I just got a female dog who had puppies 3-4 days ago. She is a terrier type dog, somewhat nervous and a bit scared. I brought her home last night and thought I had seen some black dirt on her hind leg from digging the hole she had her puppies in. I am worried something is wrong with her because she has black on her hind legs, it looks like it is discharge from having the puppies. I've never had a litter of pups so I dont know if this is normal. She wont leave the puppies side except when I make her, I did finally carried her outside to meet the other dogs and to get some air. She wouldnt go to the bathroom so we went back inside. A couple hours later I coaxed her to go out and poop. She hasnt drank much and hasnt eaten anything except what I give her while she is in the box with the pups. Any one have any suggestions as to whether this discharge is normal? I can deal with her not eating or drinking and staying close by the pups with patience. I'm just worried I need to take her to the vet and that if I dont she will be very sick or die. Da worried Bunny
Sounds perfectly normal to me.. IF IT"S DRY....and I've had LOTS of puppies. YES, there IS a lot of liquid excreted during the birth process. If, as you say, she had the pups in a dirt hole, then most likely the dirt got on her wet hind legs, stuck on, etc. Just leave her alone w/pups as much as you can STAND to the first few days. Just sit with her some, pet her head... give food and water. Hopefully, she'll let you know when she wants out. They usually chill out a bit by the end of the first week, and go outside more, etc. You don't say where you have her now,.. um.. change the bedding/paper at least daily and perhaps some of that will come off of her. Maybe in a couple of days you could bathe her back end if it's really bad. BUT.. IF SHE IS NOT ILL... the 'discharge' mess should be dry by day two (or later on, day one, actually!) If there is wetness... check to see that she is not 'messing' herself. This would be highly unusual. IF WET.. take to vet.. at 3rd/4th day.. this is not good. She could have bladder problems... too many things to try and guess. Better to go to a pro! Hope this helps.
Does the discharge come out black, or does it turn black when it dries? A discharge that is black AS IT COMES OUT sounds like an infection. If she will only eat and dring while she is in the box, so be it. She should be eating and drinking well, now, I think. If you need to play waiter, then so be it. Be alarmed if she quits eating and drinking even if she IS in the box, however.
I think I am heading to the vets. The discharge itself if black. It isnt very much but any at all worries me. I dont think its normal considering it is at least day 3 or 4. I think they said she had them Tuesday or Wednesday. I am watching her closely. When I brought her here I set her up on the side of my bed that is close to the wall. The other dogs dont like going over there because its close quarters until you get up in the area I put her. This makes it pretty easy for me to lie on the bed and reach over and pet her. I gave her a blanket that is set in a large box with the front cut out. The poor thing is so nervous. She is a terrier so is prone to a bit of nerves anyway but the family that had her was very high energy. She seemd pretty calm this afternoon when I got her to come out again. She piddled so I am less worried about that. My concern was that maybe she didnt pass the placenta or maybe she still had a puppy in her. I suppose if those were cases she wouldnt be up and walking around. If I put a leash on her and lead her away from the pups she will go outside just fine. She stays about 5 minutes and then its time to get back in there. Thanks for all your thoughts and ideas. I will watch her.
Take her to the vet for a check up and then when she comes home leave her alone! Just feed and let her out AND keep the other dogs out of the same room...Joan :no:
I have a litter of 4-day-old pups (Corgis) in my bedroom right now . Black discharge is completely normal at birth, but I'd be a little concerned about it 4 days later if it's more than a drop or two. If you're not squeemish, smell the discharge- it shouldn't smell "rotten". As for eating, my dogs generally won't eat for about a day after birth. But I haven't had one yet refuse to eat liver and rice mush that I make just for the new mother. It has a bit of a laxative effect, so I don't give too much- about a cup full for a 25 lb. dog. I also make sure the mother has fresh water and dry dog food free choice.
I think the problem is I am feeding a different kind of food than she had been eating. I dont know what she was eating there. I know it was a different color. I fed mom dogfood with egg mixed in, she started to just lick the egg off the food. Then she finally started to eat the food. She drank abut a cup of water after she ate. Looks like she is getting back on the track. She really is a sweetheart. I had gone to my son's event, was gone for 2 hours. When I got home I went in to see her. She leaned up and gave me licks on the face while I petted her.
My GSP female had pups last year and I took her to the vet the next day, per the vet's suggestion of "within 24hrs of birth." They have a shot that forces the body to dispose of any fluids, skin or anything else inside that isn't suppose to be there. When I took her to the vet there were 7 pups....after the shot worked, I had 7 plus a little stuborn male who wasn't happy to be out of the warmth! There was also a lot of dark fluid that seemed to have blocked his exit.
Take her temperature! She should be at about 101 degrees, maybe 102 if it's warm where she is. She might have a retained pup..she might be starting an infection. You will know something is wrong if she's running a fever. I'd baby her with the food if you can and make sure she's drinking lots of water since she's nursing. Try chicken and rice, scrambled eggs etc. Mild foods. Good luck with her.....LQ
Bunny, hope you do take mom (and pups) to vet to be on the safe side. Sounds like she is coming around, and, considering all she's been through, what with new pups, new surroundings, all the new dogs to get used to, I'm surprised she has done as well as she has. Good for you for taking her in and nursing her along. Others here have given good advice. Hope your vet will also counsel you on proper diet for a nursing mother (good quality dog food with some puppy chow added for extra calcium) and that vet will advise you to watch for signs/ symptoms of eclampsia (milk fever) all too common with small breeds and occuring two to three weeks after birth. If effected, the mother will have tremors which can lead to convulsions and death. This is a true emergency and needs to be treated immediately. Hope you will also think of having her spayed shortly after pups are weaned. All pups are cute, but there are too many cute pups that wind up at shelters and euthanized because there are not enough good homes for all. That's why most reputable shelters will not adopt out without a neuter contract (females are spayed, males are castrated, all are neutered.) God bless you for giving her and her little ones a caring home.
Got mamma outside and running around, she actually bounced around a little. She is so timid when she saw I laughed she stopped. But I coaxed her to run and jump a little, she seemd pretty happy to move around. 30 minutes outside!!! She ate an entire bowl of food, I am feeding her some food the store recommended for mommy dogs, but she doesnt like it. I think that is why she hasnt been eating. I put cat food in tonight, MAN she loved that. Ate the cat food, licked the yummy gravy off the dog food and spit it back out. She drank a lot more water today. I am so happy she is finally coming around. She does like my dog but my ex's dog is older and a barker, that scares her to trembling, so far she is ok with the kitty.... I got a kitty at the same time. He had hopped a ride on the engine of the family I got mamma from. Seems they thought the cat hopped back out, 20 miles later they got home and kitty was not happy. So when I went to get mamma they asked if I had room for an extra. I do plan on having her spayed. Unless I plan on breeding an animal or keeping it isolated, I dont want them to have babies. My male dog is neutered. My kitty will be when he is old enough, (he appears maybe 8 weeks) The discharge has finally stopped. Now she just needs a good washing. I am worried about washing her and having her be wet when she is around the puppies. Have to think about that one. Thanks for all the good thoughts and good advice. I was really worried about her.
evilbunny I notice you wrote that you gave your dog cat food. I had a dog and it just wanted cat food. It would not eat dog food. I talked to my vet about it when I took the dog and he said not to give the dog cat food. Apparently the cat food has something more added for cats. He said to put out the dog food and when the dog gets hungry enough it will eat. That was what I done, after he told me, and sure enough she started eating the dog food. You might ask your vet what he thinks about feeding dogs cat food. Mamma dogs usually are not all that hungry after giving birth because they will clean up the after birth.
