bleeding day 55 of pregnancy im devistated - Page 1

Today was day 55 of my german shepards preganancy she started spotting and i took her to the vets 3 hours ago she was scanned at 4 weeks and everythign has been totally normal she is 6 now and i did one litter when she was 2 and a half went perfect. This time i knew the spotting which turned into a light period bleed wasnt right. Took her the vets out of hours emergency and she has aborted only one left dead inside her im absolutly devistated. I only bred her to keep a bitch myself as she is such a fantastic dog and beautifull looking. Anyway she is now spayed and i just wanted to add the vet said it was so rare only they have seen this once every 5 years or so i cant believe it ??
I feel so guilty thinkinghow could i have prevented it i wish i knew what truly caused it but seeing her digging today 8 days early i thought they were just nesting signs seems the last pup had formed skeletal bones and she couldnt re absorb so i wanted to just heed warning really any blood isnt normal and please seek medical attention. Im so glad i havnt lost my bitch but im devistated iv lost my pups too.

I am so sorry to hear this. Glad your bitch is ok and koodos to you for knowing something wasnt right and getting her to the vet ASAP!

Thanks you just know your dog in pregnancy the blood i knew instantly wasnt right and im glad i didnt wait as she was contracting but not dilating so would of been stuck many may think leave till the morning see how she goes ect but in my case could of been horrific for her. You just build your hopes up for a healthy litter i only bred her to keep one myself as she is such a beautifull dog i dont want anyone elses and to be fair iv never seen any as nice as her line even the stud i used was similar to her thought id got it so right. Just shows how it isnt all plain sailing just hard to understand when its not sunk in yet :(

Never plain sailing, is it? So sorry for your loss, & I'm glad the bitch is OK. I wanted so badly to have another like my beautiful bitch, I kept back the 2 females from her only ever litter. Both now have health issues, & are being spayed. I guess I'm very dissapointed as well. Stuff happens for a reason. If the pups were right, it probably would have gone OK. Nature knows best. I'm just grateful my girls will be well cared for, & will live well loved lives. And so your girl will, too. Enjoy her, & consider yourself blessed to have saved her. You may never have another like her, but at least you still have her. Best wishes, jackie harris

So so sorry for your loss! This just happened today? Please please watch her closely. It just irks me that some vets think they need to spay the bitch immediately after delivery, or a C section!! This is such a dangerous thing to do!!! I was a vet tech for 6 years and the vets I worked for wouldn't even do a spay on a dog that was anywhere near her season, let alone when the uterus is so swollen and vascular!! I've heard of several that bled to death because of it. Once the swelling starts to go down the sutures are no longer tight and small bleeders could be easily missed.
 I had a customer once that blamed me that the bitch she purchased from me delivered 4 pups and then the contractions just stopped. She didn't give her Oxytocin or anything, just took her to the vet. The vet did a c section and saved the pups inside, but told the owner that the dog should never be bred again because she had problems and should be spayed immediately. This customer signed those puppies death warrant by letting the vet do it. They all ended up dying because a spayed bitch can not produce milk!! The owner did not know how to manage newborns well enough to save them. Yet she to this day blames me and those bloodlines for loosing the litter.
But back to the specific topic.... keep a close eye on her demeanor and her gums and treat her with kit gloves for the next week or so. I don't want to over worry you, but I also don't want you to think that she's out of the woods yet.
Debby

 Some vets won't do the c-section/spay but some will - actually the spay procedure makes the c-section easier and faster, safer for the puppies and faster surgery for the mother too.  I normally do c-section/spay on my females for their (obviously) last litter, never had a problem and yes the female does produce milk.

I too am a vet tech... and the only time I have seen a vet spay at the same time is if the dog has a Pyometra (uterine infection).  Djd is right, it is too dangerous.

You are very lucky Molly. It's not the norm nor should it be done. It is NOT safe for the mother in any way shape or form.

Thanks for your posts shes doing just fine on her pain killers and comfertable im off to be bed its been a long 24 hours

I have done it many more times for it to be "lucky" - if the vet isn't comfortable doing a c-section and spay at the same time, then don't do it.  If the vet is comfortable, shouldn't be a problem.  I have had most of my older females spayed at the same time as their last litter was born via c-section.  No problems whatsoever.  Fast recovery, plenty of milk, no problem.  In fact I was just at the vet tonight x-raying one of my chihuahuas - one large puppy - so it's c-section we will go, and spay at the same time.  4 lb chihuahua - and no I'm not worried about it at all.

molly