has anyone read  DOG BREEDING by e,fitch ed 1973? he  suggestsin this book that sometimes a failed mating can be caused by an acid reaction of the contents of the bitches vagina which can destroy the sperm cells before they can reach the uterus.QUOTE the condition can be overcome by douching with lukewarm solution of bicarbonate of soda an hour or two before says the treatment is harmless and may be adopted as a precautionary measure before all matings and for untried bitches and those who have missed previous matins. Anyone tried this i am going to try it as bitch missed last time .So what amount of bi-carb do i give to water? HELP

Some years ago I mentioned this to my vet, and he was horrified at the suggestion. I was told that changing the acidity of the vagina can leave it open to infection.

will ask my vet tomorrow don,t want to do anything to make it worse it just said in book harmless, but as i said it,s an old book  and remedies used then seem to be frowned upon now.it,s just my bitch missed last time and as she,s 4 in march i want to give her every chance as she,s not had a litter i might try again her next season if she misses this time after that i,ll call it a day.

Hi

I'm afraid I don't have any idea about using Bicarbonate of Soda to alter the acid balance of your bitches genital tract (I'm sure it works as it's an alkaline, but not sure it's a good idea to do it!)

My vet has always told me that the majority of bitches who miss (to a fertile dog, on the correct mating days for the bitch in question) have a very low lying bacterial infection.  It's not obvious and the bitch doesn't appear to be infected.  His advice is to give Synulox 250 mg twice per day.  Start 3 days before the first mating and finish 2 days after the last mating.

When visiting bitches have missed to other stud dogs I've always asked the owner to treat the bitch with antibiotics (wouldn't do this routinely). So far these bitches have all become pregnant.  Of course I can't be 100% sure it's the antibiotics helping as they have used a different dog i.e. my dog but they certainly don't miss so I think it's a safeguard to "cross all the T's and dot all the I's"

Chrissy

Hi Chrissy

The dose of Synulox depends on the size of the bitch!!  I'm just saying that in case anyone has some Synulox and decides to try your dosage on a yorkie or something!!

As to the bicarb - I think it is a bit of an old wive's tale.  If you look at a few 40 year-old books you will find some others as well.

Hi

Yes you are quite right in saying the dose depends on the size of the bitch, thanks for mentioning that.  The dose I use is for Cocker Spaniels.  Of course at it is a prescription only drug I was assuming that each owner wanting to try antibiotics would consult their own vet as to the dose for their particular breed. 

The reason I mentioned the dose was because it's a higher dose (in Cocker Spaniels!!) than would ordinarily be used for the preventative treatment of a Cocker i.e. after a C-Section or some other form of "invasive" procedure.

Chrissy