Hi, i'm a first time breeder who's trying to do the right thing so i'd appreciate any help you could all give me. i want to get my bitch checked after she gives birth just too make sure everything is ok and i wondered what you all thought would be best- either to take her to the vets or get the vet to come to us? also i know this may be obvious but just want to make sure that if we do take her to the vets should we take the puppies too?
Thanks Liz

If your vet will, get him or her to come out to you, saves all of the hassle of keeping the pups at the right temp and saves stress on mum.

If he is worried about anything then he will just get you to follow him back to the surgery.

Right to check these things out.

And good luck, sure everything will be fine.

Just one more thing, let your vet know as soon as your bitch enters the second stage of labour so that they know that they may be called out to attend at short notice.

Hi Lizzy,
I am always happier if the vet comes to us. However if you feel able to take the bitch to the vet, then certainly take the puppies too, well snuggled in a warm box, and try to get the vet to examine the bitch in the car park, rather than taking her (and the pups) into the waiting room and surgery, which may be full of sick animals. On the few occasions I've had to do this, they've all been none the worse.
Good luck.
:)

Thanks for all your help. i will now get the vet to come out to us when she does eventually give birth as it seems the best thing to do. i'll also call him when she goes into the second stage of labour-i never thought of that before but it seems lilke a really good idea. one more question though- what is your view on giving mothers the antibiotic injections and others after they have given birth?
Thanks Liz

Well this is my view on after welping injection which I'm sure won't be shared by all :) If you are are going to have her seen by the vet anyway or if you have reason to believe a placenta is retained then I would have the oxytocin injection to contact and empty the uterus. But of course that will happen naturally in most cases so I think in balance it is not worth putting the bitch to extra stress by seeing the vet either at home or at the surgery. As far as prophylactic antibiotics I am dead against them, I think they contribute to the developement of resistant bacteria as has happened in the human population and in the long term will be detrimental to the health of all our dogs, its hard or course if you are not confident in spotting signs of any infection developing but I would always refer to my vet if uncertain.

My first girl had an anti-biotic injection after her litter as with her first litter she had an infection 10 days later, so I played it safe this time. My second girl didn't have the anti-biotic and she had an infection 7 days after whelping, so for me next time I will insist on the injection to be on the safe side but that is my personal preference, I only breed every other year so one anti-biotic injection every 2 years isn't going to make them immune to it :-)

It isn't a case of individual dogs becoming 'immune' to antibiotics but rather the bacteria themselves therefore it is what is used in the population as a whole that matters, but I do understand your personal experience makes you reluctant to go without the worry is what we will do when there is nothing to use.

I've never had either the oxytocin injection nor an antibiotic injection after whelping apart from the last litter as she had a lot of 'hands on' assistance wih the whelping and therefore greater risk of introduced bacteria etc. Personally I wouldn't have either by choice.
Bec

Bec, I'm wondering what the objection to the oxytocin would be, is it just like my reason of saving the bitch from the stress of seeing the vet or do you have some other reluctance?

Oxytocin re-stimulates the bitch into having contractions. I think after whelping they could do with the rest! I really don't like interfering unless I really have to :D
Bec

I've given it a little more thought whilst doing my ironing :) JReynolds, what about taking a swab within a day or two (you should be able to do it yourself by just parting the vulva a little and inserting the swab tip inside just far enough to avoid contamination from outside stuff) pop it into the vets who will cultivate it for a couple of days and you should know within a week if any infection is brewing. Of course lots of people have their bitches swabbed before mating so if you have done that and the all clear, or treatment given, the chances of something brewing since will I imagine be reduced a bit.

All my girls are swabbed before mating, it's one of the conditions of the stud dog owners and have always been clear, also my second girl had a slight mastitis, nothing major but enough to make her uncomfortable.

Phewww, how are you ironing with this heat?.................lol :-)

Because somebodies got to :p

:-)

thanks for your help i think ill just wait and see what happens with the whelping.
Liz