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Topic Dog Boards / Breeding / Bitch in labour, day 50!!
- By pugnut [gb] Date 19.09.13 07:53 UTC
My bitch is on day 50, last night she had lost some green fluid which I knew wasnt a good sign. Rang the vet who said just keep an eye on her, bring her in  tomorrow for a check up, but basically if its labour then nothing can be done so just let things carry on in their own time.

This morning she had two dead pups, in their sacks with the placenta completely dissolved. Delivered with pretty much no contractions/pushing.
Mum seems fine in herself, resting, temperature at normal level, ate tiny amount of meat and has been drinking water.
Vet said to just bring her in as booked today, no rush if shes ok herself.

Rang a very experienced 'old school' breeder who is famous in our breed for advice. She said to just see how it goes, so long as mum is fine in herself.

So, have any of you experienced this before?
What came of it? Was your bitch okay?
Did she continue to labour and deliver all pups, or did labour stop and she carried the rest full term?
Did she need veterinary intervention?

This bitch is fully health tested and clear of breed related issues, excellent example of the breed, didnt enjoy showing so didnt have a 'career' but could have done well. Has produced puppies in the past with no problems, and is an excellent attentive mum.

Just wanted to see if anyone could offer up their experiences, thank you in advance. :)
- By pugnut [gb] Date 19.09.13 08:37 UTC
She is up on her feet, eating watered down food.
Dabbed her vulva for signs of further discharge and nothing, totally dry and clean. Hope this is a good sign.
Hoping vets can help one way or another. Touch wood, my girl seems fine, chilled out but ok, eating has to be a good thing! xx
- By Goldmali Date 19.09.13 08:37 UTC
I have no experience of this in dogs, but I did have a cat once who aborted dead kittens only to go on and have 3 live ones as well, later at the correct time. One of those 3 ended up being my top show winner ever. If I was you I'd get the bitch put onto antibiotics ASAP.
- By pugnut [gb] Date 19.09.13 08:56 UTC
Thank you Goldmali, I did think about asking for AB's when I see the vet. The breeder I asked for advice from said there'd be no point in AB's but all advice I have read/heard about this kind of thing says put them on AB's. I'd rather do that than risk an infection.
Fingers crossed this all pans out, my girl is the most important thing, she's my little 'mummy's girl'.
- By Goldmali Date 19.09.13 09:01 UTC
The antibiotics would be a safeguard in case there are still live pups in there. Certainly no harm in giving them so I'd definitely play safe.  With my cat the vet said there was no chance whatsoever of any live kittens being born!!
- By Lynneb [gb] Date 19.09.13 11:05 UTC
My girl gave birth at 52 days, all dead unfortunately, 4 fully formed good sized pups and 3 still in sacs and could not tell what sex they were. Only one mating so something went wrong. Mum is fine now 5 weeks later, in fact she was fine the day after. No more pups for her though.
- By Brainless [gb] Date 19.09.13 11:43 UTC
.> xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">had two dead pups, in their sacks with the placenta completely dissolved

I've had this, but at full term in among the live pups.  Mum had been very off her food and quite unwell after delivery, and we lost one of the 7 live pups and it took a week of helping some out before they started gaining properly

Hope she goes on to full term and delivers some live pups.

Hopefully your vet can scan to see if there are live pups, otherwise she will need to pass any more dead pups, and may need oxytocin.
- By SharonM Date 19.09.13 14:04 UTC
My bitch (years ago) lost a litter, had her scanned at 28 days, 7 live pups seen, day 35 she looked smaller, so back to vet, vet confirmed no heartbeats.  Day 49 she delivered 5 mummified pups, we think 2 were reabsorbed, vet also checked the mummified pups and said in her opinion they had died not long after the 5 weeks scan.  No live pups at the end of that pregnancy.  :(   Mum was down for a week or so, but 4 weeks of AB's was back to normal.
- By pugnut [gb] Date 19.09.13 14:38 UTC
Delivered 4 pups so far, all similar size, very fine amount of hair (they feel like velvet) and looks wise they look perfectly formed. The last two were moving at birth but died soon after despite best efforts. I guess their little lungs weren't ready yet. Mum is content to sleep and eat, temperature normal. Will make sure the vet gives her AB's to avoid infections.
Hopefully her maternal instincts wont have kicked in and she'll recover quicker. Shes normally a very attentive mum and very 'on the ball' when it comes to her babies. Its all just so sad :(
- By Ghost [gb] Date 19.09.13 15:55 UTC
so sorry xxx
- By Brainless [gb] Date 19.09.13 16:08 UTC
It's horrible to loose pups. 

Have  lost the 7th pup in my bitches litter, last live one at 12.45, stillborn boy at 16.00, tried for ages but nothing doing, born out of the sack, so probably drowned with the delay.
- By pugnut [gb] Date 19.09.13 17:07 UTC
Its awful when you lose pups, I really do feel for you. :(
Vet has put her on AB's and said if she doesnt deliver by the morning, then to take her back in and they'll weigh up doing oxytocin or worst case scenario, C-section.
I am wary of this if she seems ok in herself and the possibility of live pups still clinging on in there. I will insist on a scan before any further steps at the vet though, just to rule out heartbeats. I just couldn't live with myself if they opened her up and removed otherwise healthy pups that were still attached.
Obviously I wouldn't put my girl in danger if I thought she herself were unwell. But even the vet said she is fine, normal temp, good colour, behaving absolutely fine.
I suppose I'm just hoping all's not lost on the puppy front.
- By LucyDogs [gb] Date 19.09.13 17:38 UTC
If she's well in herself and only on day 50 I wouldn't be inclined to do c-sections, just in case any pups are still in there, as you say. But I'm not an expert, hopefully the long time breeders will be on soon.
- By Rhodach [gb] Date 19.09.13 19:18 UTC
You definitely need a scan as there is no point in doing a C/section on dead pups or an empty uterus, can't understand why the vet didn't do one today rather than leaving you guessing as to what is going on. I didn't think your breed had very big litters so 4 pups may be all there is.

My last litter I had one fresh stillbirth and 2 partly decomposed pups, I had felt and seen movement over night as she was sleeping in my bed so knew the pup had died during the labour, no amount of CPR and Dopram V brought her round, she looked perfect and the spitting image of her sire as a newborn pup, she weighed 9ozs which was big for our breed, I came to the conclusion that the placenta came adrift during the short labour of 4 hrs, I couldn't tell the sex or colour of the other 2 pups.
- By JeanSW Date 19.09.13 22:16 UTC

>I am wary of this if she seems ok in herself and the possibility of live pups still clinging on in there


Please, please don't go for a section.  If there are any live pups inside, they won't be viable yet.  The lung development needs more time. 
- By Rhodach [gb] Date 20.09.13 16:33 UTC
Any news?
- By LouiseDDB [gb] Date 21.09.13 23:06 UTC
ive fb for an update
- By pugnut [gb] Date 22.09.13 09:42 UTC
She had five in total, all looking beautiful but just not ready for the world yet. Shes been well in herself, a little mopey but not too bad. Now we have to work on trying to rid her of milk so she doesn't get mastitis, hopefully the antibiotics will help take care of any issues.
Back to the vet on Monday for a check up but thankfully no section was needed.
My vets can be a little enthusiastic with the big guns so I wasn't about to charge in with that, especially if there was no need.
Thank you for your kind words, advice and shared experiences everyone. Its much appreciated! :)
- By JeanSW Date 22.09.13 10:15 UTC
Much appreciate the update.  It helps others when results are there.  I am so very sorry that you've lost the litter, you must be gutted.

However, very pleased that your girl is ok.  When I had a bitch whelp 10 days early (like yours they looked beautiful, just not ready) my bitch was distraught.  Barbara on here advised using the "jolly hockey sticks" approach, just getting on with things.  Up the exercise, and reduce the food, protein in particular for a while.

I hope things won't look so bad once you come to terms with what has happened.
- By Rhodach [gb] Date 22.09.13 12:08 UTC
thanks for the update, so sorry the news wasn't better
- By LucyDogs [gb] Date 22.09.13 19:12 UTC
So sorry to hear that :-(
- By Goldmali Date 22.09.13 21:21 UTC
Really sorry it wasn't a better outcome. :(
Topic Dog Boards / Breeding / Bitch in labour, day 50!!

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