5 December 2020
There are two schools of thought re: C-sections in the canine world: Once a C-section? Always a C-section.
And then, of course, there is the other school of thought: But why?
My repro vets at Broadview Veterinary Hospital in Dover, NH have advised me personally not to risk rupturing the uterus in a pregnant girl who previously delivered by C-section. You might lose the bitch and have puppies without a mother. Or you could lose them all – and I certainly don’t want to go there.
My repro vet up here in VT at Lamoille Valley Veterinary Services is always cautious and sometimes advises that the next cycle be skipped, in order to give the uterus ‘time off’.
Now, I know that sounds a bit odd – but – the research that is ‘out there’ indicates that whether a bitch is bred during her cycle or not, aging of the uterus happens with every cycle and the older the uterus, the higher the potential for problems and smaller litters.
And for all of these reasons, we chose to follow the guidance of our professionals and are so very pleased to have landed two gorgeous females and one gorgeous male out of our GRCHS Questa x CH Koko breeding on October 1st. Please know that no puppies are available out of this litter and Koko will soon be retiring to her new forever home in Massachusetts, as this is her final litter and she has found a wonderful young family to join.
With this latest litter, I decided to change my whelping protocol a little by adding warm steam to the whelping room up to a humidity level of 55 to 65%, as this has been deemed ideal for newborn puppies. It truly seems to have eased the puppies’ first few days and I will continue to keep the humidity high for the next two weeks. Once the eyes have opened? We will let the humidity drop to household ‘normal’ levels and remain in quarantine until three weeks from birth date have passed.
Please know that you will hear from us again before the end of the year and we will have photos of the little ones for you at that time. Right now? The little ones are barely five days old and look more like blackish guinea pigs than they look like puppies. This is no time to disrupt their young lives with electronics. It is time for safe, warm, quiet days & nights with fresh linens, a heating pad for added warmth and a well cared for attentive mum to reign supremely over these little ones.
Please be patient. Doing so will allow us to do our best and stay focused on raising happy and healthy dogs for all of you.
Stay safe, be well and act with kindness toward folks in need. It is the greatest gift, to spontaneously give willingly of oneself.
Yours truly,
Wendyll.