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amiloo123 · Oct 12, 2011, 12:27 PM

My ***** has just had 8 puppies 2 days ago there doing really well.. But she kees panting really heavy had her at vest they said she's fine because she's warm and will climatize soom. But she's started to sniff her puppies and start crying and digging in her bed? Anyone help

shazamataz · Oct 12, 2011, 08:19 PM

It all sounds fairly normal to me. If she and the pups have been checked out by a vet to rule out any medical problems then it just sounds like a regular mom.

Some dogs will get upset and whine when their pups cry or squeak and being in a whelping box with blankets when the weather is hot can certainly make them pant.

What type of whelping box do you have? It might be a good idea to change from blankets to something like a soft carpet so she can't dig it up and suffocate the pups. If she is being restless it might also be a good idea to install a pig rail around the edge.
A pig rail is just a piece of wood or pipe that goes around the edge of the box, if mum lays down on a pup they hopefully will be pushed under the rail and not squashed against the side of the box.

Is she eating and drinking okay? How are her stools?

paleophlatus · Oct 13, 2011, 03:18 PM

8 is a lot of puppies for a Shih Tsu. Having all those little bodies laying next to her is insulation, and she is also cranking out more heat because she is making milk to feed the big litter. If it is her first litter, consider what mental adjustments she has to make.

Shazamataz is right on about the advice. The rail mentioned has to be high enough and wide enough that a pup can get behind it, but not so high that mom can get any of her backside under it. Small (younger) pups seem to be the ones that get laid upon and smothered, so if seems applicable to your situation, now is the time to do it.

Also, good mommas will be reluctant to leave the nest for any reason, so making her food and water easily reachable is advisable. Potty calls a couple times a day may have to be 'enforced', gently. Also, she should be eating quality PUPPY food now, as much as she will eat. Making milk is the highest metabolic demand a female will undergo, and she needs the right stuff to get it done. An occasional COOKED egg on her food is an excellent source of protein as well.