questionable postpartum

Question
My chihuahua just gave birth yesterday to four pups. This was not her first litter. The pups seem to be healthy, nothing abnormal, but I'm a little worried about their mom. Her vagina seems a little more swollen than usual and she still has a green and black discharge. It's been a little more than 24 hours now since the last pup was born. She also had a hard time this pregnancy giving birth. After the first two, it took over two hours for the third. The fourth came shortly after that though. Her belly feels really warm and her neck glands seem swollen too. I don't know if these things are normal because I never noticed these symptoms before. Other than those signs, her behavior is normal. I took outside to the bathroom and her pace was normal. She wasn't slow and sickly like. Any information about how to tell if there is an infection or any other postpartum problem would be appreciated. I just need to know if she needs to see the vet soon before things get worse. Thank you.

Answer
Hi Catherine

Green and black discharge are a sign of trouble.  She's either retained a placenta or pup.   If she's hot, that's a sign of a fever.  And the signs combined is a red flag.

You need to get her a shot of oxytocin immediately. So a trip to the vet is a must. You want to ensure that she's completely cleaned out.

Good luck