reason for her to lose them. I went to the vet and picked up some vitamin liquid for the remaining 3 hoping that would help. I've done everything I can think of to insure a healthy pregnancy and birth. I don't understand why I lost so many puppies. This was her 1st pregnancy. Should I get her fixed? What are the odds of this happening again?
2007-05-09 12:30:45 · 6 answers · asked by SPIRIT 1 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Do you have a whelping bar in her confines with the puppies? Could she have smothered them? This is very common with larger animals.
My brother breeds standard poodles and he has not lost one yet because of the whelping bar. He built a good size box to contain Mom and the puppies since there are adult dogs in the home.
This is a bar of sorts against the wall so that when Mom sits down and leans against the side the bar keeps her from going up right against the wall. It holds her 5 inches away from the wall and prevents her from smothering any little ones who might be stuck under her.
http://www.leerburg.com/Photos/kittenwhelpingbox%20002.jpg
This is a poor illustration but perhaps it gets the idea across.
This is often used by breeders of specialty pigs. I searched but I could not find better illustrations.
If Momma is healthy and and FREE OF HIP DISPLASIA, I would give breeding another try. If this is her first litter, she might have made mistakes, but I am betting she smothered them by accident.
Only your veterinarian can advise you for sure. That, btw, is one reason my brother's pups go for $1500 and up. They are not only very rare in colouring but he spares not a penny on vetrinarian care for mother and babies from before she is even allowed to go into heat.
Good luck. Please, make sure your dog does not pass on the usual hip problems that plague such large dogs.
2007-05-09 12:34:06 · answer #1 · answered by Noor al Haqiqa 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am so sorry you lost most of the pups. This can happen with a first time mom. They have such a big litter that they cant keep track of all the pups and unknowingly smother some of the pups.I would not give up on breedingher again once she is back to her old self. This is just a fluke happening. I would recomend a very large whelping box with side rails so mom doesn't smother any pups next time. And it is always wise to keep a very close eye on mom when getting her settled in for the night.
It sound like you did everthing right but these things happen. Let her bring up the little ones she has and next time it will not be so overwhelming to her.
Good Luck!
2007-05-09 13:00:08 · answer #2 · answered by ♥Golden gal♥ 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
First pregnancies can be hard, but I wouldn't risk the second round being any better, especially if you cannot find a cause behind the deaths of the puppies. Definitely consider getting her spayed, not only because of this, but because she'll be a healthier & happier dog in the long run.
2007-05-09 12:37:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
Boy hard to tell from here. Could be inexperienced mom, could be mastitis or metritis making the milk "bad", could be too hot or too cold whelping box, could be genetic problems, could be viral infections ........Odds of it happening again would depend on figuring out what happened.- was the vet any help? ...
2007-05-09 12:37:40 · answer #4 · answered by ragapple 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'd get her spayed after this. Breeding is tricky. I'm sorry that you lost most of the litter. Sometimes it just happens and yes it is likely to happen again.
2007-05-09 12:39:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
You don't say how old the mom is. You don't say how many litters she's had.
Did you have prenatal care for her? Why are you breeding?
2007-05-09 12:35:05 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 3⤊ 2⤋