My pug just had a c-section and wont nurse her pups, help!?

This is mine and my pugs second litter, after 2 hours of straining today she had to get a c-section ( she also was spayed ) The vet, to my suprise said she should nurse to pups, her last litter she had the pups with no problem but didnt nurse them till day 3. This time I put a pup next to her and she crys! She seems to be in pain, and un interessed in the pups! The pups are 2 hours old ( we just go home from the vet ) and still have not ate. I have some milk and bottles on their way to me. But Im worried. Is she not nursing because of the cut down her belly ( even thought the vet said it should not be a problem ) or is it just because she dosent want to quit yet/

My pug just had a c-section and wont nurse her pups, help!?
She may have lost interest in them because she has just gotten a surgery. Feed the puppies, but keep them with her. She may become interested after a few days.
Reply:Unfortunately your vet did a midline incision. The side incisions prevent this problem.


You will have to supplement and ask for some Metacam to make her more comfortable. Hopefully she will be able to bond with them, and will nurse when the pain can be controlled with medication.
Reply:She may be under stress and in pain. If you lay the puppies in the "area" and she walks away and does not feed them they could be causing her unknown pain by feeding, which is unlikely. The biggest problem could be the stress. Keep the puppies near her but closed off so they can't feed. Bottle feed them with puppy milk substitute on your own. Occasionally put a pup next to her and if she acts the same go back to putting the pup in another enclosed area. If she continues strange behavior make sure to consult your vet. Good Luck!
Reply:You said she didn't nurse the first litter til day 3. Sounds like this is a repeat performance. The c-section should not prevent her from nursing. Some dogs just aren't cut out to be good mom's.





The Vet can give you a sedative, to give her, if you want to help her nurse, or you will have to take over being Mom.





Best of luck.
Reply:best to feed the puppies yourself with the bottles, and make a call to your vet to make sure everythings alright! maybe shes in too much pain to be able to take care of her young!
Reply:If she delivered pups via c-section and was spayed all in the same surgery, you're lucky she's still alive. Removing the uterus as well as the pups can result in severe shock from the loss of all that mass. Not to mention her body was flooded with hormones from pregnancy and now she's had her uterus removed. No wonder she's in pain.





Feed the pups with esbilac via a bottle and let your poor pug rest. Don't try to get the pug to nurse if she doesn't want to. Many healthy puppies have been raised on the bottle. Get a second opinion about her condition from another vet--one who isn't in the habit of performing c-sections and spays in the same surgery! It may be necessary to give her some kind of pain medication to help her through this. Consult with another veterinarian as soon as possible.





Good luck to your pug and her pups!
Reply:First of all, at least in the US, vets perform a c-section with a ventral midline incision. There is nothing wrong with the approach your vet used for the surgery. Many studies have shown that this does not affect the milk production or the mothering ability of the female. There is also nothing wrong with having a spay performed at the time of a c-section. Again many studies have shown that spaying the female at the time of a c-section does not affect milk production or mothering ability. Actually spaying a dog at the time of a c-section shortens the length of the surgery significantly and the dogs tend to recover more quickly. Any dog having a c-section should be on IV fluids at during the surgery and these fluids replace the volume lost during a c-section with/without a spay. I usually send home antibiotics and pain medications for dogs following a c-section.


As to why she won't nurse her pups, she may still be disoriented from the anesthesia or she may be repeating the behavior she showed with her previous whelping. Good luck with the pups.