German Shepherd dog

has anyone had any experience with litters where the pups are only a few weeks old, and they start having seizures and die?  I am asking for a friend and breeder of pem. corgis, she has been breeding for over 7 years and has never had or seen this problem before.

Would anyone suspect a wormer doing this?

after the first pup, vet said, these things happen.  I suggested several viruses or viral problems and the vet dismissed them (auch as canine herpes virus, ect).  2 other pups have since died the same way. She is just at her wits end. any insight or suggestions would be helpful and appreciated

Jennifer

Have they been vaccinated?  I have heard of vaccinations causing similar deaths tho' not recently.

Initially, I'd be thinking about a toxin or low blood sugar. Are the puppies still nursing, does the bitch have plenty of milk and are they feeding every few hours? If not, their blood glucose level can drop causing seizures and if not corrected, in time, death. Has the owner applied any sort of spray to the female? Shampoo? Bitter Apple can cause seizures in puppies. Are the puppies exposed to disinfectants?  Are they chewing on anything? Toys? Bones? You haven't said how old they are, so this may not apply.

Sadly puppies are so fragile that we don't alwasy have enough time to save them. I hope it all works out for your friend. I think I'd consider contacting the local vet school if I were her. Puppies just don't die from seizures as a matter of fact and it troubles me that her vet would be so casual after the death of the first puppy to dismiss it as just one of those things.

the first pup died at almost 2 weeks old, the rest of the litter is now about 4 weeks I think.  not been vaccinated, but were started de-worming very early, maybe at a week old, unless she waited to worm them at 2 weeks.  1st pup that died was very tiny, never gained any weight and did not grow, was the same size when he died that he was at birth, she had been bottle feeding him ect since she did not think he was getting enough.  Mom is full of milk. don't think anything has been sprayed around them.  my first thoughts were canine Herpes, she lives west of San Antonio and has ALOT of wildlife that comes on her property, from wild deer, to wild goats and boar. 

She was supposed to go back to the vet today, I'll post more info when I hear from her.