Mother eating puppies - Page 3

Louise, thanks again. None of the articles I read mentioned whether the dam was given supplemental calcium prior to whelp, and that has no doubt happened as I have done it myself, fortunately with good results. That said, I will never do it again. Thank you again!

Best Regards,

Bob-O

 I could never recommend supplemental calcium without a very good reason, and not while pregnant. Calcium is dangerous or can be.

Nothing was said about eclampsia or pre eclampsia in this post, those are complicated issues. 

if you have questions about how calcium relates to this or may or may not relate, ask away. I can explain it.

if you have questions about how calcium relates to this or may or may not relate, ask away. I can explain it.

Yep, gsdlvr2, please--you can probably do a better job explaining it in lay terms than I can.

I probably can explain but ask me direct questions and I will do my best to answer them.

Was there anything wrong with the pups?  I know that if the pups are born dead the mother will eat them.  This is a natural instinct to rid the area of the scent of a decaying pup which will attract predators.  Could it be that these pups were unhealthy and the mother knew that and disposed of them?

Some years back a top vet school completed a study that this problem was linked to a female hormone deficiency which was measurable by blood testing and could be corrected with hormone injections.  I don't remeber if it was prolactin or some other hormone.  I think the conclusion was that these bitches should probably not be bred again, unless it was limited to one puppy only, which can be a result of a defective puppy.  My guess is that this may be a result of too much line breeding. A long time breeder of over 40 years I know once determined that a bitch he had that did this produced female puppies that also did it and he concluded it was genetic.  He said he would never use a bitch like this again for breeding.

gsdlv2:  You are referring to supplimental calcuim,,,?,not the eating of cottage cheese or veggies or yougurt with calcuim intake...   am i not correct...?....someone called me last Christmas as a breeder, she told me I should always give liquid calcium to my pregnant bitches and I should always give an antibiotic to prevent infection after birthing....I was a little caught off guard by her remarks and just said    Oh, really,,,,I didnt know that....so     I  never give calcium in a suppliment,I use greens and cottage cheese before whelping and Rosemary extracts and all the other goodies...I know , also that  milk fever is a repercussion of Calcium not dissapating correctly into the dogs system with the vit d  and the breast calcify....

A mother  eating her pups is not a rare thing...I have heard of it for years and hear 5 or 6 stories every couple of months of this happening  ,   german shepherds the most,,,, chow , two rottys,   austrailian Shepherd,  several pits and a number of dogs just in passing from the dogs club meetings and training sessions....I think its a lot more prevalent than we may think.

gsdlvr2,: I probably can explain but ask me direct questions and I will do my best to answer them.

OK, gsdlvr2, what is the mechanism by which dietary calcium supplementation produces hypocalcemia in the periparturient bitch and how can this condition create anxiety/behavioral changes in a bitch after whelping?

I know that, perhaps 30 years ago, in the Morris Animal Foundation's study of bloat, the role of dietary calcium supplementation of the pregnant bitch was discussed. It was postulated that, because calcium may cause a proliferation of the cells that produce the hormone gastrin, this may predispose the bitch and her puppies (later in life) to bloat.

Preston: My guess is that this may be a result of too much line breeding.  C'mon--why is it that all behavioral problems are attributed to "linebreeding"? Your evidence is anecdotal and may have no genetic bearing. Rather than genetics, consider the learned maternal skills that a pup may derive from her dam.