This is a long story so please be patient. Emma is a six year old lab and this will be her last litter, I want to keep a pup and her breeder also wants one from this mating.  Emma came into season today and the stud has been lined up since November.  This will be Emma's third litter but after resorbing her previous pregnancy at six weeks I am quite worried. 1st two litters were extremely good pups, and had no problems whilping, although the litters were 5 and 4 respectively.  Her last pregnancy was aborted due to mumification of pups and an open pyo started app. She also started whelping on her due date for about 4 hours and then stopped.  After scanning the Uterus and finding that because she had mumified the pups and not totally re-absorbed there was some bones still left in the uterus.  I agreed to the Vets using an unlicensed (sp) drug (only 2 years into testing) to dissolve the bones and anything else that was left.  Injections are very large dosage and painfull and timing is very cruciall, 5 in all over a 3 week period. Also antibiotics. Slowly Emma's discharge became lighter and eventuall stopped. In Emma's case the drug worked and she has shown no side effects apart from overheating for a few hours after each injection. (reaction to hormones) She is permenantly on AB's up until mating and then on stronger AB's until pups are born.  Since all this happened I have been looking into CHV and this may have been the cause of small litters and mumification. Vets have said there should not be a problem with mating Emma and will give her the CHV vaccine as soon as she has been mated, this needs to be done as soon as possible after mating, preferably within a couple of hours, and another one as soon as she starts whelping. I will also be putting her on wheatgerm oil. And thankfully I am in a position where I can keep Emma with me 24hours a day.

Has anyone been through something like this and is there any other supplement worth looking into. I dont think I need to give her rasperry leaf as she has no bother whelping, I just want to keep her as health as possible.

Any advice would be most welcome and appreciated

Kay

Hi kayc, if I were you and my bitch had gone through the trauma that you describe, I would not be risking her life by mating her ever again. Nothing would be worth that risk.

Dawn R.

Hi Dawn, Thought that would be my answer. I have hummed and hawed about this for weeks and just needed someone to kick my a*se. Thank you! :) I have decided not to go ahead with the mating, she is too precious.

Kay

Hi Kay, to my mind you have made the right decision. It's very much what's best for the bitch.
Regards, Dawn R.

Kayc ..poor Emma :-) if I were you I would leave well alone particularly so soon after the sad episode with Megan :-( I would go to the breeder and explain the situation if she is expecting a puppy and if you intended keeping a puppy try to book one by your chosen stud dog instead. Although disappointing at least this way you get to have your Emma safe and a puppy :-)

I know, she has been through so much and never compained once. I think losing Megan clouded my brain for a little while.  I spoke to the studs owner today and she informed me that he was mated a couple of weeks ago and will be at Kelso tomorrow, so am going to speak to her.  Emma's breeder knows the situation and is ok with it.  As I said, I think I just needed a boot in the right direction. Thanks. 

Kay

thats good news then Kay :-)  I guess Emma misses Megan too.  I think when we lose something we rush to fill the gap to ease the hurt, so it is understandable you were not focused on the main issue. I hope you get a puppy from that mating :-)