Placenta and diarrhea after the birth

When diarrhea affects a canine that recently gave birth to puppies, owners may be worried about the effects on the overall health of the mother and her litter.

Considerations

o   Giving birth to and nursing a litter of puppies puts a normal strain on the dog's body. That’s why you should be feeding the expectant bitch as much as she wants to eat of an excellent quality puppy food. We feed Diamond and have since 1999. It may take a few days for body systems to recover after delivery of her litter.

Significance

o   Mild diarrhea in a dog that just gave birth can be normal due to stress or because mother dog ate the puppies' placentas. You’ll also notice that in some new mothers their appetite tends to be pretty bad shortly after the birth. To encourage more calorie consumption we add people food such as fresh eggs, cottage cheese and yoghurt, fish or other meats. The soft stools or diarrhea should subside after a few days.

Motives

o   The placenta is a sac that is typically expelled after each puppy. The bitch may instinctively eat the placentas to hide evidence of birth from predators, and there are theories that placentas provide a form of nourishment at a time when the she may not want to leave her litter alone to search for food.

Time Frame

o   Diarrhea lasting more than a few days or accompanied by other symptoms should be checked by a veterinarian. We will add some activated charcoal to her meal to help with regulating her system.

Prevention/Solution

o   Some breeders try to prevent diarrhea by removing the placentas as they are expelled or allow their bitch to just eat one. Should diarrhea still develop, one to two teaspoonfuls of pure canned pumpkin can help firm up the stools. You may also notice that when outside after having a litter of pup that she’ll look for and eat grass. This is normal and help with the gut.

Conclusion

o   Have the mother and puppies seen by a veterinarian within 24 hours after whelping for a general wellness exam.