In Heat?
-
Well, even some of the best breeders have had oops litters.
Your going to be in for a very interesting few months.
I can help you with advice on what to check when you decide to place the pups.
Our humane society fixes young animals before they rehome them.
I know many of this forum don't agree with that, but it is the ONLY way you can make sure your pups don't add to the excess pet population.
Something to consider before these pups leave your home…. -
I am sure whatever is going to happen has already…but if you have two people, and sometimes one can do it by yourself, you can hold the bitches head or collar with one hand as she delivers, clamp the cord with the other hand when the pup is on the ground, and remove the puppy before letting go of the bitches head. First time mom's are often totally freaked out, and want to remove the 'mess' or kill the little invaders. Sometimes this behavior resolves itself in a few hours or days...but you have to be soo, soooo careful.
Yet another reason that breeding is not to be entered into lightly...it can be very, VERY traumatic for all involved.
-
Pat, I have sent you an email regarding this thread to your AOL account. Just as an FYI
I did receive your email, but this couple need to take this bitch to the Vet immediately. There is no way that this can be dealt with over the phone or by email when they have no experience and have not prepared for birth…
-
I did reccomend a Vet be contacted IMEDIATLY and that if one is not available to come to the house that they get her to the vet right away. I just wanted to thank you pat for all the good advice you have for everyone. It is always very much appreciated. :)
-
Ok, here is what all has happened since this morning. but first, I must say that although you guys give great advice and are all so very helpful, many of you can really be Condescending. I've felt like I got beat up on just about all my post here. And I really hate it when someone calls me irresponsible with my dogs. I love my dogs very much, but I'm not rich, and can't afford to just run to a vet all the time, so I use all the resources that are available to me. This morning, I had to go to work and being in the military, pet issues are not enough of an emergency to let me stay home, so my wife sat here with Sheba (keep in mind that Sheba had already killed 2 pups), her friend came over and they called the vet. the vet said to just remove the pups as soon as they come out. Since this morning, there have been no more pups or signs of labor from Sheba. There was was 4 hours between the first 2 pups. now we are waiting to see if there are any more. I also stopped at the local feed store and picked up little bottles and cans of milk. The reason I wanted someone to call is because the death of the first pup looked like an accident but the second looked intentional and I wanted some advice faster then typing. I am very grateful for the one person that did call, it was very calming to a heart-wrenching situation. I did not know what to do and really wasn't listing to my wife, and she was upset and crying. She said to take the second one away, but i told her to just see what happens and if it looked like Sheba was getting too rough, then we would take the pup away. Sheba was trying to be gentle and rolled the pup over to clean it, but then she grabbed it by the head and crushed it's skull. I was in shock, my wife picked up the pup and was crying. We needed advice and fast. To you that called, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
Again thanks for all the great advice, but please stop beating me up for not knowing…
Porthos
-
Porthos,
I am so sorry that it has been so a tough for you and your wife. Please extend my condolences to her, it must have been a very rough day for you both. How is Sheba doing at this point? I will keep you all in my thoughts as you try to sort out the events of the day. My dogs send there love to your whole family, as do I. :) -
I know that you said money is a concern, but because of Sheba's age, you may really want to consider an x-ray to make sure that she delivered all of the pups.
I would second this…it is SOOO important at this point to determine if Sheba is done with labor or not. Please consider LVoss' advice. She speaks as a very knowledgable breeder, and lover of this breed.
Good luck and keep us posted.
-
Yes, you do want to make sure that she has delivered all the pups, it is very possible that there is still one or two in there and they might have already expired, way before she started to whelp. Or at least have the Vet give a shot to clean her out… certainly with all that was going on, there was no way to know if she delivered the afterbirth.
And I don't think anyone was beating you up... the advise was to go to a Vet... it would be very, very difficult to try and assess the situation over the phone. Not seeing the bitch first hand, no one can/could assess what was going on or if the deaths were accidental or not...
-
is just 2 pups normal??? I've read tat it is not. Does the amount of developed teets have any indication of the number of pups to expect?
It depends on when the breeding took place and what "eggs" the bitch had. Because she was older and this was her first litter, it is very, very possible and not that out of the normal. Sometime they have one… sometimes 7... another reason that we have a xray done 3 or 4 days before the due date so that we know exactly how many pups are expected. (and again.. this is not a "dig" to you.. it is just what as breeders we do)....
And develop of the teets meaning what? If talking about milk, that usually comes after whelping (very soon after)... but they would be large and if expressed have some fluid/milk...
That is why we are saying you need to take her and have an xray done... she could still have pups in there, dead or alive... (dead that might have died long before she whelped the first two).... If she has pups in there not delivered and/or afterbirth.. that can become quite toxic and she can very easily die... I am not try to be mean or anything else, just telling you like it is...
