Time between puppies - Page 1

Hi all, this is my 1st post to the forum.

I was wondering if any one else has had an experince like this.

My 4 year old bitch was due to have her 2nd litter on the 21 Oct. She started labor at about 2pm on the 17th. Within 3 hours she had produced 4 puppies (2m & 2f). Then she stopped and had a break (which can be quite normal) but this break went for 7 hours........ At about midnight she started up again and she popped out 2 puppies within 10 minutes (2 more f's) and then that was it, she had finished.
All puppies appear healthy and are very strong and robust, weights range from 500 grams to 615 grams and they are gaining weight. No intervention was required, not even oxcitocin was given. I know this is not routine, have I been very lucky with this outcome or what.

Cheers Rantino

Sounds normal to me

Rantino,
intervention and oxcitocin are not routine.

Congratulations on your litter.

Moons.

Routine, I'll tell you something that's not routine.
this happened just 3 weeks ago....

The bitch looks like she's in labor, just heavy panting, no pushing... I don't have her checked, cause I think she's just uncomfortable cause of the large litter she is carrying.

2 days later, starts whelping, first pup comes out very alive & healthy, second pup comes out alive but weak, dies within 2 hours....3rd pup comes out still born....4th pup comes out still born......5th pup alive......6th pup comes out still born, 7th pup comes out alive.....8th pup still born .....9 pup stillborn......10th pup stillborn.....11th pup alive.......12th pup stillborn........pup number one gets brought to the vet, fed IV fluids to rehydrate, given a shot of anti-biotics, sent home, tube fed for 3 days, passes quietly away......

I have ended up with two very healthy females, and I just don't know what the heck happened to the rest.

The bitch has had three previous litters the last two are from the same stud dog, 6 pups, 9 pups then 8 pups all healthy & fine, I had skipped her heat cycle just before, she is doing great very healthy, I just don't have an answer, ...

But anyway, I know where you're coming from, a few years back I had a bitch that needed a shot for just about every pup, cause she didn't have strong contractions, and then after 12 pups we left the ER vet and went home with a shot, I gave it to her to get the last pup to come out and she started pushing and then stopped, I then drove her to my regular vet, he gave her a shot and within 10 minutes she had her last pup...an all black boy....it had been a whole day later, and he came out very lively and active, I cried with joy, man, that litter took forever!


To answer your question, you are very, very lucky, cherish the ones you have and congratulations on your litter,
the fun has just begun!!!

My bitch ALWAYS does that. She takes anywhere from a 5-8 hour break just to make me nervous. Then she finishes quickly as soon as I fall asleep for ten minutes. ;-)

Gee Mirasmom, that must have been devastating and such a big litter too. I hope that the bitch is ok and do you think you will breed from her again?

Rantino

Thanks Rantino!,

Actually the vet said she shouldn't have that problem if I were to breed her again, just to
get a culture from her in between her heat cycle to rule out anything out of the ordinary.
 My vet is a dog breeder and things like this have happen to her before.

The mother dog is and was very healthy, although she did have kennel cough 3 weeks prior to whelping, it was very mild and cleared up within about 5 days, I somehow think that was connected to the outcome....

I usually don't go to dogshows or training places when I have a bitch at home about to whelp, but this time I became complacent, I went to a few places that maybe I shouldn't have, never again, I'm staying close to home next time.....


Here's my pups eating their first meal, they are very entertaining at this age, I'm so glad there's some happiness to come from all of it, and they have very nice homes waiting for them!

Many a breeder has gone to bed seeing 5 puppies in the whelping box and awoke to find 8, myself included.

I think I have the strangest experience that actually turned out great.
I had a bitch on her 4th and final litter. She had whelped previously very healthy and normal litters with one litter being 10 all alive.
Well this litter looked like everything was going to be the same. At 9 am 1 big male. Then all day long, nothing. Not even any signs of labor. I thought, "Well it is a good thing this is her last litter because her body is done." I went to bed and the next morning I checked on her and she had just had another one! At 7am! She then went on to have another 6 for a total of 8!All healthy and strong. Not one passed. So this was about 22 hours between pup 1 and pup 2.
If I did not experience this, I would not believe it could happen.
I would like to add that I do not skip heats. I think this is better. Back to back and then retire and have spayed.
If I experienced what the op did, I would not be alarmed.
Stephanie