The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Pets & Working Animals => Dogs => Topic started by: ukag0972 on July 01, 2009, 11:23:39 am
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Hope your sitting comfortably!!
My Lab had a c-section on Monday morning, she had given birth to a pup on Sunday night which was tiny, and after an Oxytocin jab, there was no movement for the rest so vet decided to operate.
Anyway..............I have 2 surviving puppies, the first one that she delivered herself and another from the resulting c-section.
They are still alive, but when I opened the door to let the dog out this morning, she waited till my back was turned and took the tiny one out and put her in a whole she had dug previously.
The question is................Does she think its going to die? as its not as strong as the other and I've been occasionally supplementing its milk.
I'm now watching like a hawk incase she picks it up and hides it in the house.
What do you think? Am I fighting a losing battle with the little one and let it "do or die" which is not me, or does she not want iy after her c-section?
Any comments gratefully received!!!
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She maybe feeling insecure and trying to hide them? only have experience with kittens, our cat moved them all into the bathroom, no idea why but we let her take them all then after a few days put her back where we wanted her and she was fine. Yours is probably settling in, they like to be left alone without too much interference, she will harm them if she thinks they are threatened. is she feeding them?
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Thats interesting - my bitch has just had a phantom pregnancy (was her first season) and just at the time I was expecting her to be guarding soft toys, slippers etc she suddenly started burying them (like bones) in the sofa. Not a game popular with the rest of the family it had to be said!! Have to admit my first reaction was that if that was what she was going to do with her puppies, she'd better not have any, ever! Its not something she did either before or since. Could be it is nothing more sinister than a guarding type reaction - just supposition though, I'm not a qualified dog person.
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She has picked up the wee one several more times today but ve been very vigilant and the front door has been closed over to prevent her going out.
I'm in two kinds whether she is trying to protect her or bury her as she's going to die.
She never dug holes till the day before she had the pups, so it's a weird one. She previously had a litter 2 and a half years ago and had no problems and no digging!
Anyone a qualified doggy psychologist??
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Maybe she is just trying to hid them for safe being :)
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Oh dear! Poor mummy! :(
I'd go with the trying to hide them for safekeeping theory. She'll be all out of sorts with the operation, and probably having the babies!
Totally agree you need to keep an eye on her so you know what's going on - and where the puppies are.
Does she have plenty room in her bed etc?
Hope she sorts herself out soon.
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Update.......................
The wee puppy died early this morning, natural causes I think. It was alive when I checked at 4, but was dead at 6.
I left her with it and she took it outside and buried it. She later dug it up so I've discreatly put it out of reach from her.
She has a remaining pup and is looking after it very well.
I just need to convince my hubby that we should keep it.
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Sorry to read your sad news.
Good luck with working on your husband :)
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Lee - You are not having good luck with your animals just now. So sorry to hear about your pup, you just wonder of mum knew!
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Very probably animals seem to have a sixth sense when it come to poorly offspring.
Hope hubby lets you keep the remaining pup.
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Thanks folks!!
Unfortunately, when you have as many animals as us, then its inevitable that there will be deaths. Its just sad that they are friends and companions, and not the commercial animals that you don't get attached to.
Maybe I've had my quota of deaths now and things are now looking up!!!
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Hope Mum and the remaining pup do well - is it a dog or a bitch?
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It's a little black lab bitch!!
As my hubby has obviously forgotten my wedding anniversary then maybe today is a good day to say" can I keep her?"
looking for girlie names now, any ideas??
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Bramble.
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I was thinking "poppy".
The question was posed and the reaction was a "Eh" look!!
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Ffion
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I like Poppy.
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I'm liking Poppy too!!!
I'm slowly edging the husband into keeping her........
Both Lottie and Poppy are doing really well, hopefully stitches out at the end of the week and Poppys' eyes will be open.
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We had a black lad called Poppy!! one of my daughters loved that name and was going to name her first child that but as Poppy was a bit smelly (excema) she had second thoughts....if I get another duck I would call her poppy!!
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Should she not have an appropriate name like - Solo?
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My suggestion is Freya. When i was a child we had a litter of German shepherd pups and i convinced myself that we would be keeping on of the females which i had fallen in love with I named her Freya - unfortunately my parents had other ideas and when a couple came to see her they bought her ( which was probably for the best as 6 months later I got a job in bletsoe nr Bedford as a cook/groom and couldn't have taken her with me. but I still love the name Freya.