birth was only clingy with my dad, she was never as close with me and my mom but now she likes to snuggle next to us and sleep. I guess that would be a good thing but if you knew my dog, you would know how strange that is for her.
2007-08-10 15:14:08 · update #1
squeeze out six kids and see if you feel like running a marathon.
2007-08-10 14:19:06 · answer #1 · answered by Chuck J 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
I totally agree with Jennifer T. If it is Mastitis she could be in very big trouble by the morning.
You will really have your hands full if it is because that will mean bottle feeing the pups. With 6 little ones that's not going to give you any time at all for rest at all as they will need feeding every 2 hours day and night to start with. Being tiny pups that could be for 3 weeks. Then another couple of weeks with feeds every 3-4 hours day and night. I'm hoping you will have someone to help you out for sure if this is the case.
Good luck.
2007-08-10 15:15:05 · answer #2 · answered by Mr. P's Person 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
6 puppes for a Chihuahua is a HUGE litter. She is probably exhausted. If she is young (under 18 months - 2 years) she probably isn't real sure what she needs to do with the pups, and if it's her first litter she may be trying to figure it all out.
As long as those puppies are nursing she is having to produce more milk. That is likely why her belly feels hot to you. If you feel heat on the front of her, under her neck but before the underbelly, then it might be a fever.
Make sure she has access to fresh water and food very close to her whelping box (or where ever she is with her pups). She may be too tired to eat. She should get back to eating normally pretty soon though.
Don't skip out on the vet. It is very important to a newly whelped litter and mama to be checked out to make sure everything is ok.
2007-08-10 14:35:11 · answer #3 · answered by Sashua P 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this is pretty normal try to actually put the food where the pups are like no more than a foot away this might help.
YOumaywant to give her a little can food My vet had told me goats milk is good for the extra calcium but no cows milk.
You may want to check her temperature to make sure it's normal at 101 if it's high she may hav an infection and then you need to watch the pups nursing on her.
She should be fine but I would keep th appoointment it's best to hav them all checked especially if this is her first litter
You may also want to put a teaspoon of honey in her water for the extra sugar as chis can often get sugar drops.
Also if you haven' have her checked for worms and see what your vet says about worming the mom and pups my vet has me start the pups at 2 weeks old.
2007-08-10 14:35:30 · answer #4 · answered by Kit_kat 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know.. Yeah she is going to be a little sluggish.. I mean 6 puppies out of a chihuahua.. But the stomach / breast area should NOT be hot.. That would worry the heck out of me.. She isn't going to eat alot right away, especially if you allowed her to eat the afterbirth.. That seems to fill them up ALOT.. It's possible that she isn't wanting to feed the pups because she is in pain.. You should take her to the vet.. If it were me.. I would be sleeping IN the whelping box with her.. I take my pillow and blanket and I sleep with one hand on her back and then if anything goes down.. I am right there and I wake up immediately. Sure the bed is more comfortable, but hey, why risk it!
2007-08-10 18:10:58 · answer #5 · answered by DP 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The hot mammaries is cause for concern. She could be developing mastitis, which might be why she doesn't like to nurse the pups. It is very painful. It is an infection of the mammaries, and need to be treated. If she has mastitis, the puppies must be bottle fed, and she must have antibiotics. Can you get teh vet to look at her tonight? If it is mastitis, it is an emergency.
2007-08-10 14:52:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
i would say that its normal , out of my Honest oppinion
as u said it is clearing up and , you had a vet look at her , but if i'm wrong i hope she's ok and she does eventually return to her normal state
2007-08-10 14:25:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋