PLEASE HELP ME -bitch ate 3 pups - Page 1

sorry, sleep deprived. My bitch delivered 2 dogs quickly and cleaned them up and everything was lovely. 20 min. later, go back and have only 1/2 puppy left. After labor was over, or so I thought, I got her through some obedience and vigilance to let her puppies nurse for about three hours. Everything seemed fine and then she started acting panicky. I thought, shes just exhausted and since the pups nursed for 3 hours that we'd just take a break. When I say she acted panicky, she began to move the puppies around viciously and stepping on them not giving them time to latch on. I tried latching on 1 at the time and I may have to go back to that. Went to check on her about 30 min. after removing pups and she pulled another half eaten pup out of the whelping box. What in the world am I going to do now?????? Did they get enough colostrum? I'm not above bottle feeding these babies for as long as necesarry. Please someone let me know what you think= Yes I have been in contact with my vet and he's not the really hip on continuing to let her nurse. She has not turned on me at all and has let me assist in every way necesarry.

If I were you I would bottle feed the pups every 2 hours it is not worth the chance of letting this happen again.Keep the pups warm and set your alarm clock on the hour. The only other time I herd of this the dog had rabies. I would take the female to the vet to get checked out. The only other thing I can think of is she is nervous or delusional and is over cleaning them...is it her first litter? Sorry about this ...what a horror!

If your worried about the colostrum stay with the pups while they nurse

what is the best thing to bottle feed a new born? They nursed vigourously for 3 hours. Do you think that is enough colostrum? Regardless, she doesn't have rabies and is possibly delusional and was definitely over cleaned before I took over. She kept on trying to chew on the umbilical cords even as they were nursing. This is a horror. She came from a very good line also..lots of interest in her litter. This is her first litter and she is 6 years old.

and needless to say her last litter.

I'm sorry this has happened, what a nightmare! But having read your previous posting where your vet had 'sternly warned you' to watch your bitch, incase she ate the pups, your vet obviously was sensing something about this bitch's temperament that would cause concern enough for him to feel she would do this....and he was right! With your bitch having shown the panicky behaviour you described, and having had a warning, I would not have left her alone with the pups, especially with the over vigorous chewing at the cords, and the stepping on pups. If you had to leave her to do something and there was no one else to watch over them, I would have removed the pups for the short time you needed to be away,then returned them to try again with the feeding. This may have interfered with the bonding, but at least pups would still be alive. Maybe her age is a factor, she's quite late to be having a first litter, not all bitches are natural mothers and can be quite spooked by their puppies. How many puppies are left? I personally would try letting them feed from mum but staying by their side constantly, never leaving mum and pups alone. If this is stressing mum too much, then bottle feeding is obviously necessary. Good luck.

Thanks LilacWolf-I left her alone after she had her first two, b/c she seemed so natural with the birthing, removing the sac and cord. 20 min after the first 2, I checked her again. I was trying to let her be as comfortable as possible and have her puppies as naturally as possible.. She was never left alone again with them. They will be bottle fed and I pray this doesn't happen to anyone else. I saved 5. They seem to be doing really well so far.

I am sorry too. MUZZLE HER! anytime she is with the pups. In the mean time,separate her ,keep pups warm,set your alarm, supervise the nursing, People got down on me when I advised you to have a muzzle on hand. I went down this road once. I wouldn't trust her alone with pups at all....at least til the dust settles. I don't think it's rabies. This might be overkill about the muzzle but it saved alot of my pups that she would have eaten

I don't think you know how hard it is to bottle feed. If you can supervise nursing it is always better to have mothers milk for the puppies. Colostrum is 24 hours. How old are the pups now? I wish I could be there to help, I know what you are in for, like I said ,I've been down this road. Also if you do muzzle her don't leave her unattended with it on