Experienced Dog Breeders or Vets......I need some explanation on why this happened?

Question

My dog had puppies on Nov. 20...delivery was successful. Saturday, a week later, I noticed a puppy not doing so well and wasnt gaining weight like the others. Would not latch on to a teet, so I started warming him and gave some Karo Syrup to pep him up. I then stomach tube fed him a few times every 3 hrs. and started nursing on his own. He was doing fine. Would watch him closely and make sure he was getting his share of milk since the others had an advantage over him cuz of their size. I was weighing them and even that puppy was putting weight on. I thought excellent.. on the road to recovery...WRONG. I noticed he would latch on but wasnt really sucking..just falling asleep so I gave some karo to pep him up. That didnt work and he was getting chilled so I warmed him up, remind you these dogs are in my house in a whelping box (room temp. 80 degrees) w/a heating mat in the corner. I then stomach tube fed him and then 3 hrs later did it again.

2 hrs later checked on him and he aspirated and was getting cooler. I phoned the vet and she said that it doesnt look good I did all I could just keep him comfortable. My question is why why why? He was doing good and then fades a week after whelping. Why why why? I am taking this very personal. This hurts. any answers? Please help me.

I did ask the vet and worked very closely w/them and they said that there are no answers...sometimes this happens w/no explanation. I even took the ***** and her litter to the vet last wednesday and they all got a clean bill of health.

My vet is also experienced w/breeding and whelping and is AKC reg. vet. She does her own breeding and showing as well. I went w/one of the best in my area. I just thought maybe someone had some ideas or differance of opinion. Was it my error or should I have tried something differant?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, this is common in breeding. Especially if your girl had a large litter.
What happens with these pups that don't make it, when they are in the belly developing they are really tight in there and don't have much room. Some of the puppies can get too squished and they do not get adequate blood supply so their organs do not fully form.
With your pup, there was something very wrong inside and you did your best to save it but it was not meant to be. We can't see what is going on in there, but I have yet to have a runt or struggling puppy survive despite my best efforts. I know other breeders and have asked them about it and they also have said that even when they try to tube feed the ones that aren't thriving, they just don't make it. The organs inside just aren't right.

I understand it is hard dealing with death, especially when you don't know what happened. Hopefully this shed a little light on it for you, and you need to accept that this will likely happen with most of your litters where there is at least one pup that doesn't make it.
My dog has litters of 9 pups and I usually end up with 5. She is a toy breed so she should not really be making that many. So, we just have to learn to deal with it. It stinks.

Answer 2

As others have said, this is Fading Puppy Syndrome. I have been fortunate, but it has happened to me -- the only little girl in a litter of 6 many years ago faded and died about a week after whelping despite everything I tried.

Part of the reason I really, really don't like to breed. I just wish The Stork would deliver them! :)

Here's a collection of links:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=fading+puppy+syndrome

Very often a puppy will fade due to a lethal congenital problem, something that didn't develop right in the womb. Sometimes it's genetic, sometimes just chance.

So sorry to hear about your puppy. But it sounds like you've been working closely with your vet and doing all that you can. These things just happen.

Answer 3

.ONLY GOD REALLY KNOWS...I have been breeding dogs for over 30 years and no one has been able to answer this question for me either.The best answer for me from my vet was SIDS and or cleft pallets I breed German Shepherds and in the last 30 years and only 10 litters only two of those litters all the puppies made it. I would like to know the breed you are dealing with but i don't know if that would make a difference. GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS.....

Answer 4

Don't blame yourself! I have had the same problem myself in both of my litters. What happens is that when the puppies are conceived, they are not all conceived at the same time. So when they are born, some are actually older and stronger than others. It is possible that the one that is sick, was not fully developed, even if it seems as if it is. It may have been born without its lungs fully developed.

You can do the best you can, but if the puppy doesn't don't blame yourself.

Answer 5

Bring him to the vet, they have good doctors to help you awsner the question... Cause I dont know I have never had this problem.
I had a dog that had 10 pups, and one of the runts was smaller, So what we did is we held the other pups while the runt(and another small one) drink untill it was done and then let the other pups drinkl And we also fed it from a bottle that we got from Petco. And grew up and was fine...

good luck! merry xmas!

Answer 6

It's called "fading puppy syndrome", and is something that just happens. The puppy probably has a pallet problem or doesn't have sufficient organ development to sustain life.

Answer 7

I have lost pups around one week of age due to umbilical infections. It doesn't have anything to do with cleanliness but, it happens more frequently with first time mothers. My vet says it is one of the most common misdiagnosed causes of death in a pup that young.

Answer 8

Simply mother natures way.

Answer 9

It happens all the time. Could be many reasons.
There is NO SUCH THING as an "AKC registered vet".

Answer 10

Welcome to the REAL world where animals ***DIE***!!!
It's called "Shi...er...STUFF hapens".

I wouldn't bother to have it"posted"...they never find anything.

Now spay & it'll never happen again.