i have a English bull terrier i have breed her and she is due soon. i have been told to take the puppys away from her for the first 2 weeks and give them to her every 2 hours to feed them for the 1st week and every 4 hours for the next week. then give her the puppy back and she should be able to cope with them is this right can somone please help me out. this is her first litter she is 33 months old and has a great nature.

Sorry know nothing about your breed, ask your bitches breeder for advice they are always the best place to turn, I would be very suprised if what you have been told was correct. But I've been suprised before. Ja:)kie

Hi there, I dont know anything much about your breed either, but can only imagine it is to help to avoid the pups being squashed, which I have to be careful of with my giant breed. The only time I have ever started to rear a litter in a similar way to this, is if I have had a huge litter and have split the pups into two groups. I then feed each little group seperately and then take pups away so mum has an hours break.
Perhaphs your breed tends to have very large litters? I agree totally with Jackie, speak to your bitches breeder for advice.

Hello lor1000 . This is done to prevent the bullterrier eating them or killing them and squashing them.
It is well known that some bullterriers do this .
I also know of a litter that was eaten at 3 weeks so I guess you will need to be very vigilant to make sure this does not happen.
I am afraid a great nature does not always come into it when your breeding from certain dogs best of luck:)
Mari

MAri

I've never heard of a mum eating her pups before...does this happen often when breeding or only in certain breeds...you'd think they would have a maternal instinct towards them, not want to kill them :(

(This is a general question, as I've not bred before and am curious :D)

Natasha

Scary

Hi
It's not un commen for a bitch to eat her puppies especially if she fears for them, it's sposed to be her way of protecting them...or so I was told.Strange.
Never experienced it before....Thank goodness.
Hope everything goes ok with the new mum and babes, it's worrying time all round .
All the best and let us know how you get on.
Agios

hi all,
know someone in bull terriers, and yes that is correct,also they will kill and eat them,and the thing about squashing them is right,the breeder i know of who is quite succsessfull in showing stays 24/7 until they are a little established,had alitter not long ago, bitch and pups seemed settled, she popped to the loo by the time she came back she had lost one as mother had squashed it,she could not revive it, am also told if you do have to leave the room ,put a muzzle on her,
as it is known for this breed to kill and eat there pups.regards tina

Wow. I've heard of the pups getting squashed my mum. We took a litter from our Golden Retriever years ago and used a whelping box with a ledge all round so pups could stay out of mum's way. We even took it in turns to watch 24hours a day for the first couple of days.Feeding wasn't a problem (she had 9 pups) but it's horrible to think that nature makes some bitches eat their pups.

It is the challenge thing I think I will have to look it up , but when the puppy raises the head in a certain way it can be mistaken by some new moms as a challenge and it is quick and awful , So then the pup is eaten to protect the others .
It is common in bullbreeds more than others but does happen in all breeds from time to time.
Some terriers will not allow human hands to touch their puppies and if you do they will kill them .
Nature can be cruel as well as wonderful . Mari

Dot , know nothing about this breed, but I don't use pig-rails. We juat take turns to "sleep" in th whelping room for the irst fortnight. I'd add that althought it may have been a one odd a bitch of ours went totaly mental when some of her litter were removved from the nest, althought they were in the saame room

Wow i never knew dogs ate their young i thought that only occured with small rodents like hamsters and gerbils!!
Jacqui

hi thanks alot for all your help i think i will take it the safe way and do what i was told and take the puppy away

hi to you all things went really bad her first puppy was born dead the next was born fine so that was good. but then thing got bad she stopped having her contractions so i went to the vet with her he tryed everything but she did not have anymore so she has got to have a c section and the puppys inside her are most likly gone by now it has been so long that she was in labour. I am so upset that all this has happened so think before you breed things do not always go the right way. but one thing i must say is that my lady is so far ok.

lorraine

I'm so sorry Lorraine :(

Fiona
x x x

Lorraine
if u get this please call me 01302 310105

i breed bull terriers u need too know a few things about our breed that i think u havent been told.

back to the original Q
try to keep her with the puppies 24/7
i know some breeders take the bitch too the puppies every 2 hours i feel this is a lazy route too go in
they need her
i spend the first 2 weeks in my bedroom watching the pups
BT mums can be very very bad mums but u can make it worse by not letting her do her job the bitches instinct is too be a mum watch her like a hawk.........i mean it.
they NEED a calcium injection after whelping
and calo cal D every few hours or i guarantee u that u will lose the litter.
please call me and i will help u all i can

regards and best wishes
vicki Binns
Activior bull terriers

Hi Vicky .
I am glad you caught up with lorraines post .
She now has the best person to advise her .
The bullterrier is one of the hardest breeds to produce , and very tough to raise as you said mom is not always the best to do the job .
I agree with you completely 24/7 being the order of the day
To each his own breed. best wishes Mari

Totally agree about the Calcium injection. Years ago, a friend of my parents who had used one of the Ormandy stud dogs phoned up one night saying that her bitch had totally gone mad and had turned on her pups. I think she had already killed one. When my dad had arrived with the vet, she was given a calcium injection and everything was fine.

Lorraine...so sorry about your pups....

Natasha

So sorry for you Lorraine:( Is the one remaining pup okay though? Dog or bitch? You've still got your bitch be grateful for that.

Stacey x x x

thank you for all your support the puppy is doing fine and mom is doing well to she is a very good mom. yes but because of the vet she can no longer have any more puppy. you see i had to take her to a vet that i did not know and he left it so long that the 5 puppies she had inside her 2 of them died and 3 was born alive but died so after birth. and her insides suffer badly. all the vet was worried about was i could pay the bill. he did not call me like he said he would and i thought everthing was fine till i called them and by this time it was to late. i am so upset i have been crying all day. so please do not do what i have done make sure that you get the right vet at all costs
i just thank god that my lady is ok as i love her so much.

thank you all so much for the support you have all been so good and caring
lorraine

Lorraine, I would write a letter of complaint to your vet...he should be more concerned with the pups and mum, not getting paid...especially during consulting :(

Natasha

that is what i am going to do and maybe a lot more. you should be able to trust a vet to do the right thing but i have find out the hard way not to

lorraine

Good for you to do so...I've never heard of a vet to be more worried about being paid, than trying to save some pups' lives...I would change vets too...would give him the satisfaction of having any more money...hope it goes well with the other pup...keep us posted...

Regards

Natasha

Hi natasha,I had a similar awful experience with a vet with one of the wolfhounds. My usual vet was away on holiday (typical) and my bitch needed a c section so we went to a nearer vet who had been highly recommended. His first question was were we going to pay as soon as he had finished operating? I promised to take the money into him the following morning as this was the middle of the night. He didnt do a brilliant op either, we lost 4 of the babies. It was pouring with rain and I was on my own with mum and pups. He wanted her and the babies out of the surgery before she had even fully woken up and I had to drag her on a blanket across the lawn to the car park and somehow I managed to get her into the car. His reason for chucking us out so quickly was because he was tired and wanted to go home to bed!!

Sorry Philippa just seen your post...I can't believe that..how awful...I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to keep my mouth shut, I'm a bit outspoken !!!

I would have refused to move, you shouldn't let a dog out for at least 24hours after they have had anascetic (sp?)...How awful for you Philippa, was this recently?? People like that should be struck off IMO., No way do they have the animals interests at heart, all money grabbing...and to let you go, dragging you dog and what pups lived across the car park....I really am gobsmacked...I would have reported him to the Verterinary board....

natasha

Hi Natasha, This wasnt a recent happening, it was about ten years ago.My usual vet, is a total gem, but as I said was away on holiday at the time. The vet I had the problem with is still in practice, but not in this area anymore, thank goodness.

hi
very sorry about loss of puppies,hope mum and serviving pup are on the mend.regards tina

i do not know why people like this can say they are a vet and that they love Animals. it makes me sick to think what he done and i cannot leave it i have got to do something about it. i have find out from my own vet that on the history report they sent with lady to my vet that it had at the end of it. phone customer make sure the bill can be payed before c section is done. it makes me feel as if i want to go down there and kick his head in but i will do it the right way and sue him. thank you all again.

lorraine

Unfortunately Lorraine, not all Vets love animals. After an unpleasant incident, I asked the one that I worked for why he had become a Vet as he obviously had no feelings for animals and he said "Because my parents thought it a suitable profession for me".

Yep Val, you are absolutely right! I've come across those too that have gone into the field, not because they loved animals, but because they or someone decided for them that it would be a "good" profession....especially so among the older crowd.

Old school education = practical outlook of animals with the focus towards useful farm stock. My parents went into teaching for the same reason...not because they "loved" children, but that it was a profession where employment was needed and basically guaranteed after college.

The concept of working where your passion lies is thanks to the 'selfish' baby boomers who didn't want that expectation for themselves. I could go on about how they mostly "sold out", but I won't :d :D :D

I find younger vets don't usually have this "quirk". It's too difficult to get into school and Vet med. doesn't guarantee to make anyone rich :)
toodles

Lorraine1000
can we call you lorr ?
unfortunetly . most of us have a heartrending story or two about vets .
I am very lucky now the vet I have is devoted to dogs and never asks for the money. He has the good sense to realise he can only get stung once. As anyone not paying will not be back so he trusts his customers and they trust him .
He is as an added bonus once of the finest vets in europe.

many years ago I had the most gorgeous pom , one I bred myself. Her baby teeth did not bother to fall out so I took her to a vet to do it for me . I could have done it myself but she was so small I was afraid I might hurt her. She was doing very well in the ring and was admired by all pom fanciers.
I went to collect her that evening and she was very groggy after the anesthetic.
I noticed a lot of dried blood on her mouth and throat but thought she may just be a bleeder. She woke up about two hours after I took her home and i went to wipe the crusty blood from her mouth as it was discolouring the water she wanted to drink. I opened her tiny lips and fell down on my knees with the shock not only had he removed the baby teeth but also her adult cannines as well . I wont go into the trauma but I went on to sue him . I had to wait 6 months for a hearing but in the meantime Abbie developed a wheezy chest from blood inhalation on her lungs , got seizures from the sedation used and died from a heart attack .
The hearing came up and I was awarded the price of a new puppy. thats it £400
of which the solicitor got half. I was not even awarded costs. Nothing for the distress. or the care given to her by my present vet for her enforced illness .
The judge said he felt very sorry for the vet as he was devastated about what went wrong and those things happen so he was awarding me the price of another puppy and I could start afresh .
Can you imagine the ignorence of that start afresh !!!!.
I still urge you to sue Lorraine it wont change things but it might save another person going through your terrible ordeal . Mari

hi all
i can not belive what i have been hearing it upsets me so much. i am going to sue for what he has done. its not about the money its about making him know that he can not do this to animals. does any one also know if there is any where that you can complain about vets. like you can complain about a doctor so that they can be looked into. i know that nothing can be done for me but i can try to do somthing so it can not do this again.

thanks
lorraine

ps yes i do not mind lor

Hi Lorraine, if you are in UK you complain to the R.C.V.S I will put the details on for you in a little while.
Christine2

thank you if you could give the details i will get right on it this sort of thing has got to be stopped i an in the UK thanks

lorraine

Hi Lorraine
hhtp:/www.rcvs.org.uk/visitors/index.html
Hve a look under "unhappy with your vet" section & you will find an online complaint form. I would suggest before you do anything to write ALL the details down, times & dates/phone calls/visits & what was said between you & vet, any money paid etc & try to remember everything. They also have phone numbers & I found them very helpful. I think it would help you if you decide to go ahead to try & find a lawyer who deals in this kind of litigation & what the cost may be. I really wish you well.
Christine2

Hi ALL have just read the whole thread & its so sad. Its true that not all vets are animal lovers & its terrible that most of us find this out the hard way. I had so much trust in my last vet & I felt so foolish & let down when I found out how misplaced it was. Thankfully the vet I have now, is a real animal lover as well as a vet & I`m really happy with him. When he looked after my pups he opened his clinic out of hours for them & when they where at home he came to the house at the crack of dawn, middle of the night & even just to see how things were going. He even did the same when one of my boarders went ill, here for him at all hours. Thats dedication. I know all vets aren`t like my first one but the least we can expect from them is TOTAL competence & the TOTAL well being of our animals first & foremost before anything else.
Christine2

Would complaining to the practice manager and the partners at the surgery do any good?

We complained about our GP when we had problems over his treatment of our youngest. We wrote to the Practice Manager, the other partners, the local health authority and the Medical Council.

We found we got more reaction from the practice and the health authority than we did the Medical Council.

Good luck,

Fiona
x x x

Mari,

Would you mind sending me details of your vet please?
I am looking for a second opinion on one of my dogs but have not had many reccommendations yet.

Theresa

hi all
i have tryed to complain at the vets but have had no luck they seem not to care at all. thanks for the details i have had a look at the site and think i will put in the complain to see what they do. i will also sue the vet for what he did

thanks
lorraine

b***er the practice, complain higher up Lorraine, they look after themselves, if you know what I mean...This should not be happening, and will just happen to other people aswell...keep us posted as to how you get on.....

NAtasha

hi all mom and baby have just come home and are doing well. she is a great mom so loving it great to have them home and safe where i can look after them and give mom some TLC that what she needs and a lot of it

thank to you all and i will keep you up to date on what is going on

lorraine

Hi Lorraine, glad you have mum and baby home safe and sound. Now is the time to relax and start enjoying them, wishing you and them all the very best.

Lorraine,

Glad Mum & Baby are home safe and well, good luck and keep us posted..

Natasha :D

Lorraine

glad it has come good

keep my number ok

and dont hesitate to call me again

love
vicki

one of my dogs was attacked at a champshow by a loose dog, needing stitches there and then on the showground,the dog in question had done a fair bit of winning, one of the bites went through her eyelid. when it scarred over it began to cause problems with her eye, weeping etc, so i took her to a vet that was new to my practise but assured me he was used to the breed ,naming big kennels down south who's dogs hed treated so i trusted him with her.as i filled the form in to have her sedated etc i asked that her teeth could be cleaned while she was unconcious,--when i picked her up hours layer and went in to talk over what the vet thought the prob was, he said --by the way i took a couple of her teeth out, they where a touch crowded, this bitch had been judged regularly and her bite wasnt a problem -however it was now, i wasnt happy, he tried to excuse it by saying they where rotten etc, they werent,!!!, so i took it further as her show career was finished, he eventually admitted he heard may SAY SOMETHING ABOUT HER TEETH!!!!, i had, it was clean them, he also tried to lie his way out of it saying hed rung me to tell me they needed to come out, he hadnt, id been at home all day waiting for the call to pick her up, my phone also lists all calls i get, which was pointed out,
this vet paid bigtime for his mistake!!!! i however still use the same practise as i have an excellent relationship with my regular vet, !!! its on my notes now that unless its an emergency and cant be helped i refuse to be seen by the teeth pinching one :rolleyes:

thank you vicky for the help i will phone you on sunday to let you know how things are going. and thank you all for the support you have all given me and lady my baby

Good luck Lorraine, hope everything goes well from this point onwards

Theresa :)

Teresa I can safely give you the names of two wonderful learned vets
Gerry Clancy carrick on suir .
and Tom Downey
village vets
kilkenny
hope you get the help you need I will put the phone numbers up tomorrow . Mari

hi all
Lady & puppy are doing fine she is really a great mom.

lorraine