A lady who came a long distance to use my stud dog gave her dog a sedative while travelling because she has never travelled well but was determind to use my boy.I never knew she was until i commented on how quiet and almost dopey she was and she told me she had given her meds to travel.My boy wasnt interested that day and she was staying in the area fr a few days so didnt give her any more meds while visiting.My boy mated her the following day then again 2 days later My boy is doing well in the showring and has produced some beautiful pups also doing well,the reason she wanted to use him.Anyway yesterday the pups arrived and all  were deformed,2 were very severe with missing or no limbs,a few had no tails or half tails and all to some degree had deformed legs.1 also had a cleft palate just awful! I have never in my years of breeding seen this and certainly not a litter sired by my boy.Im pretty sure it was the meds..would or could they have caused this?.She said she has had a litter previously and they were fine.Any advice much appreciated.

You would need to be more specific on what was given, as meds could be simply anything, in order to help others give an answer. There are things that should not be given to bitches going to be mated or in whelp.

Is this a breed with the dominant tailless t-box gene? If not so homozygous t-box pups not a possibility as above it would depend on what the meds were. Some things are fine some not. My girl hurt pulled something in her leg while pregnant but my vet said he couldn't give her the pain he would have as she was pregnant.

I would have thought that anything given so early on could not cause deformities as it was not at a stage when the pups were being formed. It's the sort of thing to happen around 3 weeks. Multiple deformities are more likely to have been caused by any sort of outside influence rather than genetics, but again more likely later on. Could the bitch owner have dosed her again for another journey?

> It's the sort of thing to happen around 3 weeks. Multiple deformities are more likely to have been caused by any sort of outside influence

Organophosphates are implicated in deformed or aborted litters.

So bitch at three weeks walked though crop sprays, weedkiller etc.

> Organophosphates are implicated in deformed or aborted litters.<br /><br />So bitch at three weeks walked though crop sprays, weedkiller etc.

Totally right (not that I'm a vet).   But how terrible to be faced with an entire litter like that.   I had one with a club-foot, two middle toes front leg fused together, and in view of the fact that most of the weight in the Basset tends to be born on the front, both vet and me opted to euth there and then (it was a C.Sectioned litter).

FWIW I'd not have expected sedation for the trip to have caused this, before the mating especially.   Another for the vet to answer, especially if she redosed her for the trip back, or any subsequent car trip while pregnant?

More likely something either physical or as others have said ingested around the 3 week point when the embryos were implanting. Poor lady!

Just a quick update..I recently got a phone call from the girl in questions owner and she aked me ..do you think  a dog attack around 3-4 weeks pregnant couldve caused this..her son had reminded her about the incident that happened when her girl wouldve been approx 3-4 weeks pregnant,a large dog approached her on her walk and lunged aggresively jabbing and prodding her and she was screaming.she said she wasnt injured but got a huge scare..the timing would suggest it could possibly be the cause but i cant say for sure..what do you all think?

From me, no.  It was unfortunate but normally it's if a bitch gets knocked when pregnant there is the risk of losing the puppies.   Not deformaties.  But I have no first-hand experience with this.

No, I agree with MamaBas, if this were to do anything it would have caused absorption or abortion, not puppies that are born with deformities.

I would wonder if she hoovered something up off pavement.  my first weimaraner was a devil for snatching and eating unsuitable things in street, to point I go very good at spotting them before her so could stop her.  have seen fair number of mystery pills on pavement with her among other undesirable items

I'd have said quite possibly yes but the other two are far more experienced breeders than me!

I know this is an old post but i have an update that has really worried me and i need advice.The girls owner got in touch to say that the out of the 3 pups that survived 2 have been diagnosed with cateracts.my boy has sired quite a few litters and has never had a single pup with this nor any other deformity or ailment.The breed doesnt have a dna test for cateracts although my boy has had regular bva tests,all perfect.Can cateracts be connected to whatever caused these horrendous deformaties or is it something that has to be passed down from the parents? I still have no idea what caused any of this.

Meds can be anything can you be more specific on what is given.

Are the cataracts causing problems? I have a bitch with bilateral nuclear cataracts, she has a clear eye certificate including for hereditary cataract, the panellist who examined her eyes has told me that this would have developed in the womb and will not cause any sight issues, they can only be seen during an eye exam and can’t be passed to her progeny.  I assume meds at a critical time in the development of the eye could cause this.