Is it safe for my dog to eat her afterbirth after giving birth?

Make sure she has water close by and see if she'll eat a biscuit. Often new mothers take a day or two to get their appetite back. Give her another day or so then if she still won't eat or drink then take her in. As far as the discharge goes it can be there for up to a week or so. If she stops nursing or the discharge has a foul odor then again I would bring her in for an exam. They may take an X-ray to make sure there are no more puppies and perhaps give her medication to contract the uterus to get rid of any fluid or afterbirth. I'm not overly concerned and think she just may need another day to improve. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Eris.

Most of the time, retained placentas are not a problem in dogs - they are either passed sometime in the next day or two, or broken down harmlessly within the uterus. In rare cases, some dogs may develop a uterine infection due to this which would cause foul-smelling discharge and a fever - but this would be unusual. Monitor for any problems, and have Jessie checked by a vet if you see symptoms of infection - otherwise, there should be no need to worry :)

This can happen after delivery. offer her boiled boneless chicken and rice every 6 hours in small portions. if she is eating and not vomiting, continue with this diet for 2 days. After 2 days, you can put her back gradually on her normal food. If she continues having diarrhea, take her to the vet to get treatment.

It isn't unusual for a dead puppy to be born long after a healthy litter is born. It is likely that the puppy was stuck in the birth canal and took longer to deliver and died while being stuck, or it could have been dead in utero and was later expelled with the last placenta. Usually there is no problem with the mother provided she eats, drinks and takes care of her puppies. If she gets lethargic, or if she has smelly discharge from the vulva (greenish non-smelly discharge is normal) then she should be seen by a vet .

Hello. I am sorry for your concerns about Kimber. There is always the risk of a blockage from the material ingested, but at this point in time, all you can do is be watchful. As long as she is eating well ( & heavily pregnant dogs often do not eat very well ), there is no vomiting, & her bowel movements stay regular over the next 36-48 hours, then she was able to pass the pads. Anything unusual, please contact your veterinarian as soon as possible. Thank you.

My main recommendation is to check her temperature to make sure she does not have a fever (over 102.5). While it is normal for the temperature to rise for the first 24 hours after whelping, by now it should return to normal. If she does have a fever or the vaginal discharge has a foul smell, is increasing in volume, or she seems to be feeling any worse, then take her to the veterinarian. If you have a house call veterinarian in your area, that would be even better. Infection of the uterus, or metritis, is possible and should be taken seriously. At two days post-whelping, a reddish brown discharge is normal. If she has no fever and seems to be feeling better, then just make sure she has plenty to eat and lots of fresh water. Here is a link to a good article on nutrition. http://www.akc.org/content/dog-breeding/articles/the-care-and-feeding-of-the-breeding-bitch-part-two/ Thanks for using PetCoach.

Since the mating just happened, this shouldn't cause any problems at all - there are no developing puppies yet, since the sperm and egg haven't had time to meet and start dividing. So no need to worry about this :)