I really hope somone can advise me. I have not ever had a problem with Herpes. I bred a litter, two bitches went to other breeders, one stayed at home.One successfully had two litters, one had first litter, two puppies both died before three weeks of age from suspected CHV. Next litter vaccinated Same stud dog used had six healthy puppies. My bitch first litter resorbed the two puppies seen on scan. I have mated her again, been advised to vaccinate, as Could have been an inherent problem..I don't understand this..Could there be a predisposition ? Not keen on any unnecessary medication on a pregnant bitch. Although I would be heartbroken if my puppies got to two to three weeks and died an agonising death. Thank You any advice is appreciated.

We always vaccinate for CHV on all litters.  Why wait to lose a whole litter?? 

The first vaccination can be given before mating, it doesn't have to be on a pregnant bitch.  The second vaccination is only 1-2 weeks before she whelps so the puppies have finished organ development and are just growing mostly by that point...

Research shows that litters are larger if the CHV vaccine is used than if it isn't....

I am so unsure, I asked a repro specialist, she said many reasons why pregnancy does not result in puppies, she also said recent thinking is vaccine can cause problems.I am only cosidering it as the litter sister to my bitch had a problem with her litter.

I've never heard of the vaccine causing problems - which repro specialist said that?

And what sort of problems, in how many puppies?  Was this a clinical trial or a one off litter which could have had 'problems' for so many other reasons?

Many other experienced breeders on this forum use the CHV vaccine, more than don't use it, and if there were any such 'problems' you can be sure we'd know of it.... CHV can be devastating as you watch an entire litter die slowly and are powerless to do anything.... your call...

The repro vet I've seen strongly suggests its given on every litter.
Said its best to give before the 1st mating and then again roughly 10 days before the litter is due. Thw 1st vaccine is normally to prevent reabsorption and the 2nd to prevent fading puppy in the litter. 

Always worth swabbing the bitch before mating to make sure she doesn't have an infection so you have plenty of time to give abs if needed before you mate her.

Thank You, for your advice..I was told ten days after mating..thirty days pregnant, unfortunately she was mated last night. Also my vet has to order it in.I will take your advice ask as soon as in stock we will have injection.

First injection: Either during heat or 7 –10 days after the presumed date of mating.
Second injection: 1 to 2 weeks before the expected date of whelping.
Revaccination: during each pregnancy, according to the same schedule.

Folks you don't need to go by what other people tell you and hearsay, there is an entire compendium of every medicine/drug which has been licenced for use in the UK on animals, at Noah Compendium online.  Here is the info on Eurican Herpes:  http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/?id=-453472

Folks you don't need to go by what other people tell you and hearsay, there is an entire compendium of every medicine/drug which has been licenced for use in the UK on animals, at Noah Compendium online.  Here is the info on Eurican Herpes:  http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/?id=-453472

Which is exactly what I quoted

Right(??), but if someone wants to look up another med, wouldn't it be great if they could do it themselves, or do you want them to ask you each time?? 

I normally always give the herpes vaccine, but there is another shortage just now so my vet can’t get hold of it. I have a bitch mated 10 days ago and hate not being able to give it.

Thank You, Ialso know quite a few breeders that give this injection. Swear by it. Just something I thankfully have not ever had a reason to do.Not sure if it is good husbandary these days, or because of problems in the past
My real question is Could it be inherent? , obviously there would be carriers, males as lays dormant. Environmental? I cannot believe a puppy could be born from a healthy litter. Her dam had a second healthy litter. Seems far fetched that a puppy born from unaffected litter, could go on to be a carrier..Maybe I am worrying out loud...!

Dogs are constantly getting herpes and their immune system recovering from it, over and over. Something like 90% of dogs in the UK have had herpes.  It is everywhere.  You are playing with a Russian roulette in hoping your dog happens not to contract it or have an outbreak of it during pregnancy, if you don't vaccinate.

Depending on where you look for information, it's thought that up to 80% of the canine population carry the herpes virus. Just as with the cold sores we can get, it can remain dormant for a long time but then become active at times of stress. If it's active when the bitch whelps then it can be passed on to her puppies, often resulting in the death of the whole litter.

I always thought contracted from the birth canal, Although I expect any bodily fluid could be suspect. The litter I heard about was born from a Caesarian section.It really seems a valid worry. I have been breeding dogs for thirty five years, I did not know until now how prelevant it is. Thank you for your advice.

Herpes can be passed through saliva... ALl this info is online, just google it!  https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/canine-herpes-virus#1

Canine herpesvirus (CHV) is a virus of the family Herpesviridae. It cannot be inherited genetically nor can a dog be a genetic carrier.

In dogs the virus is transmitted via aerosol and direct contact, including sneezing, coughing, nosing, sniffing, licking and sexual activities between an infected and an uninfected dog. Puppies usually contract the disease in the birth canal or from nasal and oral secretions of the mother shortly after birth. The virus is found in the genitalia & lungs of infected dogs.

Just because one or more puppies are infected doesn't mean the whole litter will be. A friend lost 6 out of 9 puppies. The three survivors never showed any symptoms

Also the virus does not live long in normal body temperature, but in the newborn pup whose body temperature is lower than normal and also not stable and able to be controlled until around 3 weeks pups are far more susceptible and the virus proliferate to fatal levels.