I just got back from Bath Champ show yesterday to be met at the front door by my hubby looking ashen faced - he told me that my beautiful girl Bijou (mum to my latest litter of pups) had almost died that morning from eclampsia - he went out at 11.am to run the other dogs in our field - the pups had just been fed their puppy porridge and were all asleep - Bijou was in the kitchen having had her walk a little earlier and was absoloutely fine - when he got back after only about an hour she was collapsed on the floor , she'd been sick, was violently shaking ,her gums were white and when he took her temperature it was 106 !  He phoned Jim our vet and rushed her up to the surgery where she was given a calcuium injection and another of glucose - by 3pm that afternoon she seemed back to normal and if he had'nt told me when I'd got back form the show ( at around 7.30 pm ) I would never have known - this condition comes on completely out of the blue and will kill if if left untreated - luckily the pups have taken to the puppy porridge really well and are also lapping water so we'll stop her nursing the pups so that her milk supply will gradually dry up and her calcuim levels can recover - my vet thinks it was caused by an over production of milk to meet the demands of  nine vigerous and greedy pups - and this meant that the calcuim levels in her blood were dangerously low.

My poor girl - she's certainly been through the mill with this litter first the ceasarean and now this - needless to say she'll be having no more pups .......she means the world to me and I'm just so grateful to have her still with us safe and sound

Yvonne

Is this your vets advice.

As pups are now weaning the drain on Bijou will become less so with calcium supplementation twice a day with something like Calo Cal D she would be able to continue to wean feed her pups.

I had an issue with a friends bitch dangerously low in calcium following a C section, so it was noticed right off (she had enteritis in her late pregnancy so was underweight too), and she fed her pups fine on double the usual dose of Calo Cal D, and was fat as a pudding too with the food I was stuffing into her.

I had this with a bitch a couple of years ago. the pups were only 10 days old so too young to wean, My vet gave me calcium tablets to give the bitch 4 times a day and she was fine until the pups were old enough to be weaned. Obviously I did keep a very close eye on her and did not leave her unattended after this for very long as it can happen so quickly. As long as the mum is getting extra calcium there should be no need to rush to wean the pups.

I had a bitch come down with eclampsia when her 10 pups were only a few days old; a shot of calcium and calcium syrup every day meant she fed them all successfully without any supplementary feeding or early weaning needed.

How scary Yvonne. How old are the pups now? I seem to remember they are just a few days different to  mine (mine are the tiny breed though!) and mine are 3 weeks today.  Knowing how many Belgian bitches almost give up on their pups already by 4 weeks I would not worry if you had to stop them suckling now -you have to take whatever advice you feel most comfortable with. I've never experienced eclampsia in a bitch myself but had it once in a queen.

What a shock to come home to.  And how lucky that hubby found her in time.  I can fully understand that you would never risk her having another litter.  Sending positive vibes that your girl stays fine now.  What a worrying time.

They are nearly 4  weeks now and were already starting on a couple of meals of Pedigree  puppy porridge so I've just upped this - she's been completely back to her usual self today but I'll take her back to the vets tomorow just to have her checked over and ask if she needs calcium tablets - she's reluctant to feed the pups now although she still wants to go in to clean them  - you can imagine their protests when they see 'mum' but can't have any milk !!

Yvonne

> What a shock to come home to.  And how lucky that hubby found her in time.  I can fully understand that you would never risk her having another litter.  Sending positive vibes that your girl stays fine now.  What a worrying time.

Same here.  So pleased to hear she's ok now.  Good job hubby is vigilent.  hugs xx

Yvonne

Just a thought, but I once had a Yorkie girl with a large litter, and although I kept nails short, she was always trying to get away from their demands.  As they were 4 weeks, I limited their access.  As she was happy to clean, and play with them, I didn't want to deny the pups the lessons that bitches teach. 

I bought her some cheap baby grows, and she proudly showed off her new dresses, while playing with pups.  I obviously allowed her to feed - just not all the time.  And it made her so much happier.  While I fully appreciate that baby grows are pushing it a bit for your breed!  :-)  :-)
How about trying a T-shirt?  It might make her feel happier about going in to clean them if they don't have access to the milk bar.

How scary! Thank goodness your hubby was on the ball and knew what to do in an emergency! I agree that perhaps a t-shirt or something could be fitted so they can't get at the milk bar but she can still be with them, that's what I did when weaning mine.