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By robbo03076
Date 20.07.12 15:29 UTC
Edited 20.07.12 21:22 UTC
hi just after some advice my medium sized bitch was mated on the 17/05 so is due around now however on wednesday about 5pm i noticed what i believe was her plug (white stringy discharge) then that night she started being sick and had bad diarhoea which i assumed she was clearing her self out ready for labour she has only started eating again friday evening and has had 1 more show of white discharge and is looking rather thin to how she was previous breedings ive done have all given birth within 24 hours of losing the plug and i believe they would only have the plug if there is puppies inside is this correct any advice over all would be great, thanks
p.s ive spoken to my vet who isnt concerned as the discharge is white
By Nova
Date 20.07.12 17:01 UTC

Well she is only just due, has she had a scan, has the vet seen her.

Some bitches "drop"[she changes shape as the pups move nearer the exit] before going into labour this can make them look skinny and the spine becomes more prominent.
Was the pregnancy confirmed by scan/palpation earlier on?
I would take her to the vet for a scan then you will know if she is pregnant or not. When my bitch failed to conceive she needed antibiotics urgently to stop her having a pyometra.
Without seeing and examining your bitch it would be impossible to say what is going on, I am suprised the vet did not ask you to bring her in for an examination.
she was vet checked at about 28 weeks and vet was happy with her, when i spoke to him yesterday he said the discharge is just the plug aslong as it doesnt go green etc and he believes she may have picked a bug up and should pass itself as shes due to drop its best not to upset her however if shes still bad saturday then take her down for some antibiotics, im convinced she has lost the pups but dont know what happens to the plug does that go or continue as if there was still a successful litter ive never had this before so unsure and to be honest i dont think my vet has ever had to deal with a labour either
I would find yourself a more experienced vet & ideally also an experienced mentor asap. Sometimes you need to let nature take its course and sometimes you need to step in very quickly - it takes experience to judge this. If you can't think of anyone to act as mentor (and support for you) - contact the breed club to see if they can come up with someone local.
Meanwhile, watch closely for green/black and/or foul-smelling discharge (could indicate pyo or labour problems). And if you let her out for a wee after dark, take a torch and keep her on a lead just in case she drops a pup.
Good luck.
im not looking for a mentor ive been breeding dogs for 15 years now i just wanted an answer to my question would a bitch still have a plug if she had lost her pups
By Nova
Date 20.07.12 20:00 UTC

But do you know she ever had pups you don't say if she was checked for this and that there definitely were pups. I too would be worried about Pyometra.

I am surprised that the vet thinks she may have an infection and hasn't asked to see her and prescribe antibiotics, this late they are not going to affect the pups development but may save the bitch's life.
I presume she was checked at 28 days[not weeks], you don't say if pregnancy was confirmed or not?
sorry yes 28 days lol, the vet doesnt have an issue with her having antibiotics just in his mind she is fine and has just picked a bug up therefore wasnt worth upsetting her this close to labour,
just to update she has been to the toilet and i would now describe it as mashed potatoe so im guessing it could well be a bug
she seems fine in everyway now jumping about and wagging her tail im still under the illusion she has lost her pups at some point or ive been over feeding her and shes only carrying a couple, i will see how she goes through the night and nip her in vets in morning for a quick check up thanks for the advice guys
Sounds like a good plan. Good luck hope all goes well.

I'm surprised you haven't asked for a scan if you are concerned, and if you have whelped 15 litters previously you must be experienced yourself, so why ask on a forum when you should really be pressing your vet for more information and/or a more thorough examination? It's what they are there for, and at this late stage I'm sure most vets could tell you if your bitch is pregnant or not...
After 15 litters I'm a bit puzzled as to why you are asking, really.
By Nova
Date 20.07.12 21:22 UTC

Its 15 years not litters so it may only be a couple of litters and it may be a while ago - however I would be wanting the vet to see the bitch as how can we know any more than the vet can at a distance, the bitch needs to be seen.
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