I feel so so guilty and responsible for Tiegan being poorly. Ill try to keep this short but its gonna be a long one...most of you will have read about us having Tiegs to vets the night she had her puppies because she was still pushing, she had scan etc and oxytocin and we were sent home no further forward. She continued to strain during the night and by 1pm yesterday she passed a placenta. She stopped straining and all seemed well...eating very well, didnt even get the runs off placenta so I was very pleased with her and puppies. Becuase I was so tired my hubby stayed on the airbed in the living room next to the box and I went to bed last night.
I got up 10 mins after going to bed because I could hear her crying Stu said it was just because she wanted her puppies near her (they were all asleep on the heat mat and she does cry when they arent near her) so he put them near her and she settled down all well.
Got up this morning and Stuart said that she had had him up all night. She had been straining on and off all night, crying, wanting to be outside constantly...HE DIDNT WAKE ME UP!!! I gave her some breakfast and she refused it, which is very strange!! I then tried some naturediet and a chicken wing and she still wouldnt touch anything so I knew she wasnt right. Checked her temp and it was 39.5.
Rang vets and got her straight there. Another scan later showed in the vets words, something a little strange looking but she couldnt tell if it was a reabsorbed puppy/placenta or anything. Gave her antibiotic jab, course of clavaseptin and sent us home...she said if she was still pushing on sunday then they would need to open her up to have a look!!!
I accepted this and went home. The more I thought about it, the less happy I was with leaving her until sunday and for her to have to undergo surgery if something could be done sooner so I rang the stud dog owner and she said to get a second opinion. At 1pm we took her to another good vets a lot further afield from us and they took a look at her. They scanned her and said that her uterus was very enlarged and she quite obviously had an infection in there...she had some wierd discharge aswell. He explained that she was probably straining due to the fact that it was inflamed. Just as if they have cystitis and strain to wee or colitis and strain to poo. He said that the straining may not be a bad thing as it was helping get the discharge out of the uterus.
Basically, if she doesn't improve on the antibiotics then she will be best spayed. She had the antibiotic jab this morning and is still pushing, every now and again she has bouts of it. She has at least managed to sleep, for the first time properly since before they were born and she has eaten 3 chicken wings and I have hand fed her a little nature diet and RC starter mixed.
I am so so sorry for her. The poor bitch hasnt had chance to rest or relax at all, shes being amazing with the babies but has probably had the 2 most stressful days of her life. She will never be bred from again, even if I dont manage to get anything good enough to keep. If it means I have to start again and buy another bitch in then, so be it. She has been through enough these last 2 days to last her a lifetime.

Please all keep your fingers crossed for her...I know whitelilly had the same sort of experience with her girl not long ago and I really dont want to have to go through the spaying route while she is nursing puppies.
In your experiences in spaying nursing bitches, how does it affect their milk supply?
Sorry this post is so long, I just wantedto get this all out of my system to someone who understands how much my girl and these babies mean to me. I do hope she picks up soon, I am devastated and wish I had never put her in this situation in the first place :-( :-( :-(

Amy

Hi Amy

So sorry to hear your girl is not well. Thankfully you had her to a good Vet and at least you now know what you are dealing with. On the up side she has eaten something now and so could well be turning the corner. You are doing all you can and she on antibiotics now so hopefully when they have fully kicked in she will improve. All fingers and toes crossed in the meantime.

Hi Amy, I had a scare like this in December with a massive litter. The vet scanned and was positive there was a puppy inside, However she asked the head vet for advice and he disagreed and put her on clavamox. She went from strength to strength after the abs. In regards to operating on a lactating bitch I beleived it had an increased rick of mammory infection.

hi fingers crossed for tiegan (and hugs for you) i'm so glad you went for a second opinion, you know your bitch and if somethings not right then you just "know".

it sounds like it could be due to infection and hope the antibiotics will kick in and she can enjoy being a mum .

xx

I had this 3 years ago. My girl was still digging & straining after giving birth to 9 pups. (born on wednesday & digging/panting started on Sunday) Vet gave me Synulux (sp) for 5 days, but said she fully expected to be doing a spay on day 5. 2 days after the antibiotics started, my girl passed something that looked like membrane. Outcome...took her back, saw a different vet (same practice) & he said 'She's fine...go home & enjoy your litter' Good luck x

Sorry to hear about Tiegan, poor baby.  You shouldn't upset yourself over it, you did everything, took her to the vet (several times) and got her treatment.  Maybe the retained placenta caused the infection.

i'm sure the antibiotics will work for you, try and stay positive. 

Hugs to you and Tiegan. xx

She seems so much better today....Im so so happy and relieved. She has so far eaten 3 chicken wings and had her normal morning feed from my hands. She is still pushing in bouts, has lots of nasty discharge still but slept most of the night without crying or getting up to be out so seemed so much more comfortable. Phew...was so worried about her needing an op.

Thanks for your replies everyone, will keep you updated and let you all know how she's getting on
Amy x

Hi amy my heart goes out to you reading this brought it all back :( the feeling of guilt and dread! stay calm hun and watch her (which i know you will be!) go with ya gut feeling and not what the vets say ...if we had weve had lost mist! as you know mist had 9 pups and only 8 nipples i had to keep moveing them about she maniged to feed them all and i had to top some up but i think it was more because she was so poorly her milk wasnt alot not because of being spayed weigh them and you will know if her milk is going...i have everything crossed for you and tiegan ...but if she has to be spayed dont worry cus when she comes back she will beable to still feed them just make sure vet gives her the right AB's plz keep us posted ...will be wishing tiegan to be ok and the AB's sort her out (((hugs)))
xxxx

i was writing same time so glad she on the ment hun xxxx
xxxx

Oh so sorry to read you have been going through this, hope your girl is on the mend and enjoying her babies now. 
Big hugs to you and her xx

> In your experiences in spaying nursing bitches, how does it affect their milk supply?
>

Both the times bitches of mien have had a C section it was with their last litters so were spayed at the same time so as to avoid having them opened up again within the next 12weeks.

No effect on the milk other than it was a bit slow getting going due to the GA I would imagine, and nto getting the placentas.

What will affect the milk supply is having an infection and temperature, so if she really is destined not to be bred from again a spay now if vet advises may be preferable to trying to fight the infection and make milk.

Hope she's ok, how v scary for you all :(

Thankyou very miuch to everyone who replied...just to let you all know that Tiegan is pretty much back to her normal self, thank god!!
She is eating normally now, discharge is much better and starting to look normal for a bitch thats just whelped.
She is much happier and is now enjoying her babies, as she should :-)

Puppies have not suffered one little bit and the little piggies have put at least 450g on in 5 days!!!
Im so very pleased with them, they're doing so much better than last litter the difference is unbelievable, but then she didnt have milk till day 7.

Thanks again
Amy x

Had missed all this, so sorry but glad all is now on the up again.
Grey hairs for you though.
Good luck now :)

Karen

Pleased to hear alls well with mum and pups. xx

so glad all is well now :0)
xxxx

Great news that she is back to herself