question to breeders -early birth

[Leen De Leebeeck-Van Genechten]

Hello,

unfortunately some bad news ...
Our sussex bitch was due to give birth on October 27.
Yesterday she didn't finish her food and she had a temperature of 38.6°
This morning she was 39.2° and the vet and I decided to put her on antibiotics.
At 11.30h she gave birth to a premature puppy, her temperature at that time was 38.6° again. At 14.30h another puppy was born, at 17.00h her fever was up again to 39.00° and she got her second table of antibiotics. 30 minutes later a third puppy was born.

I've heard from an Irish setter breeder that she once had this with one puppy being born 12 days early and the others just stayed inside till the 63th day.
Luka is very, very heavy and I think there are at least 6-7 more puppies in there (together with the 3 that were born this is immense for a sussex).

Does anyone of you has any experience with partial early birth? Will all puppies come out or is there still a chance that some stay in?
The puppies that were born weren't rotten or anything, they were nicely pink, just like 'in the books', but of course they had no chance of surviving.
Our main concern is the bitch now, but we don't ant to let her have a caesarian (our vet wants to wait sinde the puppies weren't rotten...)

For the moment Luka is calm, sleeping a bit, so I was wondering what the possible outcome might be.

Any reply welcome

thanks in advance

Leen & the Bournefield-clan
www.bournefield.be

[Frances McKimm]

Hi Leen wonder how are things going to-day??
I once had a bitch that had her pups 10days early- but unfortunately she had them all - 11 of them, but we actually managed to save 3 very very premature babies;
Hope your girl hangs onto hers;

[Dee Rance]

My Older girl Jas had Placental Separation at (I think 7 weeks) a thick blackish green discharge, The puppy had obviously died by this time, but the vet thought that there might be more puppies in there, so I had to wait until she was 9 weeks pregnant, unfortunately it happened again at 8 weeks so this puppy too had died, it turned out that she was only carrying two puppies so she was given a C section to remove the now two dead puppies (that were now rotting inside of her). So perhaps there is a chance that the rest of the litter will be born at about the correct time, they do say that live puppies can be borne from 57-72 Days so you don't have to hold on for too much longer, I think that we will all keep our fingers crossed for you all.
ps it is now two days after you posted the comment, how is it all going...??

[Leen De Leebeeck-Van Genechten]

Well, ....
during the night from friday to Saturday another 3 puppies were born dead.
No black-or green, just pink premature puppies, no sign that anything was wrong, they really looked like prematures you can see in books etc .... ...
since Saturday morning Luka is getting a bit better. her temperature is back to normal since yesterday evening.
She's still not eating normally as before, but she's eating ...

She also has full milk since Saturday morning (like a bitch who had her puppies at a normal time...)

I will take her to the vet tomorrow to have a check whether there's still something inside, but I doubt it ...
we keep a close eye on her temperature.

Of course it was horror that we (probably) lost the whole litter (especially since sussexes are rather rare...) but we're very happy that Luka is recovering.

I really hope that this was a 'once in a lifetime experience' because I can assure you, coming home and finding a bitch on the sofa with a premature next to her .... brrr

thanks for your support! If there's still something in there, I'll let you know

leen

[Susan Stone]

Hi Leen,

so sorry you (and Luka) have had to go through this experience. It just shows we never know what can/will happen. Such a worrying time for you. It sounds as if maybe her progesterone the hormone levels dropped too early, causing birth to begin?
Hope all turns out ok for Luka.

Susan

[Frances McKimm]

Well when I think of it with Charmed I now have her hormone level checked at least 3 x a week once the first 3 weeks are over - just to make sure; last time all ok and she had pups;
This time do it again - her hormones are usually just on the limit and vet says if any sign of going too low too quickly must give some hormones, don't know for sure but maybe also why she didn't have pups the first two and half years of trying; Right now she has just lost an 'empty' bag we saw and to-morrow she's off again to the vet; fortunately she enjoys visiting our vet who loves her and knows the great importance of having an 'outcome' at normal time;
Maybe an idea Leen to try that too next time? I know its alot of running around but well the end result is more than worth it!!!!!!!!!!
Such a disappointment for you but at least if Luka is ok now and back to normal you can try again next time.

[Esther Siegrist]

I'm very sorry for your, Leen!
Hope Luka are still fine.