Questions about C-Sections in Dogs....

[Dekka]

I knew one JRT who needed a C section because one pup was sidways to the cannal with a front leg only protruding. A badly positioned puppy can do it too.

[mom2dogs]

I guess I can use myself as an example.

Sofie went in for another U/S, and she only has one puppy which increases her risk of having to undergo a c-section. The vet is quite skilled, and his equipment superb, so I have no doubt that she will only be having a singleton. If she does have a c-section because that lone puppy wasn't able to jumpstart labor, or is too big and there are no other factors involved, she will be left intact and rebred. There's a chance I might do an elective c-section.

IF she has another singleton, or other complications arise, she will be spayed. Lots of "ifs" and time will tell.

[MaryAndDobes]

I bred Rory for the first time in 2004. Unfortunately, there was only one puppy. I opted to do a c-section and go in and get him. Rather than wait too long to see if labour might start on its own, my vet and I just thought it prudent to do everything we could not to lose the one puppy. It wasn't an emergency. Just something we thought was the right thing to do at the time. Deacon is a happy and healthy singleton - his name is Glengate's Single And Lovin It. ;-)

I bred Rory again a year later, and unfortunately, we had the same situation. One puppy again. Rory was 5 years old by then. I wasn't going to breed her again. We opted for the c-section again thinking that was best for the puppy rather than taking the chance of waiting too long. I did have Rory spayed while under at that time. Unfortunately, this singleton puppy died the day she turned 2 weeks (aspiration pneumonia was the cause of death via necropsy).

[Spiritwind]

I had a singleton puppy born this past May. A rough sable Collie bitch.

This was her mothers first litter, I wasn't expecting a huge litter, but certainly expected more than one. I did not do any ultrasound on her, as I very rarely have done them.

Amy (the dam) had the puppy just fine on her own. She was a large puppy, and came out butt first, so the hardest part was actually getting the puppies shoulders out.... though she finally came out. Nice, fat, healthy puppy!

I'm planning to try to breed Amy once more sometime in 2010, to see if I can't get more than one puppy. The puppy I have from her litter last May is beautiful though! Almost 6 months old now! Can't wait to start showing her!




Tori -- Spiritwind Sangria - 1 day old

Sire: CH Blu Ridge Lookout
Dam: Spiritwind Amaretto

Aww, cute pics above!!! I was watching this show on tv a long time ago and this womans bull mastiff had to have a c-section, because she had a water puppy that got stuck. I don't even know what a water puppy is, but it was dead and the poor thing was 5 times bigger than the other pups. Filled with fluid? So sad and scary.

[mom2dogs]

Originally Posted by MaryAndDobes

Deacon is a happy and healthy singleton - his name is Glengate's Single And Lovin It. ;-)

lol, cute name. If my singleton is a male, it'll be registered as "KN" Super Solo ("Solo"). . . even though I would prefer a bitch I also wouldn't mind a boy just so I can name him that

[mmorlino]

Lexi (mini dachshund) had a singleton in her first litter... had him just fine.

In my experience - and I have no scientific research to back this up - singleton's, or smaller litters, most of the time happen in the first litter. The second litter is usually the "norm" litter size for THAT female. And the females tend to have the same amount, or around the same amount, every time.

Also (again, just my experience), litter size seems to be somewhat hereditary. Mom has 5-6 puppies per litter, then daughter will have that, too (with the exception of the first litter).

In mini doxies, c-sections are "unexpected" and we usually spay after 1 or 2 of them. We've had 4 c-sections, I think, in 10 years. Doxies can pretty much handle it all themselves. Though we do lose probably 10% of the puppies at birth or within a few days, simply due to lack of development. Though we have recently started our seven on the raw diet, and have had 100% live puppies (out of just one litter, though) since then. Hoping that the raw diet will help to bring down the mortality rate!

[Romy]

Originally Posted by mmorlino

Also (again, just my experience), litter size seems to be somewhat hereditary. Mom has 5-6 puppies per litter, then daughter will have that, too (with the exception of the first litter).

This is something I have seen. I know of one collie breeder that abandoned the lines she was working with because she got reeaaallly tired of having 16 puppies every. single. litter.

[xpaeanx]

Originally Posted by Romy

This is something I have seen. I know of one collie breeder that abandoned the lines she was working with because she got reeaaallly tired of having 16 puppies every. single. litter.

OMG!!!!! what do you do with ALL those puppies!!!!

[Spiritwind]

I don't know.. I think litter size can also depend on correct timing doing the breedings....

My Collie litters have always been around 6 puppies in the litter. I've never had a singleton litter before this one (above)...

The mother (Amy) of the single puppy, was from a litter of 6.

Now Amy's mother (Kelsey -- rough tri) was from a litter of 4, Kelsey has had 2 litters -- 6 puppies each. Kelsey's sister has had 1 litter, which had 6 puppies. Angie (dam of Paris and Kelsey, ganddam of Amy) had 3 litters -- first litter had 5, second litter had 4, and her last litter had 6 puppies... but she herself was from a litter of 8!...

Now my girls typically breed late in their seasons. When I breed them myself, I have never starting breedings before day 15 -- usually 15-17-19, though I have bred some later (never earlier). The only time I've had bitches miss is when I've sent them to outside stud dogs, because most people think not starting to breed them until their 15th day is nuts....