I have just read a visitors question. She was asking how she could best cope with the loss of her beloved dog. Many of you wrote to her. But about 2-3 people said that they are also grieving as they have lost their bitch and the puppies. What does this mean? Can you lose the bitch while she is pregnant or after she's given birth? Why does this happen and is there nothing that can be done? I'm thinking of breeding but I'm absolutely horrified of something happening. Thank you for your replies.

It does happen that you can loose a bitch in whelp, sometimes it is at the end of the pregnancy and sometimes during birth, and it is not that unusual, know of 2 bitches in my breed alone who died in the last couple of weeks of their pregnancy, and despite the vets best efforts it was not possible in either case to save the pups. Unfortunately the owner is usually so upset they do not ask for a PM and so we do not know why they collapsed and died,

Pregnancy and birth have always been risky. It isn't until advanced medical practice, frequent ceasareans and excellent monitoring of pregnanct women, not to mention better general health that fewer women die in childbirth or shortly after. It used to be the most common reason for death in women of child bearing age!

Unfortunately a lot of the same things and more can go wrong with a canine pregnancy. Bearing in mind that many breeders have little midwifery expereince, are unlikely to be able to monitor things in the way a human birth would be.

Often it is difficult to tell the diffference between normal and a problem before it is too late, bitches and puppies sadly do die.

I know of three bitches in my normally easy to whelp natural breed diue in pregnancy/during birth and in all three cases all were lost. Two were expecting their first litters and were Champions, and the third had already had a litter without problems.

Yes, sadly some bitches do die from complications of pregnancy and whelping. Just like women still die in childbirth. Even the best medical care is not always enough to save them. That is why we advise anyone thinking of breeding to research carefully, and be fully aware of the facts before they go ahead. If you are thinking of breeding, buy a copy of "The Book of the Bitch". That will answer many of your questions - even those you didn't know you needed to ask!
:)