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Ashleigh Hunter-Smith

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Hi everyone,

i really need some advice. my bitch has just had 7 puppies on saturday and today she has started to act very strange. She is howling and barking when i leave her in the room with her puppies and she has dug all my carpet up :(. i have a camera set up in the room so i can watch her and talk to her when i am at work and she has been doing great but today she is acting different. She has ripped up two corners of my carpet. Is this normal?
 
Welcome, 7 puppies is a lot! What breed is your bitch? Have the puppies and mum seen a vet since birth? Was there any complications with any puppies or the birthing process? How long do you leave them while your working? She could be stressed... When dogs dig it can be a result of pain. She could be in pain... It can be normal because its nesting behaviour. Speak to your vet and see if your bitch can have an abdominal palpitation and exam.
 
Hi Violet. She is a Bichon Frise and its her first litter. No they havent seen a vet. No complications at all. she had one still born. I'm really stressed about it all. Its my first time also and im really trying my best
 
I don't think it's advisable to leave them, I don't breed but people that I know who do say that normal advice is to be home with them for at least two weeks. She sounds highly stressed and if she is a new mum this is hardly surprising. Do you have a breeding mentor?

At the very least you need to buy The Book Of The Bitch, read it thoroughly, and get some time off to stay with her.
 
I would speak to a vet - an emergency vet if necessary. If nothing else it will put your mind at rest - remember you don't have the health of just one dog to consider, but eight.

Let us know how she gets on, please?
 
All new pups and mum should be seen by a vet after they are born ....
 
Did you count the placentas? If not a retained placenta can cause the death of your bitch- please take her to a vet immediately.
 
Another possibility might be eclampsia. Symptoms apparently include being restless, agitated or nervy. If dogs develop eclampsia then pups usually need to stop feeding and the vet needs to give intravenous calcium, it can be fatal.
 
Hi been to vet. Puppies all really healthy and vet can’t believe they are only 5 days old. Mum very healthy. He thinks her cervix hasn’t contracted back yet so she is still getting contractions, which are painful for her. Vet also advised mum and pups best to be left with little intervention as she needs to learn to do it all herself. Feel lots better now
 
Well firstly really pleased that your bitch and puppies are all well. And secondly not really sure about your vet's statement. We had a bitch into rescue that it turned out did have a retained placenta and that died sadly of something called metritis (I think) which certainly resulted in losing her.

In general though a bitch and puppies should always be seen by a vet within 24 hours of whelping.
 
I agree your vet seems very off hand. To advise you to leave a new bitch with a first litter to just 'get on with it' is somewhat surprising.
 
Ashleigh Hunter-Smith said:
He also said he wouldn’t be concerned about retained placenta as not dangerous in bitches
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When i showed my friends daughter this statement (she is in her last year at vets school )she was horrified. ..a retained placenta should be removed if it hasn't all come away ...i would change vets ...
Was your bitch seen by a vet prior to the mating or during her pregnancy. ..has she been tested for hip dysplasia and liver disease that bichons can suffer from so there is a limited risk of passing this on to her pups ....
 
Kara machon said:
she was horrified. ..a retained placenta should be removed if it hasn't all come away
Click to expand...

I don't breed but have read a bit, and know people who do. Your friend's daughter is right I believe, a retained placenta should be removed as it is in danger of rotting internally and causing serious problems - so it is dangerous. That said the signs are, as I understand it, a discharge, foul smell and lethargy so it may be that the vet is not concerned about a retained placenta as the bitch is not presenting any signs of this? Maybe the OP misunderstood?

That said I still think his advice to leave a new mum alone to get on with it is very poor.
 
Hi she defo doesnt have hip dysplasia or liver disease. Shes been all checked. This particular vet has always looked after my dogs and he is a veterinary surgeon and partner of the practice so i do trust his judgement. He thoroughly checked her over and said himself he couldn't feel any placentas in her tummy. Everyone is always going to have different opinions on how to handle a whelping bitch. I have also saught advice for a VERY experienced breeder and they have said the same, now i have supervised her for the first 4 days its now down to her. Obviously i am not far away if i needed to get back and like i also mentioned i have a camera set up in the room so i can monitor her ever move. She is now happily feeding pups in her whelping box.
 
A retained placenta can be fatal! Please change vets as there statement can lead to horrrific events. Weigh the puppies each day for the next 3-4 weeks as puppy fading ayndrome is fatal
 
He isnt the only vet who has told me this. I spoke to two other emergency vets over the weekend as i needed advice on whether i was doing everything correctly and they said the same. So find it very odd 3 different vets from 3 different practices would advise me of this. They have all said exactly the same as each other so it must be correct information for my breed of dog
 
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