Hi, I was just wondering, when a bitch starts to move into the second stage of labour and the first sac appears and then bursts, how long roughly are you comfortable waiting for the first puppy, assuming the bitch isn't straining hard or particularly uncomfortable?  Only asking as we usually expect the first puppy pretty soon after this, but with our last litter, nothing happened and I was quite surprised at how long the vet was prepared to wait until intervening considering the puppy was no longer protected (though I guess it was still getting oxygen via umbilical cord).  This particular bitch sat there for 2 hours, vet said wait another 2, but when the discharge turned green I insisted on a section, all pups were fine, just wondering if anybody else had experience of this.

I guess it depends on the bitch and the situation

I would guess by now she has had the pup/s or your at the Vet, good luck.

This all happened a few months ago, she had the section and everything was fine, just wondering as we have another litter due soon (different bitch obviously), just hadn't experienced it like that before, our other breed tends to whelp fairly easily, so hopefully things will be ok this time. There seems to be quite a lot of info out there on intervals between puppies but not how long first puppy likely to be viable after the sac bursts.

Similar thing happened with my last litter,  sac burst but no obvious effort/contractions. Left her a couple of hours then off to the vets and after exam was kept in for a section. All 11 pups were fine .. just very big. Would not have wanted to wait longer, especially as labour had been slow an up to that point.

K

> This particular bitch sat there for 2 hours, vet said wait another 2, but when the discharge turned green I insisted on a section, all pups were fine, just wondering if anybody else had experience of this.

To be honest, as vets aren't breeders, we have to know our own bitches, after all we see natural births, and they don't.  They only get to see our girls when a problem has presented itself!   I have to say, that, like you, I would not have waited another 2 hours.

My last girl, after having very strong contractions for one hour, I just knew something was amiss.  You just do with your own bitches don't you?   It's always at night too!  :-(   When I got to the veterinary hospital, the vet wasn't my favourite one.  When she said that she would give oxytocin, I knew it wasn't needed - there was nothing wrong with the strength of the contractions.  I asked for an x-ray and two pups were lodged side by side in the same horn.  They were jammed there, no wonder she couldn't get them down.  So, like you, a C-section.

And I agree, when the discharge is green, the placentas are detaching - I would have done exactly the same as you did.

Thanks for that, yes I think we generally know when something isn't right it's just the vets that need convincing!!