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Topic Dog Boards / Breeding / Pregnancy woes
- By Baillieboo [gb] Date 12.09.16 09:50 UTC
Looking for some advice.....

Medium sized HPR type bitch was mated on the 9/10th July, both times just slip mating as they wouldn't tie. Assumed probably not successful.
Had bitch scanned at day 36/37 and was scanned in pup. Scan done by equine vets as my bitch hates going to normal vets. All fine.
Pregnancy never really progressed, rib cage widened but that's about all. No big tummy, no nothing else. Resigned myself that she had reabsorbed.
So last Thursday (8th), neighbour has her vet out to take dew claws of her litter. Asked her vet just to check mine over whilst here for final confirmation of nothing. He said to look at her not pregnant, felt her tummy not pregnant. I asked him to scan again for 100% confirmation so I could get her back to normal (working birds). Put ultrasound on her and yes there are live pups. 2 seen in tum but obviously can't see up in ribs. Vet was totally taken aback and said he couldn't believe it. However, thought they were a few days behind where I would have said she was. This dog does not look pregnant. Vet said heartbeats were very good.
So, today we are day 64/65 if she took on the 9/10th. She ate up again this morning. No mucus, discharge etc but has had drips of what I think is pee for a few days. On and off diarrhoea (one solid first thing today, now one very loose with mucus) gone on for a few days.
Won't let me take her temperature at all - very flighty bitch.
I realise she may have 'taken' a couple of days after the 9/10th. Vet who visited Thurs Eve said should be around Tues / Wed this week looking at them on the scan. He does not have facilities for surgical intervention but my local practice do.
Have called them this morning, awaiting a call back.
So, if we go on dates then today is day 64/65. If I hang in until Wed with her that could be day 66/67 OR 64/65.
If only 2 pups it's a very low number for this breed. What would you guys suggest / do? TIA.
- By MamaBas [gb] Date 12.09.16 11:06 UTC
I think you need to take her to your vet for x-ray to see exactly what is going on now.    And depending on that, he may well give her a shot to get things moving.   If she's more than 2 days over from the first mating, it's time those puppies came out in my opinion.

As for the number, stuff happens.   I've had two litters with just 2 puppies, and with the first, one was DOA.   So that ended up as a singleton litter.   I went back a year later (free repeat) and she had 5.    Another had two litters, 2 only in the first and one in the second.   Clearly not the most prolific of bitches which amazed me because her litter sister, who I'd have expected not to have had that many puppies, originally had 9 - 5 lost due to a vet disaster - we sued.

I don't do scans (well documented here :razz:) simply because it's not always accurate and doesn't mean the bitch will continue to term with the number of puppies seen on the scan.
- By Baillieboo [gb] Date 12.09.16 11:23 UTC
Thank you. I am terribly worried.
She has barely any mammary tissue developed. She's just asleep in her bed and looks fine.
There have been random inconsistent 'digging / nesting' attempts over the last week or so - hence me having another ultrasound done last Thursday.
I am still waiting for the vets with surgery facilities to call me back.
- By Jeangenie [gb] Date 12.09.16 12:02 UTC

>And depending on that, he may well give her a shot to get things moving.


You can't give oxytocin to get things moving until you know the cervix is fully dilated, of course.

I had a litter born naturally on day 66/68, but I knew not to panic because the puppies were visibly and palpably very active.
- By Baillieboo [gb] Date 12.09.16 12:34 UTC
Thanks. Yes they won't be giving Oxytocin until any signs that she has started naturally / fully dilated.

I'm going to whizz her down to the practice at 2.15pm. They have said they will take temp and do another ultrasound just to ensure the pups seen on Thurs night are still viable.
My only concern is that it will stress her out hugely as she is terrified of the vets.

Vet did say on the phone that she wouldn't be too concerned as she is probably not ready and neither are the pups, but to cover themselves they would advise to take in for above.
- By Brainless [gb] Date 12.09.16 13:42 UTC Edited 12.09.16 13:50 UTC
It is dangerous to give Oxytocin until the cervix has opened ( cause uterine rupture). In other words first stage labour needs to have started.

In my breed slip matings point to it being too early. In cases where I suspect early mating I have safely had bitches whelp 4 days pas day 63, once with intervention ( labour underway but not progressing in a last litter ) and twice that is when the bitches were ready to whelp.

I'd want a C section on day 67 from first mating if not in labour by then.

If they can do reverse  progesterone testing with same day result then drop below ovulation level means it would be safe and below 2 means pups need to be born.
- By Baillieboo [gb] Date 12.09.16 14:17 UTC
OMG this is a nightmare!!

Have just taken her to vets down road to do this scan, and they cannot see any puppies anywhere (2 vets looking). Now I saw them as clear as day on Thurs night with the other vet.

They have just said no she's not pregnant. They did manage to squeeze a tiny bit of milk out of her. They have offered to have another go tomorrow but as the poor bitch finds it hugely frightening I don't think I will be doing that.

The vet that scanned her Thurs Eve has just rung me back and confirmed that he saw (as did I) to very well formed pups with good heartbeats.

Where have they gone, they can't just disappear!!
- By Dawn-R Date 12.09.16 15:47 UTC
I'm wondering maybe an X Ray if things haven't got going by day 67 as Brainless said.
- By Noora Date 12.09.16 19:36 UTC
I too would want an xray tomorrow and if pups are there, reverse progesterone test to see if you need a section. As of pups disappearing, only way that could have happened is if she delivered and ate them? But I would have thought that would have left some signs...
- By MamaBas [gb] Date 13.09.16 06:56 UTC
Please note - I am well aware about the use of oxytocin and I did say ' depending on that (what he finds ... SEES,) he MAY well give her a shot'.   I'm assuming your vet knows what he is doing :razz:

Again, by now I'd want x-ray (not more scans) .   Could she have whelped and eaten them?   Perhaps this is now a case of opening her up to see what's going on although I'd want the results of x-ray before doing that.
- By Baillieboo [gb] Date 13.09.16 07:23 UTC
Thanks everyone.

No I don't think there is any possibility that she has whelped and eaten them, she is with me all day and night. I'm pretty sure I would have seen something if that were the case.

I spoke again to the vet that scanned her Thursday evening. He said he definitely saw two, good heartbeats, thought they were a few days behind where I thought we were because he was a little concerned that their skeletons weren't as far along as they would have been going on my day count.
He said they were too progressed to be reabsorbed. He said that I have to wait a couple more days and see what happens. He said they couldn't have moved too far away, the other vets that scanned her yesterday said if they were there they could have moved into the pelvis and then they couldn't pick them up on a scan. He said this is rubbish and you would see them further down.

He said that if not fully developed and unviable I can hope that she triggers a hormonal release and passes them, otherwise she has to go back to the other vets to have them taken out.

An X Ray with her conscious will be impossible, she will not lie on her side in a room with a stranger as she's petrified (bad experience of vets when she was little).

They have both said I need to give her tail Thurs / Fri. If nothing by then she will be going in to be opened up. She's perfectly fine in herself at the moment, eaten this morning etc.
- By Dawn-R Date 14.09.16 16:08 UTC
Any news yet?
Topic Dog Boards / Breeding / Pregnancy woes

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