Bleeding and panting after giving birth

Question
I have a shitzu that gave birth to 5 puppies on wednesday march 5. She is still bleeding a little and its bright red. Is this normal and if so how long will this take place? She is also panting alot, especially at night. I can turn the heat down and she still pants. She always has water close by, but she hasnt been drinking much of it. Should i take her to the vet or what should i do? Please help! Thank you ~mariah~

Answer
Have you checked her temp?
Panting is normal due to uterine contractions while nursing and also because she's just warmer with all of those babies snuggling. :)
Make SURE she gets fluids, even if you have to give her unsalted chicken and beef broth to tempt her.
If her temp is over 101.5 , call your vet.
I wouldn't worry TOO much about the discharge as of yet, unless it's heavy. Sometimes it takes awhile to heal up.
Good luck
Cindi