Help! My Stafford Is Pregnant

[tesslc]

Make sure you book at least the first week off work and consider boarding your male dog for a while as you are unable to separate them.

I'll be putting my leave from in tomorrow. We have a spare room where our girl will go. The boy will stay outside most of the time and if he's any trouble, he will be going to the MIL's for a holiday.

[Simply Grand]

Prepare for the need for a c section or other vet intervention, see if your vet can be on call or discuss the possibility with your local emergency vet.

Read as much as you can about whelping and what to watch out for.

If possible talk to your girl's breeder, explain the situation and see if they'd be willing to be on hand for advice.

Take a deep breath, plan for the worst but think positive :)

ETA - bitches do this all the time, they are amazing :) . Your girl is only a pup but she may surprise you, and if you need it it sounds like you're committed to find the necessary help.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Simply Grand

[tesslc]

Prepare for the need for a c section or other vet intervention, see if your vet can be on call or discuss the possibility with your local emergency vet.

Read as much as you can about whelping and what to watch out for.

If possible talk to your girl's breeder, explain the situation and see if they'd be willing to be on hand for advice.

Take a deep breath, plan for the worst but think positive :)

thankfully my vet has an 'on-call' line 24/7. I've been reading up (I'm a bit of a researcher) and am contemplating contacting our girl's breeder. I just feel as though I have let them down - couldn't even keep them apart for one heat!

[Loving my Oldies]

The OP said due Thursday next week.

Personally I feel like slapping the first vet...

I read this thread only up to Kelpiecuddles' post, because I was so damned angry (not with the poster). I would want to do more than slap the vet, I'd want to cancel his licence or tell him to go back to school for a few more years.

Tessic, you have been badly served by your vets.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Dame Danny's Darling

[Loving my Oldies]

Just to add, when I first had puppies, the little girl had a bad heart and was very very tiny. Desexing was considered too big a risk and so when she came on heat, the boy went off to do his duty. Some days after he came home from hospital, I found them tied in the back yard.

I phoned my vet immediately and he said to bring the girl in for the "morning after" vacc. No problems at all. And that was a long time ago so lots of advances in the 20 years since then.

[melzawelza]

I don't have advice as far as whelping the litter but I just want to say to you Tess that although this situation is less than ideal - good on you for stepping up and doing the right thing by your dog and her puppies.

The first vet needs a slap but unfortunately not uncommon. A woman I worked with ended up with two litters of unwanted kittens because the vet wouldn't spay the cat prior to 6 months or while pregnant. So of course she took the cat in at 6 months - pregnant. Had the litter, gave them to friends. Took the cat back to be spayed shortly after - pregnant again. Vet still refused to spay. Second litter ended up at the RSPCA. She tried to do the right thing but the bloody incompetent vet caused two unwanted litters regardless

Edited May 6, 2014 by melzawelza

[Staff'n'Toller]

I wonder if your Vet is a bit reluctant to desex Staffords. They can be exceptionally difficult to spey due to their musculature.

We have done lots of almost-to-term speys on dogs in remote communities. If there are only two pups you still have that option BUT I would probably find a specialist vet so that there are blood products on hand and 24 hour monitoring. I also might consider leaving her there for 2-3 days cage rest if she was calm about it.

What you really need to do though is read up as much as possible on the birth process and particularly when to see the vet for a C-Section. If you need an emergency vet in the middle of the night it's likely they will ask you to pay up front, don't be caught out.

You might like to write a letter to CCCQ if you are a registered member and see whether they would make an exception to registering this litter, given you were advised by your vet to wait and were managing the dogs well until she busted out.

I find it a bit weird that they are talking hormonal/behavioural changes if you were to spey now. She will be less distressed knowing nothing than if she wakes up from a C-Sect with puppies.

[Christina]

Its done now so to be practical

Your dog will probably be fine if she is fit & healthy & well fed.

Make a safe place & nesting box for her somewhere she likes being & start getting her used to the place & box now.

Have lots of bedding, preferably without loopy fabric. I never use towels mum & babes get their claws stuck in it & some newspaper. Line the box with this under bedding as she will want to rip & tear at the bedding to make a nest when labour begins or close to it.

Feed her as much as she wants now.

Wise up & research as much about birth as you can but it doesn't always happen exactly as described by the book or internet.

Keep the male away.

Pups can come out right way up or feet first, either is normal.

Check all placentas either come out or are eaten.

If mum is actively pushing & no pup comes out after an hour phone the vet.

If you are worried about anything phone the vet.

Make sure you have the vets phone number on hand & emergency 24 hour vets too.

Have a pen & paper & clock handy & note things down, like times of birth, how long pushing etc as it can be confusing & it will help if anything goes amiss.

Get some teats, bottles & dog milk substitute in case she needs a hand with feeding.

You may need steralised scissors to help cut cords if mum doesn't do it.

Make a checklist of anything you think you may need & put it all together now.

Try & have someone with you, its scary 1st time. If they have seen pups born before all the better.

Of course things can go wrong & sometimes dogs & pups die but most of the time there are complete idiots & lots of sensible but inexperienced people out there whose dogs do survive having a litter. Some dogs also give birth alone without a person on hand & they are fine too, some stray, some pet & some breeders dogs although as a breeder I don't know how they can leave them to it.

Try & keep calm. learn what you can, be organised & hopefully all will be well & you can desex your dog after the pups have gone to new homes.

Good luck with it all. No one is infallible.

[Mjosa]

I doubt, unless you get a letter from your current vet, that the ANKC, DogsQld would accept a registration of the litter as it states that a bitch shall not be mated prior to her first birthday, this dear little girl would have been only nine months or there abouts when the deed was done, I wish you all the very best with the whelping next week, sounds like you have now found a great vet.

May I suggest that you buy a bottle of Sandoz liquid calcium just in case you need it for your girl, if she started to get the shakes after nursing her babies it is a sign of lack of calcium and 4 ml of this given to her will boost her calcium levels.

[persephone]

perhaps contact the breeder - and ask for any advice re: whelping?

It will be scary /wonderful..

remember - she needs quiet and security ... keep an eye on her subtly - and make sure A vet knows ..and you have a number you can call if needed!

also make sure the bitch isn't too hot when whelping.

She will puff & pant anyhow , with the exertion/anxiety ...

[Simply Grand]

Its done now so to be practical

Your dog will probably be fine if she is fit & healthy & well fed.

Make a safe place & nesting box for her somewhere she likes being & start getting her used to the place & box now.

Have lots of bedding, preferably without loopy fabric. I never use towels mum & babes get their claws stuck in it & some newspaper. Line the box with this under bedding as she will want to rip & tear at the bedding to make a nest when labour begins or close to it.

Feed her as much as she wants now.

Wise up & research as much about birth as you can but it doesn't always happen exactly as described by the book or internet.

Keep the male away.

Pups can come out right way up or feet first, either is normal.

Check all placentas either come out or are eaten.

If mum is actively pushing & no pup comes out after an hour phone the vet.

If you are worried about anything phone the vet.

Make sure you have the vets phone number on hand & emergency 24 hour vets too.

Have a pen & paper & clock handy & note things down, like times of birth, how long pushing etc as it can be confusing & it will help if anything goes amiss.

Get some teats, bottles & dog milk substitute in case she needs a hand with feeding.

You may need steralised scissors to help cut cords if mum doesn't do it.

Make a checklist of anything you think you may need & put it all together now.

Try & have someone with you, its scary 1st time. If they have seen pups born before all the better.

Of course things can go wrong & sometimes dogs & pups die but most of the time there are complete idiots & lots of sensible but inexperienced people out there whose dogs do survive having a litter. Some dogs also give birth alone without a person on hand & they are fine too, some stray, some pet & some breeders dogs although as a breeder I don't know how they can leave them to it.

Try & keep calm. learn what you can, be organised & hopefully all will be well & you can desex your dog after the pups have gone to new homes.

Good luck with it all. No one is infallible.

Fantastic, simple, practical advice :)

[Akayla]

Her breeder might also have a list of people wanting pups (pet obviously), that she could go through or just be able to help you screen people.

Not to mention if they are good how much wonderful advice and experience they would have. It would be hard to make that call but it could really be worth it.

[dancinbcs]

The breeder of your girl and even your boy would be your best contacts here. Ask them for help and investigate getting the litter put on limit register on one of their prefixes. I have been the breeder in a similar position when one of my puppy buyers rang me one night to say she had come home to a litter that she had no idea her 11 month old girl was even expecting. She was a show dog and not intended to be spayed so I ran around all over the place to get supplies and a whelping box for her and was on hand to help her out. It was the right mating but a year too early. At least the owner already had her breeders prefix. Yes accidents happen and you have to make the most of it but you will need a experienced breeder to help you out if possible.

I would like to strangle the first idiot vet you went to. Standard procedure for a bitch that you intend to spay is to do it asap after a season if she is accidentally mated. I do not know any vet who would say wait and see.

If by some stroke of bad luck you girl needs a caesar from the start, then I would advise the vet to not revive any of the puppies and to spay the bitch at the same time. The bitch will never know she even had a litter if she doesn't have any naturally. 11 month old bitches can raise a litter but it takes more out of them than the pregnancy does so it is best avoided if possible. Bitches that have the whole first litter by caesar can be really hard work to get them to accept these strange little creatures that arrived when they were asleep. It can be very stressful on bitch and owners as it may take a week or so for them to bond so they cannot be left alone at all and have to have 24/7 supervision. If the puppies are born naturally the maternal instinct kicks in and makes everything much easier but that means that you will have to let her raise the litter.

[Nic.B]

Its done now so to be practical

Your dog will probably be fine if she is fit & healthy & well fed.

Make a safe place & nesting box for her somewhere she likes being & start getting her used to the place & box now.

Have lots of bedding, preferably without loopy fabric. I never use towels mum & babes get their claws stuck in it & some newspaper. Line the box with this under bedding as she will want to rip & tear at the bedding to make a nest when labour begins or close to it.

Feed her as much as she wants now.

Wise up & research as much about birth as you can but it doesn't always happen exactly as described by the book or internet.

Keep the male away.

Pups can come out right way up or feet first, either is normal.

Check all placentas either come out or are eaten.

If mum is actively pushing & no pup comes out after an hour phone the vet.

If you are worried about anything phone the vet.

Make sure you have the vets phone number on hand & emergency 24 hour vets too.

Have a pen & paper & clock handy & note things down, like times of birth, how long pushing etc as it can be confusing & it will help if anything goes amiss.

Get some teats, bottles & dog milk substitute in case she needs a hand with feeding.

You may need steralised scissors to help cut cords if mum doesn't do it.

Make a checklist of anything you think you may need & put it all together now.

Try & have someone with you, its scary 1st time. If they have seen pups born before all the better.

Of course things can go wrong & sometimes dogs & pups die but most of the time there are complete idiots & lots of sensible but inexperienced people out there whose dogs do survive having a litter. Some dogs also give birth alone without a person on hand & they are fine too, some stray, some pet & some breeders dogs although as a breeder I don't know how they can leave them to it.

Try & keep calm. learn what you can, be organised & hopefully all will be well & you can desex your dog after the pups have gone to new homes.

Good luck with it all. No one is infallible.

Fantastic, simple, practical advice :)

Yes

I agree contacing your girls breeder is important, I am sure they will understand. It is certainly not uncommon!

Desex before homing the puppies without question.

Others will have a better opinion on this though is it possible for your male to have a holiday with you MIL once pups arrive? or just prior? Having him around may stress your girl once she delivers. Keeping them seperate is also another thing you will need to manage during an incredibly busy time.

[Christina]

you can desex your dog after the pups have gone to new homes.

Good luck with it all. No one is infallible.

Fantastic, simple, practical advice :)

Yes

Desex before homing the puppies without question.

No reason to desex before finding the pups homes & most vets wouldn't do it then anyway.

The bitches milk needs to have dried up for about 2 weeks before they desex, unless its an emergency situation.

Your dog won't be coming into season again this quickly after the birth. So 2 weeks after last puppy has left home is about the right time.

[cavNrott]

you can desex your dog after the pups have gone to new homes.

Good luck with it all. No one is infallible.

Fantastic, simple, practical advice :)

Yes

Desex before homing the puppies without question.

No reason to desex before finding the pups homes & most vets wouldn't do it then anyway.

The bitches milk needs to have dried up for about 2 weeks before they desex, unless its an emergency situation.

Your dog won't be coming into season again this quickly after the birth. So 2 weeks after last puppy has left home is about the right time.

I take it the OP means desexing the pups before they leave home, not desexing the dam.

[persephone]

I take it the OP means desexing the pups before they leave home, not desexing the dam.

That's how I understood it as well :)

[Rebanne]

As a breeder I would be livid this was allowed to happen. Why did you not contact them as soon as the mating occurred? For the dog I bred sake's I would do everything to help you out but be prepared to cop some wrath first up. I would also be angry with myself for trusting you to not allow this to happen and be wondering where I went wrong.

[Christina]

As a breeder I would be livid this was allowed to happen. Why did you not contact them as soon as the mating occurred? For the dog I bred sake's I would do everything to help you out but be prepared to cop some wrath first up. I would also be angry with myself for trusting you to not allow this to happen and be wondering where I went wrong.

Very helpful :laugh:

Read the desex thing wrong of course. I was thinking why does she need to desex the dog that soon.

[Steph M]

As a pet dog owner I'd be feeling awful and miserable and blaming myself enough without 'wrath' from the person I need help from most.

I'd also probably never ask their help again.

More flies with honey than vinegar. Sometimes shit happens.