shih tzu bathing

Question
Hi Kristen, our 4 year old Shih Tzu just gave birth to 4 puppies last Sept. 8, 2008. I just wipe her with moist cloth to clean her. When will she be ready for a complete bath? The vet said 10 days after she gave birth will do. I think it's too long for that. Can I bathe her after a week?

Answer
Why would you need to bathe her? There's really no need to, and I wouldn't want to risk making the puppies sick (or worse) from the shampoo you use. Even the mildest can be dangerous to puppies. Their systems are still immature, and even things that you might not think would be harmful can be. Purell, the gel hand sanitizer, can kill puppies, even after it's dried on your hands, if you touch them after you apply it.

I would not bathe a mama dog for at least 2 weeks after giving birth, and then, I would only do it if she was absolutely filthy (ie: if she rolled in something when she went out to potty, for example). The puppies use their sense of smell to find their mother and stay close to her, and if she suddenly smells completely different, they may not realize it's her.