Hi,

We have recently discovered our smaller utility breed bitch
Is pregnant with one pup. At first this was very exciting news as the mating wasn’t a success and we didn’t expect any puppies at all. However the reality dawns - what if the puppy grows too big for her to birth? What if the pup doesn’t release enough hormones to bring on the labour? Not to mention all the concerns over development and care once it is born without siblings.

Has anyone had any experience with a single pregnancy? Would you recommend an elected cesarean?

My initial reaction was to book a c section but the stud dog owner has advised otherwise. We just don’t want to put any extra stress on our bitch or decrease the pup chance of survival.

Thank you

You can't just book a c-section unless you know exactly when she ovulated and the exact day she would be due. If you bred without doing progesterone testing to the point of determining ovulation (not stopping before ovulation) then you won't know this and can't book a c-section in advance.

If you want a c section you will need to do regular reverse progesterone testing as you approach the due date, to determine when from her progesterone levels, it is safe to do the c section.

If you do it too early, the pup will not be developed enough and will not survive.

In addition, c sections carry risks for the bitch because a general anaesthetic is involved, they increase the stats for poor mothering behaviour, and insufficient milk and generally affect the puppy-mother bond in the early days. They carry risk of infection for mother and the puppy is not exposed to the microbiome in the vaginal tract so research shows will not have the same microbiome as a vaginally delivered puppy.

So no, you don't want a c section unless she can't deliver naturally.... Many bitches with one puppy do.

Thank you, for your reply. I really appreciate your time.

I am aware that you can not take the pup too early. We have planned with our vet to have regular test booked in up until her estimated, due date 63 days after the mating. But obviously looking for as much guidance as possible.

I have read the mortality rate is less than 50% if the pup has to go through an emergency C section, not to mention the stress on my bitch. I have never had a Singleton Pregnancy so anyone who has had one I would be grateful for their advise.

My girl had a singleton. I was advised to not increase her food during pregnancy and near the due date get a scan or x-ray to check the size of the puppy. My vet suggested the x-ray if I was worried about size, and we did this two days before her due date. X-ray confirmed one pup and it was big.
I asked my vets opinion on if we should go natural or elective section but he wouldn't say what he thought we should do just that if we wanted to go elective to wait until she went into Labour and if she didn't start by the Friday (she was due wensday) we could either do reverse progesterone test or go with the section. I um-ed and ar-ed over it and showed the x-ray to a couple breeders and asked their advice and they both said they would go elective as if the pup did get stuck the time it would take for me to get her to my vet it could be too late.
She went into Labour in the middle of the night and I called my vet and asked them again would would they do if it was this dog. Again said he couldn't advise me what to do but that if I wanted an section he would rather I came in now. We went with the elective in the end, it was my first time breeding and I was so worried he might get stuck and my girl would have to go threw that for nothing.
The incision took longer than the vet said to heal and we had to keep cleaning it alot. It looked like it wasn't quite closing in places but the vet said it's because her teets were full and it was pulling it and it would close and heal in time. It did.

Singleton raising advice wise.
* I put in some stuffed toys in the whelping box to allow him to snuggle in, under or on them like they would other puppies.
* I put rolled up towels under the vet bed  in various places to help encourage him not to lay on his chest all the time as I had read this can cause issues with a flat chest.
* Heat wise I had one side of the box was warmer than the other so he could move about as he wanted as I wasn't sure if he would want it warmer being on his own in there (mum wouldn't really stay in the box).
*I also only clipped his front claws to let the back ones get a little longer so help give him some traction on the back feet. I knew a litter that had three pups with one being a fatty and the car one took an extra week to get on its feet properly than the other two. And as my boy was a huge fatty I figured that may help prevent that. My boy had no problems getting on his feet.
* My girl wasn't keen on going in the box let along staying in there so I had to be by the box the whole time and either encourage her to do in and feed him or I'd bring him out to her on the sofa to feed.
* I found he would only feed on one teet if left to his own devices and I noticed the back two had started to go firm and warm. So I put some warm cloths on them and massaged them made sure he fed on both regularly. One feed I'd put him on the back left one and hold him there, next feed on the back right, next feed let him use his preferred one ect.
* I found weaning harder with him as he would start earning then get distracted and wander off then not want anymore. I guess in a litter they would see other puppies trying it and then give it a go. So I had to resort to spoon feeding him. At first all he would accept was scramble egg with a tiny bit of mushed puppy food soaked in puppy milk. Then we got him to take more of the puppy food but only with the milk, if I soaked it in water he wouldn't touch it, so I had to slowly dilute the milk more and more each time. Once he was on just normal puppy food he started pigging it down and is no totally cold obsessed (I had to get him a slow down bowl when he was 9 weeks old!)
* His bite inhibition was crap, his mom wouldn't tell him off when he was biting her too hard and he was starting to hurt her. Poor girl had cuts on her from him so we had to step in when he was becoming too much. He still plays a bit rough at times. He also isn't the best at reading other dogs.

clairescanvas I would wait to see if your bitch can whelp the puppy by herself. If not, then you go to the vet for a c section. It's the same as any other whelping or litter.

Humans tend to be far too interventionist and WAY more c sections are done than need to be...

> <br />I have read the mortality rate is less than 50% if the pup has to go through an emergency C section

We all have our opinions, and this is what is great about the site.  I totally disagree with the above statement.  I have a breed that regularly needs a section.  I never go elective.  I wait until they go into labour and know for sure within the first 20 minutes if they need help.  To punish me they go into labour at 2am to make sure I have a huge out of hours bill!

So I have huge experience of C-sections.  And I have always, always had live pups.

> I have a breed that regularly needs a section.  I never go elective.  I wait until they go into labour and know for sure within the first 20 minutes if they need help.

Me too have probably had more C.Sections, whether a singleton or a full litter, than perhaps I should have, but I ALWAYS had them go into labour before making the decision a 'Section was needed.   The 'Sections we've had always produced live puppies.

With singleton litters, my bitches often didn't want to be in with them perhaps as much as with a normal-sized litter and in truth, I'd spend a lot of time carrying the puppy around with me.  I'd fill a sock for him/her to lie with and another thing I made sure happened was rotating the puppy on the teats, so they were regularly drained.  Heating is important if mum doesn't want in there much.  We had a brood lamp hanging over the box which kept things cosy, or as said, I carried the puppy around with me rather than leaving him/her alone in the box.

ps   I didn't increase food during a pregnancy either.  I might cut back on bulk and concentrate on protein if towards the end of the pregnancy, my bitches were too big to be able to take much food at one time.  Little and often.  Once I knew how many puppies she had to cater for, then I'd up the food intake.  Just like us, pregnant bitches don't need to get fat - the puppies will take all they need before being born.  If the bitch was in tip top condition at the time of being mated, there was no need.

Thank you so much for all this @JoStockbridge It’s so nice to hear success stories. No litter is breeze but I know I will have my work cut out for me with a single pup. Great idea with the towel rolls under vet fleece, I will definitely be using that. I think I will call up my vet and request an X Ray.

Has anyone use the microwave stuffed toys with litters? I wondering if that will be better than regular stuffed toys in the early weeks.

I think it may be worth finding someone local who is having a litter at the same time, so when it’s on its feet it has some early interaction. Although I’m not too sure how I would find one.

This is very reassuring. Thank you. I will definitely have an X-ray and see how big the pup is before making any decisions.

I am currently feeding my bitch Lilly’s Kitchen Puppy food with a little dry IAMS puppy food, although she doesn’t eat much of the dry at all and it is often left in her bowl.

She has just under 1/4 of the can 3x a day, whereas she would usually have 1/2 can (of adult food) 2x a day. I am not sure if this is too much or too little as she’s constantly hungry.

She still has her 40 mins to an hour walk everyday.

WHY do people think pregnant bitches should be fed PUPPY FOOD!!   Believe it or not, Puppy Food is for PUPPIES!!  Provided your bitch is on a top quality adult food, there is no need to switch to puppy food.  Honestly.  This is as bad as breed-specific food .... a scam.  Yes, cut back on the bulk as her litter starts to take up all the room inside, upping protein and feeding more smaller meals per day, but honestly that's all you need to be feeding.

Who started all this need to feed pregnant bitches puppy food!!    If she's 'constantly hungry' why would she be leaving some of the food you are feeding in her bowl?  Shakes head.

Responses like this are part of the reason why I’ve always avoided forums in the past, such a shame as I really could do with the help and constructed feedback.

My dog leaves the dry because she’s fussy.....she would finish it if I gave her nothing else all day but I am a sucker. She scoffs down the wet food the minute I put it down which she has never done before and now begs. I know my bitch. “Shakes head”

I have always been advised by my vet to give our bitch puppy food, so am following their advise. But open for recommendations of high protein dog food. We have always given her Lilly’s Kitchen or science plan.

>WHY do people think pregnant bitches should be fed PUPPY FOOD!!   Believe it or not, Puppy Food is for PUPPIES!! 

This is an easy question to answer. In Ye Olden Dayes before complete foods and dogs were fed meat and plain biscuit, after the 6th week of pregnancy you'd reduce the biscuit and increase the meat, thus altering the protein/carbohydrate balance. With modern complete foods you can do the same either by adding meat to the kibble (obviously ignoring all the totally unsupported belief that you should never feed kibble and meat!) or changing to a complete food that has already done this - ie puppy food.

> In Ye Olden Dayes before complete foods

  Love it!

"Responses like this are part of the reason why I’ve always avoided forums in the past, such a shame as I really could do with the help and constructed feedback."

I'd like to hope my words would be taken as 'constructive' but each to their own.   So be it.

Exactly it's more nutrient dense when some bitches find it hard to cipevwith increased meals.

With my own greedy breed I have found Puppy food can be too rich for some, as I tend to free feed once pups born.

So with an average litter with a foody bitch I tended to stick with the adult food (about 26% protein), but with a large litter of 8+ I have fed puppy food, especially if the bitch was at all picky.

I don't like to feed my medium breed puppies on the high.(over 30% protein) puppy foods, as have found some pups getting too heavy and new owners overfeeding, to pups detriment.

My breed tend to gain weight very easily, though I have had one or two that were poor eaters, so other rules applied.

> I don't like to feed my medium breed puppies on the high.(over 30% protein) puppy foods, as have found some pups getting too heavy and new owners overfeeding, to pups detriment.<br />

You all know my feeling about that - having bought Frankie when he was 4 months and had been on Royal C Junior (32% protein) which I will remain convinced caused most, if not all, his growth problems even if once I saw what the protein count was, I took him off and onto something way more sensible.  The damage had been done - he'd grown way too big, too fast which then affected him all his (shortened) life.  His breeder was all about size and weight and more worrying, wasn't for telling.  I never reared our pups on that high a protein level, even if it perhaps delayed their entry into the ring!

Our puppies were generally born at 16 - 18 oz which again made it more likely that mum needed a C.Section.  And that was keeping her on the good quality maintenance diet throughout her pregnancy with some extra protein once I had to reduce the bulk.

Sorry to hear you had such a heartbreaking experience.

Thank you for all your responses. I think I will move her back to her regular feed, keeping with the 3 small meals a day and add a little chicken.

I’m still very torn about the elected C Section, I am just so scared she will have trouble and complications and end up having a C anyway....and maybe too late. But I will get that X-ray booked in close to her due date and maybe that will put my mind at ease.

I will keep you updated.

> I’m still very torn about the elected C Section

If you want my advice about this - let her go to her due date from the first mating (although of course, conception may not have taken place right away) and then 2 days over.  If nothing significant has happened, then talk to your vet.  There is a fine balance between going for a C.Section too soon, and delaying.  Most vets would, on checking her, and seeing what the situation is,  tell you to wait.  Once there is a sign that labour has begun but isn't progressing (like most of mine did! - first feeling of pain, ouch mum) then they will probably give a shot of oxytocin and if that doesn't work, go in.  Why put your bitch through an operation + recovery + nursing a litter, unless it's totally unavoidable.

I know this is the worst time in the entire process really, but try not to PANIC!  You are doing her no favours if you do.  Is her breeder around to 'hold your hand'?   She'd be able to tell you whether her's is a free-whelping line or not.

Please don't x-ray if you already know there is a singleton:

https://www.avidog.com/how-badly-do-we-need-to-know/

https://www.avidog.com/how-badly-do-we-need-to-know-part-2/

Why do you want to do a c-section?? They carry so many risks of their own, they are far more risky than a natural whelping. How would you feel if you did a c-section, she got an infection and died? Or if you do a c-section, she rejects the puppy and the puppy doesn't get colostrum or you end up hand-rearing feeding every few hours?

I'm so tired of people seeing c-sections as some kind of magic solution. They are not. They carry far more risks. Take a look at Myra Savant Harris' books on whelping puppies... C-sections have a place and a role and they can save lives, but should not be used unless they are needed.

Thank you, I will purchase the book recommendation and have a look at the links. Our Vet has advised against the X-ray.

Of course an operation is the last thing I want for my girl.
However with all the horror stories I hear of singleton pregnancies it looked like the safest option for my bitch. I had read that more infections and problems happen with emergency C sections and that statistically  most Singleton pregnancies end in Caesarian

Thank you. I am in contact with her breeder. The breeder has advised that her line have had no problems with whelping but have also never had a single puppy litter. we believe it may have happened as there was no tie during the mating.

So we ate on day 63 from my bitches first date of mating. My vet advised I could leave as long as day 68 but this makes me very anxious, I have not read this anywhere before.

Pup is moving around like mad, so thats a good sign. I wish I could post a video....it either looks like its huge or theres more than one in there.

> Our Vet has advised against the X-ray. <br />

I don't understand why?  At the end of a pregnancy an x-ray is not going to harm her.

It's going to harm the pup though.

If you already know there is one pup in there, what more is an x-ray going to show before there are any problems or labour?

> If you already know there is one pup in there, what more is an x-ray going to show

An experienced vet should be able to judge exact size of pup, as well as vaginal canal.  That way you can tell if it's feasible for a natural whelp.  You can't do this with a scan.

At the very end of pregnancy there is no harm to pup.

>At the very end of pregnancy there is no harm to pup.

'Course there is. You're irradiating an immature brain, all organs, ovaries or testes and everything else too. Did you read the articles? There's a place for x-rays - when things go wrong or intervention is needed. If you're not at that point, then they're unnecessary and the risk/benefit analysis falls on not doing them.

https://www.avidog.com/how-badly-do-we-need-to-know/

https://www.avidog.com/how-badly-do-we-need-to-know-part-2/

Far more harm done if the pup dies because it cannot be born naturally. I know of one toy bitch who managed to whelp a singleton naturally, and 4 larger breeds where all lost their pups and had c-sections, plus one toy breed who also lost the pup. These are just personal experiences and those of friends and puppy buyers.

For me, the longer the puppies 'sit' the bigger they grow = a need for a C.Section.   I involved my vet once mine had gone 2 days over from the first mating, given that conception may not have taken place right then.  As for x-ray, occasionally mine have been x-rayed at the end of their pregnancies and none of the puppies has been affected.

So I have some great news. Our bitch had her pup naturally at 7:25am this morning, a healthy little boy. Thank you everyone for your help and guidance. I am so happy I didn’t go for the elected C Section -pup isn’t even over sized!!

Mum started contractions at 5am, “waters broke” and pushing at 6:15 ish but by 7am there was still no pup and she was getting very distressed. So we headed out to our closest emergency vets thinking what we had feared was happening but within 10 mins she had the pup in car. We could not believe it!!

She was so good and did everything she was suppose to do, cleaning up pup and birth nicely. They were bonding and feeding way before we got back home.

Pups quiye oftem are born in the car.

Actually.if things are slow I had asked.my ex to drive us around forb20 minutes.

I’ve never heard this before. I wonder what makes the car kick start everything?

She wouldn’t settle at home and was pushing while moving around. As soon as we got her in the car she had no choice but to lay down, so I think calming herself down helped allot.

I’ve been sitting beside her all day in a 25•c room. She has been deep panting on and off, I know this can be normal in the first 24 hours after birth - caused by hormone changes, pain, anxiety but she could also be like me, roasting. Am I safe to turn the heating down?

Well done with the puppy but yes, I think it may be a touch too warm.  Are you sure she's empty and the afterbirth has come away?

Putting a bitch in the car = a birth is quite a well know event which is why it's best to take a box + heat pad (or water bottle) and all the whelping gear with you when taking a bitch to the vet - oh and somebody to be with the bitch to watch her,  so you are ok to be able to stop, if needed!!

Thank you.

There did seem to be quite a bit of afterbirth but you can never be too sure. I will be taking her to the vets tomorrow for a check up. Although I am not too sure how she will react being away from her pup.

Congrats! Glad all went well.

> Although I am not too sure how she will react being away from her pup. <img class="fsm fsm_cry" src="/images/epx.png" title="cry" alt="" />

If I were you, I'd take the puppy with you - let him have a good feed first, and pop him in a box with a hot water bottle (towel or blanket on top).  That way you can have your vet check the puppy out at the same time!

Thank you, I spoke to the vet on the phone and he didn’t see any cause for concern. So we have a check up for both mum and pup tomo.

Today my bitch is still panting on and off heavily and keeps crying at her pup every time it moves away from her. She doesn’t seem to let it sleep. I fear she’s licking it so much it’s getting damp, her whole underside where baby feeds and likes to rest is clammy. 

The pup making a faint clicking sound when it breathes is this cause for concern? It doesn’t make much sound other than that - no crying really. Only faint sounds when it’s trying to feed while mum is licking him or cry’s if mum moves him while feeding.

It is putting on weight beautifully and doesn’t seem lethargic at all.

I took pup and mum to the vets just now, I couldn’t risk the clicking being aspiration and leaving it another day. Vet said there is no cause for concern. Both pup and mum are doing really well, phew.  Mums panting, he has put down to being too hot and anxious, with her hormones being all over the place. She should settle soon.

I just need to make sure I keep pup as dry as possible. Mum  is being very good but it is that of a smothering type of love haha. Mum moving him while he feeds won’t do him any harm, it will be like having siblings.

Is your bitch properly stimulating the pup for wee and poo? If not you may need to convince her to do it, if she won't then you will need to do this for the pup

Glad puppy is fine.

I had to stop my girl from over cleaning my boy, I guess in a litter a mother has multiple pups to lick but as she had only the one and is a licker anyway I found she was making him sore as when she was cleaning (rather then ignoring him) him she was getting ott with it. I'd let her lick him a bit but if she was in the same spot too long I'd stop her and distract her instead.

I think this is the problem, when there’s only one puppy.

I had to give mum some time out this evening. Nothing too harsh but took the pup off her and placed it on a towel wrapped hot water bottle in the whelping box telling her to leave him alone. She was very good and just laid next to him. I wanted him to get some decent kip more than anything, as soon as he woke I laid him back with her to feed and she seemed much calmer with him for 30 mins at least

The stud dog owner advised to use Vaseline on the pup
To prevent him getting sore. Has anyone else tried this?

I need to watch his umbilical cord too, she’s licked it so short.

I think so but she licks him while he is feeding and he ends up going in her coat. She is a long coated breed. She doesn’t let him move very far away from her and prefers him tucked away next to her stomach.

> The stud dog owner advised to use Vaseline on the pup<br />To prevent him getting sore. Has anyone else tried this?

Yes, I use it on any sore areas Mum sometimes has when whelping fluids get into the coat and cause scalding.

Also use it on scabbed cuts/wounds so they stay soft and don't take loads of coat when they drop off.

Also great on chapped lips that bitches can get from Puppy cleaning.

It's a great barrier.

So the problem when you only have one pup, is that pup gets ALL the mothering. (Evidence that mothering is not just being a milk machine, since this has nothing to do with that.) Sometimes it can be a bit much and puppies can end up literally licked raw by the bitch. I wonder if you can just distract her a bit when the licking gets going.

I would also make sure you are giving her supplemental calcium - that's probably what is causing the panting. You'll need a calcium supplement/Tums if you want to do that... If you search the forum there are other posts about it.

Thank you. I tried giving her a bit of Lactol puppy formula today which I was advised helps with calcium too.

Pet rescue remedy was also advised.

I must have had less than two hours of sleep last night. if anyone saw me now they would think I had just given birth.
Mum was very frantic, not liking it at all when puppy wanted to sleep, she kept licking the pup away from her, then getting into a state when pup cried, trying to move him back under her while she whined. She was quite rough on occasions and I had to take her away from the whelping box for 30mins. I distracted her by cleaning her belly with warm water which really relaxes her and she was much less anxious when she returned to the room but this was short-lived. She also kept coming outside the whelping box to frantically dig leaving the pup. Today she has been better but I fear it's only down to tiredness, mum has slept most of the day.

She is eating and drinking well and pup is still putting on weight.

She sounds an anxious mother. I would definitely get some proper calcium for her, whether tablets as advised earlier or ColloCal D liquid.

It definitely sounds like a lack of calcium. What does mum weigh, before breeding?

I'd agree with the others and get some more calcium in her.
Mine went unsettled on day 2 of 3 so I whipped to the shop and grabbed a box of dog calcium tablets. Typically I had some zoocalD from when I had budgies but it was out of date by time I had My litter. I had to give her more tablet than the box said but she settled down.

Settled down within the same night? Fingers crossed the same works for our bitch. I’ve sent my partner out to get some immediately, as I’m fearing I may have to separate her from pup when she’s not feeding at this rate, which will only make her more anxious.

Shes become so frantic again and keeps leaving the pup in the middle of the whelping box to go dig outside it. Trying to keep very calm and quiet around her.

All my partner could get was beaphar bone builder it’s only 26% calcium, I hope that helps. Our vets are closed and the only vets open locally now won’t sell supplements out of perscription

Can you get any Tums? Most supermarkets sell them