tilly had her puppies in the early hours of tuesday morning but sadly things didnt go to well she started to push about 11.45 by about 2 nothing had happened so i tried to ring my vet but got no answer presumed he was out on a call kept trying by 3.20 i rang another vet but just as i did she had the first pup so we thought all was well.the next one came at 4.45 but sadly he was dead so we rang the vet again as it all seemed to be going on for a long time still no answer so i rang another vet he said for us to take her up there he gave her an injection he hurry things along when she got home she had 3 more 2 werentbreathn but luckily we got them breathing all the time trying to get my vet. in the end he rang saying he just got all my messages this was 7. oclock in the morning he said he was really sorry forgot to take his phone to bed so he didnt hear it. we took her to the vets at 8.20 when he got there he said he could feel 3 more she was in such a state by now and so was i to be honest. they kept her in she had 3 more all dead so in all she had nine. 4 living and 5 died but one had a hairlip so he had to be put to sleep. she came home that afternoon i was concerned she was didnt seem right called the vet out the next day he said she seemed ok.she was bleeding alot. then yesterday i popped to town wasnt gone more then 45 mins when i got back she was bleeding badly so i rang the vet they told meto bring her straight in.she had a emergancy op to remove her uterus with was in a bad way she had 40 stitches in her cervics alone but luckily she home and seems ok bless her and the 3 puppies we have are beautiful, i was so gutted for her at the time but now iam angry at the vet i think non of this would have happened if had come out when i first rang him. i have to say he has said how sorry he is and and has knock a bit of our bill. but i cant help feeling very sad and angry about the whole thing.

You both seem to have had a horrendous experience. Sounds like some puppies died in the birth canal. Like you I would tend to think that if you'd had veterinary assistance early on things might have gone very differently. My summer litter was born at the vets after a difficult start - it took 3 oxytocin injections to see my girl through.
Take a few days to find your feet and if you still feel angry and upset get a second opinion on the events and then decide what to do if anything. Hopefully the whole episoide will make your vet more careful in future and it wont be repeated.
Personally I think I would want to change my vet if this had happened to one of my girls and I would certainly consider making a formal complaint.
Take care
Teresa

Oh Tilly, I am so sorry. Who'd breed dogs eh! I do hope your girl recovers well and your puppies come on OK. If the practice offers 24/7 cover - there's no way I'd pay any of the bill. I dont think they'd want to take you to a public court for everyone to know about it- but then I'm an awkward cuss. What bad luck. Thinking of you. WL.

Tilly
So sorry to hear of your awful experiences with the litter and their Mum. You are very brave to tell it on here.
I would take some time to get the litter over the first week or two, get them established and going well. Then get yourself some much needed sleep. Then I would think about what action to take. A complaint will need to be followed up, perhaps a few months from now, with you possibly attending a hearing to give evidence, together with any supporting evidence from the other vet you saw. So you need the determination to go through with this, even after the pups have their new homes and life becomes more 'normal' again. I am not saying this as a critismn, but because I know personally of people who have been quite viciously assulted decide they don't want to go through with it when the time comes. So, give yourself chance to come to terms with it all. Also, write down EVERYTHING that happened that night, the next day and followthrough to the puppies leaving, showing the general health etc of your bitch and the puppies. If you take the time, and present everything in a factual, rather than emotional way, I feel you will get further, and not be accused of making a fuss whilst under emotional strain. I must say, judging by the vets total lack of interest, I would go to another vet, and the first would have to take me to court to get any money out of me, and he would be told that the papers would follow any action he took to get the money back (in a quiet room, with no witnesses!) I'm sure your local papers, and both the dog press papers would be interested in printing this story!
Good Luck with Mum and babies, do let us know how you go! :)

Hi Tilly,

Sorry to hear that your bitch has had such a bad time of it and hope that you and she enjoy the pups you have.

I think that not only should your vet think very carefully about charging you for any current treatment but should also cover the pups treatment/injections/ etc until they leave you.

Best wishes

Christine

Tilly

How sad for you. I hope your girl and the surviving babies thrive.

This is the type of story people should read if they think breeding is easy. It's why I couldnt do it. Don't have that strength of character to deal with the potential problems. Good Luck. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you all.

very best wishes

Pam n the boys.

So sorry to hear about your bad time. I do hope that your girl and the 3 babies that you have left now settle down and thrive. Keep the little ones warm, at least 70 degrees, and watch them all the time until they are old enough to shout loudly if Mother lays on them. I usually sleep with mine for the first 7-10 days.
I admire your bravery in telling of your dreadful experience. It's just what those who post that they have "no experience but would just like to have a litter" need to read. Perhaps those who make it sound so easy will have second thoughts too.
Good luck.

Tilly, I'm so sorry to hear about your babies and girl. Let things calm down a bit, take a deep breath, concentrate on enjoying the babies you have and then, if you still want to follow through, I'll be happy to assist in any way that I can. I would, however, send a very factual letter to the vet stating that you are very unhappy with his negligence (which is what not answering the phone when you have a 24/7 surgery is) and that you would like the opportunity to sit down with him and discuss what he feels would be a fair resolution. Then wait for his response. Email me and I'll send you my phone number to walk you through the legal 'chess play'.

thank you so much iam emotionly and physically drained i feel so gutted for tilly as shes been though so much. the joke of it all is i took her to vets on friday to make sure everything was ok and to get the emgerency number. so i was prepared. she seems really sad its awful to she her like it i really dont know what to do but i know he was wrong.
i also feel so guilty as it was my idea to breed her she really is my baby

Don't feel guilty. It's not your fault. You're a brilliant dog owner and you did everything you could.
Jane

Here Here, if anyone should be feeling guilty its the vet, NOT you.

Tilly, I'm so sorry to hear what happened. Hope your bitch and her 3 little pups are doing well now. You shouldn't feel at all guilty, we all have to start somewhere and as I told you, I bred my 1st litter this year. I know, like me, you didn't go into it light heartedly. Some things just don't work out well no matter how well we plan them. Yes, she is your baby, and you were with her at her time of need, and I know you are by her side right now, giving her love and encouragement. You have 3 lovely puppies to help her with and to watch grow. Don't give yourself a hard time. You did your best and helped her through it. Good luck over the coming weeks.
Lorna

Oh Tilly.......I feel so bad for you and your girl. I had been wondering how things were going from the time you posted you thought she had taken. You can never predict how things will turn out, can you? We all know you did the best you could. My thoughts are with you and your doggie family.

Quinn

Tilly.

The vets actions aside, you cannot blame yourself for her having a hard time. In August my bitch had to have a ceaseran due to primary inertia, we ended up with 4 pups, one of whom died, as the drugs had interfered with efficient suckling. this was her third litter. She had had two litters of 7 previously in Oct 97 and Nov 98, and she was only 6 1/2 this time, sometimes things just do not go smoothly.

With my second litter in 1996 my vet wouldn't see me on a Sunday evening when puppies started looking poorly (bitch had enteritis, and antibiotics a few days before whelping) by morning I had lost two out of 6 and others looked none too clever, but put on synolux and ralied and thrived. Needless to say I left the practice, after writing a letter to him explaining why!

As everyone else has said do not blame yourself, it's just one of those things. Even after 20 years with dogs I've had my heartbreaking moment, although I must admit no matter what time, or day, I've phoned my vets they've always been there for me and my dogs.

I hope the mother and babies are all fine. I'm sure that they will be well and truly spoilt.

I am SO sorry to here the news of the birth, I too had a bitch that had to have a full hysterectomy after the birth of her pups but that was when they were 2.5 weeks old.
I hope the bitch and the pups are all well and if you need any advice then please feel free to mail me on emma@amberscade.fsnet.co.uk emma xx..

Tilly I'm very sorry to hear it didn't all go according to plan. Thinking of you all.

Claire.
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