Re: Birth announcement--umbilical cord!!!?,color?,and avail.pups :O)

[Michelle Haines]

From: "Karin van Veen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

> I think the risk of an infection is much higher when you leave it on.
I
> think the pup will have better changes by taking it off, not tearing,
but
> cutting, preferably with your nails, so that you actually squees it
off.
> That will not lead to bleedings.

You will want to leave it until it stops pulsing so the infant gets the
proper blood supply.  The infection risk, I'm not so sure about, but
that could get into a whole discussion over a weird thing called lotus
birth that is really off-topic.  Basically, if the placenta remains
clean, it wouldn't cause infection, but it probably isn't feasible to
keep it that clean in a gerbil cage.

Michelle
Flutist