Panting

Question
My shih Tzu gave birth to 5 healthy puppies Tuesday night.  She seems to be panting a lot.  We are afraid to put the air conditioner on because it will be too cold for the puppies.  Is panting normal after giving birth??  We have a blanket in with the puppies also.  Is there any reason for concern or should I watch for any other symptoms???

Answer
Hi Debbie

Is she panting and pushing?  Could there be another pup or the afterbirth left to expel?

Excessive panting is not normal, and you must keep the AC off until the pups are older.  Newborns can't regulate their temps and can become dehydrated or chilled quickly.

If the panting continues, I would take her to a vet for a check up and a shot of oxytocin.

Personally, I've seen mummified and dead pups expelled up to a week after the litter was whelped.  The problem is with toxicity and can be harmful to both the dam and the new pups.

Good luck.