I forgot to ask earlier, when I posted my first question. My Shih Tzu (Baby) had a c section with her first litter only because she hadn't gone into labor and the vet was concerned on loosing the pups. Does anyone have any responses on going natural after a section.

I bred from a bitch after a c-section and we had to have another one unfortunately.

Why did she have to have a section for both. She seems to be dropping in temp and her eyes seem to be weighing. I don;t think she's happy with me right now since I brought her to work with me. But I am concerned.

Thanks

If she had to have a c-section through inertia (not going into labour) then the chances are that she will do the same this time round

Hi Lureina Roman!

If a bitch has a C-Section with the first litter, it does not necessarily mean nature will repeat itself the second time around. My Wire Fox bitch went this route the first time as well. My vet felt that there just wasn't enough torsion in the uterus to get the contractions started the first time. Since we didn't want to take the chance of losing the litter he did the C-Section. A year later when I bred her again, I made sure she had as much food as she wanted to ensure the puppies grew to their optimum size. This will help develop the pressure that is needed to start the birthing process naturally. My bitch had 6 healthy puppies the second time around. During the first breeding, I didn't increase her food until the vet could palpate puppies at 5 weeks when she was craving extra food already before that. Now some dogs are not interested in extra food in the early weeks due to morning sickness, or slow development of the puppies. "Just go with the flow!" I prefer to not intervene with x-rays unless there is an emergency. Just be patient and wait for the surprise of the number at delivery. This goes for supplements as well except for Red Raspberry Leaves capsules. They work wonders in aiding a easy delivery. You just put one capsule (gelcap and all) in one meal daily. Mother Nature Knows Best Usually!

Temperatures should show a really signficant drop. I mark them down every time I take them 12 hours apart. The bitch's temp will drop a little from her normal temp near whelping but not enough to denote that she is near to having the puppies. With my girl her normal temp was 101 degrees, later in the pregnancy it fluttered around 99-100 degrees when taken every 12 hours. The drop showed up at 97 degrees at one reading and then popped right back up to 99 degrees the next reading. This is the kind of drop you are looking for. She then delivered her babies in 24 - 48 hours from that 97 degree reading. Every bitch will have different base lines but the process is the same.

Hope these ideas help! I have bred 5 Wire Fox Terrier litters and started showing dogs 24+ years ago. OF COURSE ALL MY DOGS WERE PETS FIRST.

Margaret :) Canada

Thank you so much for your response. I brought her in to work with me today wich I have been doing since she mated. Only to keep the stress level done. Four kids and three other Shih Tzu's and she's had a real serious case of mommies.

Today She didn't have breakfast, but she just had alittle of moist food. I took her temp this morning and she was 99.9 she's now at 99.6 the vet told me to do this three times a day. I'll take it again aroung 9:30 -10:00 tonight and call it a night. She looks so sad. When my mechanic and I came into the office and she was just sitting there with her eyes so big. I felt so bad. She's just so sad. She is now 56 1/2 days. and like I said the doctor really thinks she's going to go early only cause of the size of these pups. We saw four in the x-ray on Friday and at the size they were he felt she could deliver them early, but wasn't sure if she had any more. My Baby has me so worried.

Do you think I should get the red rasberries and start giving them to her. I have been giving her Bitch Pills (pre- natals vitamins).

hi lureina....remember its generally on average 63 days post ovulation not post breeding.....they can have natural birth after c-sections but it can cause scar tissue sometimes............and early is not good with dogs its such a short gestation they can't really survive if they are born before 56 days

I'm going to ask my girlfriend tomorrow (when I go out to here place) but I feel the Red Raspberry leaves capsules wouldn't hurt even at this date. Don't count on here going early as 56 1/2 days is really way to early to have healthy puppies. You really want to have your bitch whelp as close to day 63 as possible since this is full term. Those puppies need to mature so they have the best chance possible. Can you tell me why you did an x-ray? They just aren't done here very often, nor ultrasounds.
A bitch will nest for a long time sometimes before she actually goes into labor. If your vet suggests every 8 hours for taking the temperature follow that, but I was taught every 12 hours and my girlfriend every 4 hours. Everyone have different ideas. Let me know when she has her babies.

Margaret :) Canada

Hi there! An x-ray was done because the last littler she had she never went onto labor and had seven pups. The doctor said being her second litter that there could be a chance that she would have more or larger pups. His concern was that she would not be able to pass these pups.
Also when she had her first litter all of them had to have all the mucus removed from them. it was a job. Surgery started around 9:30P.m and we did not leave till 1:00a.m When we did the x-ray this time the doctor saw that the pups also are large we saw only four and he said if she doesn't go before 63 -65 days, she may have a problem. Thats why I did the x-ray.

Thanks,

Lureina