Has anyone used raspberry leaf for bitches in whelp? Would you recommend it? What is it supposed to do? Does it work?

Hi Dancer,

If you do a search on this site for Raspberry leaf you will find previous threads about it. There are some people who sware by it some against..personally I use it, I think it does help the bitch have an easier labour. on a couple of occasions I didnt use it and both bitches needed a c-section. Could have just been a coincedence of course but it makes you wonder?

It does depend from bitch to bitch. A friend used it on a bitch & she had big problems whelping, whilst previous litters she hadn't. I have never used it on bitches whelping but I have used it, along with another remady, on phantoms.

Yes, Yes, Yes!!  Not only do I use it on all my bitches after 6 weeks, I used it too and swear by it.  Not only does it aid with recovery afterwards but the birth is less messy/bloody and a lot faster.  I had my first baby in 6 hours and my second in 2 from start to finish.  Anything that might help my girls gets a big thumbs up from me!!

Only bred 2 litters myself.  First time I used it, easy whelping no retained placentas.  Second time I never, 3 retained afterbirths! (different bitches though, 2nd bitch wouldn't drink it! Wish she had).  What dosage do other breeders here use?

Swear by it not only for dogs but used it myself.  Use dorwest tablets dosage on label but for my breed 1 tablet.  Just had two litters no retained placenta's!

so when do you start giveing it is it 6 weeks from last mateing?

> Just had two litters no retained placenta's!

I don't ever use it, and I have never had a retained placenta.  Horses for courses.

although we've only bred the one litter, we didn't have any retained placentas and labour went smoothhly producing all 10 puppies in just over 4 hours.... I have yet to comment on this litter as I am waiting with anticipation and haven't used it this time around either

I've never used it - we've had 1 litter of 2 with no problems, 1 litter of 1 with a c-section.

I start with wheatgerm oil capsules when they come into season double the dose on the days when they are mated and continue at 1 capsule a day until week 3 after mating.  Then I start at week 6 after mating with raspberry leaf tablets and continue these until 1 week after mating.  Have used this method for thirty years with no problems but as other posts say it's horses for courses - this works for me and I have no reason to change.

Thanks for all your replies. Zeeva, that's exactly what I have done this time with the wheatgerm oil, following advice from Dorwest. Just wondered what peoples experiences were using the raspberry leaf. Did search the forum before I posted but didn't come up with anything useful.