questions about after she gave birth

Question
QUESTION: Hi Joyce, I've gone to you guys twice with my questions about my Siberian husky and her pregnancy, I hope you remember me:). I was the one asking about solid gold barking at the moon dog food and salty foods when my husband fed her the salty broth I had steamed for dinner. She gave birth to 5 healthy, lively, squirmy pups, 4 boys and 1 girl on the 23rd of Feb. I actually have them streaming live if you ever want to take a look at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/siberian-husky-puppy-cam! :)! Both mom and pups received vet care the next morning and was proclaimed in good health. So my questions now are: I know it's totally normal for her to have diarrhea right now, she ate all 5 placentas before I could get to them, is there anything I can do to help relieve that? It does not look like a comfortable thing to be going through. Second, I've let her use the bathroom whenever she wants, letting her out whenever she exits her pen or sits up cause she needs to go, but I ALSO noticed her digging a very deep hole under the bushes where she didn't think I'd be looking (i noticed her going there a few times, thought it was strange cause she usually goes on the grass, and investigated). Everytime I let her out, she sneaks there and works on it some more before asking to come back in. I have a strong suspicion she's going to try to move the puppies there. Too bad they're behind closed doors in my office and I would never allow her to carry one off. Third, everyone comments on how active they are for just a few days old, they run marathon laps around their pen. Now, I do try to sleep, but their getting squirminess makes me nervous and I hover. I basically adjust sleeping positions for them because they complain, LOUDLY if they don't like where they're sleeping and can't seem to get into the position and location they want, or cry about finding themselves on the wrong side of mom when they were trying to get to milk, and when they can't locate the nipple when they're at her belly so I help them attach (sometimes midfeeding they lose it and squeal until I help them find it again). Is this normal? Every other youtube/webcams I've observed they all sleep the first week away if they weren't eating! They're not too warm as they pass out when they're in the area they want to sleep in and have no problem sleeping clumped together if that's what they're in the mood for (temp's kept at 80 in the room, no heat pad underneath, I thought it'd be too much). But I worry all the same. And I read that after giving birth, mom is supposed to be fed 2X her normal amount before pregnancy. Before pregnancy she was being fed 3 cups a day, towards the end of her pregnancy, about 4 cups a day (she couldn't hold down more, even with spaced out feedings of 1 cup 4Xa day) and a cup of egg or cottage cheese. Now I'm feeding her 1 cup 6X a day. As a husky, I don't want her to become obese, her original weight being 39 lb and after birth 44 lb (highest during preg 49 lb). What amount should I be feeding her, because I'm not sure if it's enough. So recap:).
1. Was wondering how to bring some relief to mom's diarrhea
2. Help me understand the digging.
3. What is normal puppy behavior their first week?
4. Am I feeding enough, should it be more or less or is it just right?
thanks!

ANSWER: Hi Laura

Of course I remember. You didn't take my advise on the husband did you?

The reason your female is digging in the bushes is she is planning on moving her litter. Don't let her.

The diarrhea can be attributed to the 6 cups of dog food. Holy overload batman!  Try adding some canned pumpkin to her food.  NOT PUMPKIN PIE but just plain old pumpkin.  A couple of tablespoons mixed with her food will tighten her right up.  Try feeding her 4 cups (2 cups at a time twice a day). Add beef heart, liver and kidney either cooked or raw a few times a week.  You are feeding a quality food, too much is well... just too much.  

Sounds like the pups aren't getting enough to eat. What I would recommend is rotating the pups.  Leave 2 or 3 in with the dam and take the other out.  Let them eat for 30 - 60 minutes. Take them out and replace the others.  You can do this through out the day and at night give the entire litter to her.

Good luck!



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: no I didn't bury my husband:)!
I figured she was doing that. I would never let her move her litter. She's just upset about 3 (3rd born), he screams bloody murder (the only puppy) when he's not in his corner, is in his corner but wakes up and doesn't like that corner and screams his way around the pen to another corner, isn't pottied and needs to be, or hungry. I usually cycle through potty, nursing, and corner with him on his back to figure out what it was he wanted, but mom gets super anxious, and that's the only time she asks to be let out to dig her hole. I've decided to let her dig her hole whenever 3 acts up and she can't figure out what's wrong with him and let him settle down, and let her back in. I don't know, what do you think? I will lower the amount I feed her, she does get green tripe, cottage cheese and hard boiled egg supplemented to her diet. and i'll add some pumpkin. they all get to eat fine, they're only 2 days old, they sleep and eat and run marathon laps around the pen. whenever the others have trouble(like they're behind biscuit and don't know what they did wrong, cause they can't find the milk, I help them out by placing them where they wanted to be) and mom rotates sides a lot during the day. just 3 is the one causing all the problems. I don't really mind the puppies running marathon laps around the pen. they usually do that to find a new spot to sleep in, or they have a destination in mind (milk). It's just I was suprised at how active they were, trying to climb the pen or climbing up mom after eating. thanks! I was just wanting feedback in what I was trying for the digging because of three in this follow up:). thank you for helping me with the diarrhea! I will try that tomorrow

Answer
Did you check number 3 out?  Make sure he doesn't have an injury, pups at a birth, can get dislocated bones, have cleft palettes or other abnormalities that causes them to in pain and discomfort. A pup won't "scream" or fuss unless it's cold and hungry. But once it's warm and full they should stop.

They sound like an anxious litter. They should just eat, sleep and poop.  Anything else is a red flag to me.

Have you checked her milk? Made sure she producing good clean milk?

The dam may realize something is wrong with this pup and want to bury it out back.