9-4.
Jelly is beginning to wake up. Her eyes are open, she's responding to our voices and is making shaky attempts to stand. While it will be a few hours before she is fully aware, it's time to prepare to bring her home. The healthiest thing for her and the puppies is to return to the warmth and comfort of the waiting whelping box, where she can recover in familiar surroundings, and the puppies can begin to nurse.

It's important that the pups begin to nurse as soon as possible. For the first two days after giving birth, the mother produces an antibody rich milk called 'colustrum'. Colostrum contains high levels of the mother's own antibodies, and it's essential the newborn pup receives it during the first 24 hours. After 24 hours, the pup's gastrointestinal tract becomes more mature and instead of absorbing the antibody protein molecules, they are broken down by digestion and no longer absorbed whole into the pup's circulation. The amount of antibodies the pup gets depends on how much milk he gets, and on the dam's own antibody level.

It's also essential that we observe how the mother reacts to the puppies. Occasionally, a mother is so disoriented by the experience of delivering via C Section that she refuses to accept her puppies. She may growl at them, or attempt to get away from them by leaving the whelping box. Introducing them as soon as possible, while she is still in a slightly sedated state, can help to ensure her acceptance of the litter with as little stress as possible. We'll stay close by, to make sure she doesn't harm the pups, or herself.