Whelping Dramas

[persephone]

I am glad Emily is breathing better this morning! :laugh: Slip her a pinch of ester C powder each day, too

keep the temp down in her bed- a dog with an infection/ fever does NOT need additional heat .

if you are worried about the pups, then put in heat bags or something, so they can use them, but the bitch is comfortable. So many people have whelping beds/areas very warm for neonates, while bitches sit there puffing away, drinking heaps, and working much harder than necessary

[stormie]

Bridie is sounds like your girl might have a collapsing trachea? The honking sound is a classic symptom, as this sound usually comes from the trachea. If she's got any sort of air way problem, eg pneumonia, swollen tonsils, it will make her have to breath harder, which puts more pressure on the airways and makes the problem worse.

Also, being overweight or pregnant exacerbates any sort of dynamic airway disease, again, because of the increase in pressure. She's had the pups now so her stomach is no longer big, but the stress of whelping, the increase in respiration at this time, could easily have made an airway condition worse.

I would look into this further with your girl. Any difficulty in breathing, IMO, warrants a vet visit, regardless of the time, as the more they struggle to breath, the worse they can become as their airways struggle to cope as they gasp harder. I'm glad she's better this morning - I think you're really lucky.

[bridie]

Bridie is sounds like your girl might have a collapsing trachea? The honking sound is a classic symptom, as this sound usually comes from the trachea. If she's got any sort of air way problem, eg pneumonia, swollen tonsils, it will make her have to breath harder, which puts more pressure on the airways and makes the problem worse.

Also, being overweight or pregnant exacerbates any sort of dynamic airway disease, again, because of the increase in pressure. She's had the pups now so her stomach is no longer big, but the stress of whelping, the increase in respiration at this time, could easily have made an airway condition worse.

I would look into this further with your girl. Any difficulty in breathing, IMO, warrants a vet visit, regardless of the time, as the more they struggle to breath, the worse they can become as their airways struggle to cope as they gasp harder. I'm glad she's better this morning - I think you're really lucky.

Emily is doing well & back to normal,pups are contented also.

I did have a vet on standby,lot of good that was she was not there for me. I need another vet I can trust to be there for me,one doesn't know until one has been let down.

As far as breeding with Emily,I considered the first litter was just bad luck & my inexperience,every time there is some-thing different,most breeders would say the same, always some-thing to learn.

They were whelped nomally be it breach.I decided I wanted her to have "live" puppies and not to have to go though whelping to risk having them born dead ,so I elected to have a caesarean for her sake.This time a caesarean was planned as I had decided to have her speyed at the same time.

No matter what any-one thinks I did what I thought best for Emily on all occasions.

The trachea problem,well I don't know if any-one on forum has had it done but from what I've read up on it it is not that successful,I will play this one by ear.Looks a very complicated operation & very risky.

[bridie]

deep breath bridie --- experienced peeps are here to hold your hand

i'm not a breeder but i would love the experience of having helped birth a litter just once in my life, but i don't think i could deal with it cuz i found your story pretty scary --- i'd hate it if anything went wrong and i would feel very bad if i let the bitch down in any way...

good luck uploading your pix too

btw, i will at some point own a chihuahua; i adore them

Don't let my story put you off,Chihuahuas they steal your heart,such little charactors,if you have to breed and have a litter do it at the vets, second best have a very experienced breeder with you.I am always concerned at whelping time one can never be sure what will happen,even if the last time the bitch free whelped,complications can & do happen,no matter how prepared you may think you are.

[persephone]

Glad they are doing well now.. any more pics ?

[Kirislin]

yes, I'd love to see some more pics, and I'd like to hear an update on our little weightloss queen Bindie too.

I know breeding is fraught with dangers and heartbreaks. I've only bred 2 litters so far from whippets who are reputed to be incredibly easy whelpers. I've had medical emergencies with both litters, for different reasons but so far I've been 100% unlucky. Not sure if I'd be brave enough to do it again even though once the emergency side of it was over it was so much fun, I loved having the puppies here.

[bridie]

Glad they are doing well now.. any more pics ?

[iMG]http://i804.photobucket.com/albums/yy329/rhonda1948/I%20LOVE%20MY%20CHIHUAHUAS/EMILYSBOYS15810007.jpg[/img]

Here u are Perse....just for you.

See Summars pups now 8 weeks old,and also see when Summar jumped into help her sister out,she also looked so guilty.....omg when I saw that I thought how cute is this....Emily didn't think so!

Edited August 19, 2010 by bridie

[persephone]

cute!!

[Kirislin]

the dear little things. I have a soft spot for Chis after my parents had them. I initially thought they were spoilt creepy yappy little things until I actually got to know them. Yes, they were spoiled but they were thoroughly charming little dogs. Clever, happy little guys.

Edited August 19, 2010 by Kirislin

[bridie]

If you know how to; I would be interested as to hear the recording on your video of her panting.

Although we are not vets (I know I'm not atleast) someone here may be able to offer you some advice.

Body language can tell a lot, the environment, temperatures etc.

I don't know how,give me the idea if you wish.I tried to compress video ages ago and I had blocked my email for days and haven't tried since,some-times I find how to do some-thing and don't go there for a month & I foget how I actually did it!takes so much time just playing around "trying" re photos & video,I always give my buyers a video DVD & also a DVD with the puppies photos as they were from day one until now,I'd appreciate it if it were done for me.

[tdierikx]

They are cute... I'll definitely give you that! I take it that Summar didn't have any issues with her whelping?

Love the two new babies - couldn't get them more differently coloured if you'd tried... lol! I reckon you could call them Salt and Pepper... *grin*

T.

[Steve]

Im glad to hear your girl has settled down now.

Have to say though elongated soft palet is a genetic condition which is heritable and in reality she shouldn't have been used for breeding once this was diagnosed.

Edited August 19, 2010 by Steve

[woodbyne]

i'm not a breeeder( have owned shown and trialled purebred registered dogs for over 20 yrs) but have to agree with Steve sorry but any dog being bred with who has a known genetic problem seems a bit insensitive to the new puppy owners who i hope would be informed about the mother condition. Why breed would someone like to enlighten me. Glad your bitch is ok hope her next vet visit is for desexing. sorry but this is something i feel very strongly about after myself recently being misled by a breeder who is very well known in the show rings.

Im glad to hear your girl has settled down now.

Have to say though elongated soft palet is a genetic condition which is heritable and in reality she shouldn't have been used for breeding once this was diagnosed.

[bridie]

They are cute... I'll definitely give you that! I take it that Summar didn't have any issues with her whelping?

Love the two new babies - couldn't get them more differently coloured if you'd tried... lol! I reckon you could call them Salt and Pepper... *grin*

T.

Yeah,I thought Ivory & Ebony!!! Emilys' Mum was Black/white /tan and she only ever had one Black/white girl

I was a bit surprised.Yes,as small as Summar is she free whelped,no dramas,you may have seen the post where she at 3 weeks gave me a huge scare,lack of calcium with feeding but that was soon fixed.A wonder I have not had a heart attack with the scares I've had!! A bit like pain,one gets over it re the joy I recieve with pups,very scary at the time.

[bridie]

Im glad to hear your girl has settled down now.

Have to say though elongated soft palet is a genetic condition which is heritable and in reality she shouldn't have been used for breeding once this was diagnosed.

Yes,Steve I agree.It was not an intended mating,the first I even knew she was in season was when the male showed interest so I took that as day one but in fact it was further along.always set out to do what is the "right thing" & be responsible by the breed & not pass these hereditary things along.

[redangel]

If you planned on having her desexed as she has been diagnosed with inheritable issue, why did you let the accidental mating progress to a whelping, given all the trouble this lil mite has had past whelpings? What will you tell the prospective puppy buyers?

[Steve]

O.K. I get that - what do you intend to do to make sure its not going to be passed on any further ? Do you have any of her pups kept for breeding are the other pups from previous litters desexed,have you informed the owners of all of the pups about what to watch for ? Have you notified her breeder and her sire's owner so they can mark it on their pedigrees too?

How old was she when she was diagnosed with ESP?

[bridie]

O.K. I get that - what do you intend to do to make sure its not going to be passed on any further ? Do you have any of her pups kept for breeding are the other pups from previous litters desexed,have you informed the owners of all of the pups about what to watch for ? Have you notified her breeder and her sire's owner so they can mark it on their pedigrees too?

How old was she when she was diagnosed with ESP?

I feel like I'm on trial! I came for advice& support but it has turned into another topic on code of ethics.

The more information I share the more ammunition I am giving.The 2 previous pups are desexed & the same with these 2 & yes all advised.

The vet trimmed her palate but also said it wasn't necessary but it "may" help with her snorting-snoring,the short nose in the breed doesn't help.

[Steve]

Im sorry you feel on trial that wasnt my intention and you shouldnt feel that my comments were aiming right at you but rather everyone who is reading this.

I know shit happens but we all have to learn from not only what we do but what we see others do too and I couldnt let you go without pointing out to everyone that ideally we shouldnt breed a dog which has been diagnosed with a genetic heritable condition unless we have a good reason for doing so.

Relax Im not beating you up for mistakes already made Im just having a stab at helping you to be sure you cover your bases and to be sure anyone else who may not have considered this type of thing gets the message too.

Edited August 20, 2010 by Steve

[bridie]

the dear little things. I have a soft spot for Chis after my parents had them. I initially thought they were spoilt creepy yappy little things until I actually got to know them. Yes, they were spoiled but they were thoroughly charming little dogs. Clever, happy little guys.

Kiri,like any breed you may get a "yappy"Summar her bark is so sharp & loud,I hate hearing it,only hear it if some-one arrives,so still not a yapper,I couldn't have a yapper drive me insane...er. Well,I don't know of a Chi that is not fastidious with food & spoilt!!

Bindie,well she has only lost 500grams,so 4 kilo,but she really appears so much more trimmer.I have opened the R/D,I know I must do it.No ecuses,although as you know I have a had a lot going on here,thankfully it is all back to normal now,Emily is 100%,back to her usual of trying to pinch every-one elses food,she is another that I will have to monitor re weight.

You may remember after the f/up with vet starting the H/D,I then went to the Ormeau holistic vet & have her on all the recommendations.I was told about this Orthopedic Surgeon,so he was willing to look at Bindies xrays & he said her hips are normal.This really throws a spanner in the works.What was my ex-vet thinking,who can one trust!!!!I intend for him to now have a phyisical examination of her in particular R patella,it has only been after the knife went in that she has been sort of curling that leg around as she walks.Specialist may be of the opinion that it be operated on or he may say leave it for now.What ever I will be guided by his opinion.

I am in touch with an older couple on acerage with a pool,which would be great for Bindie.I need to meet & discuss with them as to whether they would still continue on the BARF after her weight loss has been maintained & that she will get the exercise etc.

I will get her speyed(in any case) & patella operated on if this is the advice,I would never pass her on with problems,if the advice is "we'll do the patella" at a later stage well I will pay for it........when ever this time arrives.

http://i804.photobucket

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