Need FAST help with whelping dilemma, please! - Page 1

Ok, Beauty is due any time after yesterday. She is visibly pregnant but not huge so I decided to get her an x-ray to see how many pups there are and where they are. There are only 2 and they are not where they should be, considering her temp. dropped to 98.3 yesterday. Today it was 99.5. I took her to the vet for the x-ray and that's when I noticed dark bloodly discharge (very small amounts). Now, after pups of course that's not something that would concern me, but she's having no signs of labor despite temp drop, so I'm understandably worried. 

I have been so fortunate that I have never had a situation like this. The vet gave her a shot of oxytocin to try to avoid a c-section. I don't know what the right thing to do is. Should I give it time and think the pup(s) are already dead, most likely, or do I rush her in for a c-section and potentially cause more problems if the pups are simply not ready. But...what about the discharge? 

Please help. 

What time was the shot of oxytocin given Jen? 

 

Start walking her to stimulate contractions also;  on leash slow but sure, walk as much as you can and take a couple of towels wtth you in case.  Since you do not know this bitch's tract record for whelping I would just watch her;  don't worry about the temp as they CAN and DO go up and down then plummate down, but should not go up too high, not higher than 102.5 which is normal but at the top of normal.  Nothing you can do about the discharge right now, watch it, anything smelly and abnormal looking I would probably just take her in. 

 

Hope this helps,  Nan

Can the vet use doppler to detect heartbeats? If it were me, I would probably do the c section and hope and pray.

Melissa

The blood could be a premature detatchhment of a placenta, in which case, a dead pup. Has she been in labor at all after oxy? I would not use oxy if the bitch has not been in labor.

The original concern was how many pups. Now I know: 2. The vet's concern is that one is dead or dying, hence the blood. This is not a repro vet; trust me, I have been all through every number I can think of. Very bad luck on the vet front right now; my 2 regular vets whose decisions I trust pretty well, are unavailable due to personal illness and some other emergency. I'm hesitant to have a kid just out of school do what might be an unnecessary c-section on her, but on the other hand, I'm also nervous about waiting if there's a pup in distress that she could not pass. 

She is not acting like she's in labor. She is not nesting, or panting any more than typical "pre-labor." I have newborn pups here; breeder friend suggested that alone could influence hormones and drive temperature changes. Makes sense, I guess. Too tired to have thought it myself, lol. 

Joan, yeah, that's my concern, however, it's a pretty small amount here and there. It's certainly not a good sign, but there's no green or anything, just a little older blood. I know this is possible without major complications, as well. 

After speaking to a better vet and breeder friend I trust, we're going to closely wait and see and doppler later tonight or tomorrow morning. They think she's just too early. 

 

I'm sorry if I didn't make sense.I have been up for 50 hours straight. Thank you all for your input. 

Blood won't flow till contractions, if it's a detached placenta. Good luck.

How many days is it since she was bred? I have had dogs go into labor as many as six days earlier than first due date, never later.

     I have had dogs also have pups, within days of each other and never seen any type interference. 

Has anything happened since last post? I would say walking too...exercise as much as 'she' is up to...the more the better.

     I am big fan of oxy....but never before labor started on its own, and one pup out.

Are you certain of the mating date?   Good luck jenn. I hope for two live pups for you....

Yes, I'm positive about mating date. They're my dogs. I'm counting from first; that doesn't mean that she's due today. She is certainly not past due. The one bred before her whelped last night into this morning; 63 days from first tie. 

My only reason for the vet was for the x-ray to see if she could pass the pups or if they were large. They're not large. They should pass just fine. If it were a regular sized litter with a bitch I knew better, I would not have rushed to the vet for the amount of dry blood I'm seeing, if that gives any perspective on how much it is or what it looks like. 

Vet thought small dose of oxy would possibly keep things moving and negate the need for a c-section if there's a dead pup not stimulating progression. I, as a rule, never use oxy except for clean out concerns. I never use it before pups are born, but I've never had a situation where pups were suspected dead, either. 

No, nothing's happened since last post, or 1:30 this afternoon when we left the vet. She acts perfectly normal. Eating like a horse. Waiting for call from second vet to discuss and decide. 

I'll post back. 

I dont see the rush, i have used oxytocin twice at no avail, I had the temp bounce before and without signs of labor im not doing anything with a healthy bitch. If she is not nesting or panting I think the shot was premature, I would ride this out for sure quite a bit longer and have. Just not time.

  Yes, it's a tough call....but for the little bit of blood, I woukdn't worry for a day or two. If there has not been more blood, I myself would allow her as much free reign as possible, without letting her out of your sights. 

    If everything else seems fine, it very well could be. I've been known to take more than one or two strolls up and down the road in the middle of the night trying to get the ball rolling.

   Can't say i blame you for the concern, and of course, it's Par for the Course...that your regular vet is unavailable.

    Again, I wish you all the best. I feel for you too. I know you be dead tired, but unable to sleep.

Hope everything works out for you both....