use of antibiotics in pregnant and or whelphing females - Page 1

i have read that some use intibiotic for there whelping bitches and or preganat bitches besides the obvious what would be the reason for this and is it a good idea or do you advise against it . couldnt that change the flora in the pups and cause problems and which ones would you use that is safe

I vaugly remember a conversation with my vet regarding a pregnant female in the past and I remember him saying that antibiotics were NOT to be used on pregnant females.

Stephen

depends on the antibiotic - some are safe for the puppies, some are not.

molly

As far as your question goes, many use antibiotics prior to breeding to make sure that any bacteria that might be harbored in the female are eliminated. I have never heard of giving them during pregnancy unless there is some issue.

THAT BEING SAID...

I've heard mixed opinions.

I always use antibiotics on a bitch after her litter if she retained any placentas, even after oxytocin was administered. This helps avoid issues with uterine infections post-birth.

I was told very recently (by someone who attended a reproductive specialist vet seminar) that with BAYTRIL (specifically), it is okay for puppies to nurse up until 3-4 weeks of age on a bitch taking this drug, and would not adversely affect the pups. My personal vet and a couple of other breeders have heard that it (Baytril) can adversely affect bone growth. I took the safe route and bottle fed pups and let mom nurse them only twice per day (morning and evening).

My vet said that lower dose/strength antibiotics (amoxycillin and cephalexin in doses of 500mg or less) should not pose a problem for the puppies. Granted, I would ALWAYS seek the advice of your own veterinarian for your specific issue, but that's just common sense! ;)

Good luck!

-Melanie

My vet says unless entirely necessary, only if an infection shows up, do not ever give antibiotics...pups need all the good antibodies mom has and it destroys good in bitch and pups....also do not use FLagyll on preg or lactating bitches...Use Albon for diahrea in mom and of course , pups...or Pectillin..

bigbrotherswatchingyou

Would you please email me? I have some info for you that I think you'd like to have. You didn't have an email address listed, or I would have emailed you directly.  :)

Thanks,

-Melanie

What about use of antibiotics prior to breeding for a month and then again immediately after whelping for a week?

There is a user of this forum that also Brokers Import dogs. She told me since she buys and imports bitches solely to breed and does not know their health history, that she Always gives her females antibiotics for up to 30 days prior to breeding to be sure any possible infections are cleared and to get the most puppies for her dollar so there is no chance of any infections in the dam so thusly no chance of losing $3,000.00 on a lost puppy. She said she give 250mg of Amoxyicillin for 2-4 weeks prior to breeding (time allowing), and then gives them 1000mg of Cephalexin for 7 days (2x500) after they whelp.

I checked with 3 of the vets I use here, and all 3 said no way. Antibiotics are not given unless a known infection absolutely needs to be treated and should be treated and cleared prior to any planned breeding.

Thoughts?

SBB

Screwed, I agree 100% with those vets. If anyone in my opinion breeds a dog while needing antibodies ... the dog isn't sound. It's all for the moneys not the health future of the pups.

Also, anti-bodies destroy the protective 'good' bacteria in the body (which help prevent overgrowth of any one organism), as well as the 'bad' ones, responsible for the infection being treated. 
Besides how is the breeder to know if the pups have an anaphylactic reaction while minutes or hours old, they would die, then the breeder would wonder why, well, I bet they wouldn't care.