Is it common to lose a puppy at birth or later? - YorkieTalk.com Forums

ShelbysMOMMA · 03-18-2011, 03:40 PM

I just need a little reassurance. My baby just had her first litter, and as prepared as I thought I was, I was not prepared to lose a pup. The pup I lost was not breathing or moving, and was wrapped in the placenta. I immediately got to work on her, ripping the placenta away and the sack off. It took about 5 minutes of vigorous rubbing and swinging her downward to get all the fluid out. She began breathing and squealing, and I thought all was good. She began nursing with some encouragement from me about 2 hours later and did great for the first day and night. Before going to sleep the night after the whelping (22 hours after the first born), all the pups were doing great nursing, and had all gained between .2 and .3 oz.

I got up about 4 hours later (5:30 am), and the pups were all still doing really well nursing. Around 10 am I noticed that the little one couldn't get access to Shelby, as the bigger pups kept pushing her out of the way. I weighed her at that time and found she had lost .5 oz. I kept trying to give her some alone time nursing, but she just wouldn't latch on. I called the vet at 10:45, and the only practicing Dr was out of the office for the day, and that he would call me back. About 15 minutes later, I got a call from the vet's office, the assistant said she spoke to the vet and he wanted me to try to bottle feed the pup. I started trying at 11:15, and 5 minutes later, she went stiff and fell over, I immediately called the vet back, and was told to take her to the emergency hospital 20 minutes away because my vet couldn't get back to the office any quicker than I could get to the ER.

I got to the ER at 11:40, and they immediately rushed her in to work on her. About 20 minutes later the Dr came in to tell me that the prognosis was poor, they couldn't get her to take any formula in, she kept regurgitating, and they tried to start and IV, but she was so tiny that her veins kept collapsing. Ultimately, there was nothing she could do, she kept crashing and coming back. The vet went back to work on her for another 20 minutes and then came back and said she crashed another 5 times (a total of 9 times since they began working on her), and that she recommended euthanasia, since the pup was a "poor doer" since birth, and there wasn't anything more they could do for her. So we had to put her down. I was unbelievably heart breaking, considering I had bonded so much with her, since if it wasn't for me she would have been alive in the first place (Shelby had shown no interest in this particular pup at all), and we had just decided we were going to keep her.

How common is it for something like this to happen? I knew this was a possibility when I decided to breed Shelby, but I still wasn't prepared for the heart breaking agony I would experience. I did all my research, bought a bunch of breeding books, and prepared myself for a whole year (it took that long for the stud to finally show interest in mating with Shelby), and I still can't get over losing this puppy.

I have been beating myself up for days with what-ifs. The vet says there was nothing I could have done differently and that if she had survived the lack of oxygen at birth could have caused brain damage and unpredictable health issues, and she would not have lived long.

Has anyone else ever felt this awful over losing a puppy??

FlDebra · 03-18-2011, 03:50 PM

Don't beat yourself up. It sounds like you were prepared and had educated yourself on what to do. You also sought vet help and it sounds like they were very persisitent with their efforts as well. It is a fact of life that all puppies are not going to make it. She could have had any number of internal problems that might have made for a painful and sad life if she were to have lived any longer. Sometimes God just calls them back to Him sooner than later. You will often read here that one of a litter is stillborn or dies shortly after birth. I don't think it is anything the breeder has done wrong, just that it was not to be. Enjoy the ones you do have along with your adult Yorkies! You will be so busy with them, you will not have too much time to dwell on the loss of this one little baby. I would say a nice prayer for her and maybe do something in her honor -- plant some spring flowers that will remind you of her each Spring when they bloom, or a small tree that will represent the tree of life -- some very short branches and some long -- takes them all to make a beautiful tree.

I do understand how you feel. I once drove several hours to pick up a little pup born with a cleft palate. The breeder was going to put her down and another yT member had rescued her but could not keep her due to the time-intensive care it needed. I thought I could help the tiny pup. I tried so hard, tube feeding her every 2 hours. She seemed to do well nd then suddenly went down hill. She lost weight so I took her in to the vet. He said it was the worst cleft he had ever seen and he did not see any way she could make it but he would try to help. As they were giving her some supplemental shots (water & vitamins) under her skin to help nourish when she started having some very bad distress. She did not make it. It broke my heart! I knew there was nothing I could do, but especially, when you try to nurse one along, it tears your heart up when they don't make it. So, yes -- I've felt this awful too.

ShelbysMOMMA · 03-18-2011, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlDebra

Don't beat yourself up. It sounds like you were prepared and had educated yourself on what to do. You also sought vet help and it sounds like they were very persisitent with their efforts as well. It is a fact of life that all puppies are not going to make it. She could have had any number of internal problems that might have made for a painful and sad life if she were to have lived any longer. Sometimes God just calls them back to Him sooner than later. You will often read here that one of a litter is stillborn or dies shortly after birth. I don't think it is anything the breeder has done wrong, just that it was not to be. Enjoy the ones you do have along with your adult Yorkies! You will be so busy with them, you will not have too much time to dwell on the loss of this one little baby. I would say a nice prayer for her and maybe do something in her honor -- plant some spring flowers that will remind you of her each Spring when they bloom, or a small tree that will represent the tree of life -- some very short branches and some long -- takes them all to make a beautiful tree.

I do understand how you feel. I once drove several hours to pick up a little pup born with a cleft palate. The breeder was going to put her down and another yT member had rescued her but could not keep her due to the time-intensive care it needed. I thought I could help the tiny pup. I tried so hard, tube feeding her every 2 hours. She seemed to do well nd then suddenly went down hill. She lost weight so I took her in to the vet. He said it was the worst cleft he had ever seen and he did not see any way she could make it but he would try to help. As they were giving her some supplemental shots (water & vitamins) under her skin to help nourish when she started having some very bad distress. She did not make it. It broke my heart! I knew there was nothing I could do, but especially, when you try to nurse one along, it tears your heart up when they don't make it. So, yes -- I've felt this awful too.

Thanks so much for your reply. We are going to get her ashes back and keep them with a picture of her. One of the ER nurses took my situation personally and called on my behalf to the crematorium and they will be returning her ashes to me for no charge. And the nurse gave me her personal cell number to call for any reason, during her off day. Shelby and her 3 surviving pups are thriving, so that's my focus now, but once in a while I think back to what I could have possibly done differently.

RachelandSadie · 03-18-2011, 04:52 PM

it sounds like you've done all you could do. she's over the rainbow bridge now and living and thriving again. hugs and prayers coming to you. love those other pups and take good care of them and know that sometimes things do happen that we can't prevent or prepare for.

Bitsy · 03-18-2011, 05:22 PM

That was all said very well (Debra's post.)
I am so sorry for your loss. You did ALL you could. God bless you for trying so hard and caring so much. I hope you find comfort in knowing you did your best and loved the pup as much as you did. Hugs to you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlDebra

Don't beat yourself up. It sounds like you were prepared and had educated yourself on what to do. You also sought vet help and it sounds like they were very persisitent with their efforts as well. It is a fact of life that all puppies are not going to make it. She could have had any number of internal problems that might have made for a painful and sad life if she were to have lived any longer. Sometimes God just calls them back to Him sooner than later. You will often read here that one of a litter is stillborn or dies shortly after birth. I don't think it is anything the breeder has done wrong, just that it was not to be. Enjoy the ones you do have along with your adult Yorkies! You will be so busy with them, you will not have too much time to dwell on the loss of this one little baby. I would say a nice prayer for her and maybe do something in her honor -- plant some spring flowers that will remind you of her each Spring when they bloom, or a small tree that will represent the tree of life -- some very short branches and some long -- takes them all to make a beautiful tree.

I do understand how you feel. I once drove several hours to pick up a little pup born with a cleft palate. The breeder was going to put her down and another yT member had rescued her but could not keep her due to the time-intensive care it needed. I thought I could help the tiny pup. I tried so hard, tube feeding her every 2 hours. She seemed to do well nd then suddenly went down hill. She lost weight so I took her in to the vet. He said it was the worst cleft he had ever seen and he did not see any way she could make it but he would try to help. As they were giving her some supplemental shots (water & vitamins) under her skin to help nourish when she started having some very bad distress. She did not make it. It broke my heart! I knew there was nothing I could do, but especially, when you try to nurse one along, it tears your heart up when they don't make it. So, yes -- I've felt this awful too.

Sammy Mommy · 03-18-2011, 06:17 PM

You did everything you could do for this pup. I'm so sorry that you lost this little one. Sending hugs.

Sookie · 03-18-2011, 06:57 PM

Sorry for your loss. Losing a frail pup is, unfortunately, not uncommon. It happened to me and I cried like a baby. I put so much love and hope into that puppy. I don't know of any breeders who haven't lost a pup at some point in time. Try not to beat yourself up and concentrate on the babies that you have. You didn't do anything wrong. Breeding is not for the faint hearted.

Congrats on the other healthy pups you have!! Would love to see pics!!

ChewyGeorgia85 · 03-18-2011, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sookie

Sorry for your loss. Losing a frail pup is, unfortunately, not uncommon. It happened to me and I cried like a baby. I put so much love and hope into that puppy. I don't know of any breeders who haven't lost a pup at some point in time. Try not to beat yourself up and concentrate on the babies that you have. You didn't do anything wrong. Breeding is not for the faint hearted.

Congrats on the other healthy pups you have!! Would love to see pics!!

I cried so hard too when I lost one from Georgia's first litter. He was at 9 days and about a week after he just wasn't making the weight, starting losing weight and then cried all the time. When I tried bottle feeding him right before he passed, he seized up and passed on my chest, so I feel that at least he passed with some last second loving. It was so hard at the time because my husband was at work and it was at night. He told me to throw it away (it was late January so burying it wasn't possible). I had such a hard time letting go.

However, the others babies developed so well and it kept me busy that it helped ease my pain. Luckily my current litter has had no red flags... eyes have started opening and they are going to be 2 weeks old tomorrow!!!

Good thing is you have the wonderful support here to help assure you that babies just don't always make it.

YorkieRose · 03-19-2011, 11:04 AM

I am sorry to say it happens often...I guess that is one reason God decided some animals needed to have litters instead of a single birth..not all will live and not all are meant to....no matter what the breeder does, some become angels too soon...and it never gets any easier to lose them.

Myself and many, many breeders I know have even lost the entire litter of 3, 4 5...it just all goes wrong...then another litter will be born and everyone one is healthy and happy at 12 weeks...and go on to live a long life...but the lost ones are never forgotten.

bellemarie · 03-19-2011, 01:55 PM

I lost a puppy last year. She was 7 1/2 weeks old. I have never forgotten her or got over it, and This thread reminded me of how painful that was. I had to tell her new family as well as she was booked. Her ashes are sitting in my cabinet along with her picture, but because I know she may not be my last puppy to lose, I have decided to get a tattoo on my ankle- of an adult and baby yorkie sittin together on a bridge, with a rainbow over it, and every one of my babies (adult or puppy) who crosses rainbow bridge will have a pawprint added to the tattoo in their memory- so I Can't ever forget.
Some will find that a beautiful idea, some (not many yters tho) will find it pathetic, but it will be a permanent reminder of how fragile and temporary life really is.
I am so sorry for your loss- your probably so raw now, I cried for nearly a week straight, but it does get better; she's happy where she is, playing with all our other babies who were taken too soon. At least you know she won't hurt, just be happy and content forever... I hope if you can remember that, it will be of some comfort, if not now, then in the near future...

Also, I'm glad to hear all other babies and momma doing so well- and you are truly blessed to have such a dedicated veterinary clinic- not all would have gone to such lengths to try and save her.

smartpuppiepets · 03-21-2011, 10:16 AM

It is not common to loose a puppy or puppies but unfortunately it happens, it can not be assumed to common. It seems like your case was the exception not a rule. Unfortunately so many things could have happened it sounds like no one will be able to give you an answer. If it was me i would have had an autopsy done as soon as the puppy passed. A fresh autopsy sometimes can give you some good answers. But this is how we all learn and get experience. If you decide to breed this girl again and forbid it happens again the autopsy will be a must and more research and health tests will be mandatory, also a review on the female's diet, vaccination protocol before mating , etc...
So sorry to hear that you are having such a hard time, do not blame yourself or anything like that, it sounds like you did all you could and again, that is how everyone can learn.
It did surprised me a lot to hear that the ER vets tried to get an IV on the new born puppy, i never heard of such thing for this breed as the tint size of the new born puppy would never allow for it , well, as far as it is my understanding. I can see that you did all you could in a responsible way and that should comfort you.
Blessings to you and remaining puppies.
XOXO

JedsMom · 03-22-2011, 05:59 AM

This was the hardest thing for me to learn in raising beagles. Sometimes it just happens and there is nothing you can do to stop it. We can try and try everything you know but still...it happens. So sorry for your heartache.

03-18-2011, 03:40 PM	#1
ShelbysMOMMA Yorkie Talker Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: wilmington,ma Posts: 21	Is it common to lose a puppy at birth or later? I just need a little reassurance. My baby just had her first litter, and as prepared as I thought I was, I was not prepared to lose a pup. The pup I lost was not breathing or moving, and was wrapped in the placenta. I immediately got to work on her, ripping the placenta away and the sack off. It took about 5 minutes of vigorous rubbing and swinging her downward to get all the fluid out. She began breathing and squealing, and I thought all was good. She began nursing with some encouragement from me about 2 hours later and did great for the first day and night. Before going to sleep the night after the whelping (22 hours after the first born), all the pups were doing great nursing, and had all gained between .2 and .3 oz. I got up about 4 hours later (5:30 am), and the pups were all still doing really well nursing. Around 10 am I noticed that the little one couldn't get access to Shelby, as the bigger pups kept pushing her out of the way. I weighed her at that time and found she had lost .5 oz. I kept trying to give her some alone time nursing, but she just wouldn't latch on. I called the vet at 10:45, and the only practicing Dr was out of the office for the day, and that he would call me back. About 15 minutes later, I got a call from the vet's office, the assistant said she spoke to the vet and he wanted me to try to bottle feed the pup. I started trying at 11:15, and 5 minutes later, she went stiff and fell over, I immediately called the vet back, and was told to take her to the emergency hospital 20 minutes away because my vet couldn't get back to the office any quicker than I could get to the ER. I got to the ER at 11:40, and they immediately rushed her in to work on her. About 20 minutes later the Dr came in to tell me that the prognosis was poor, they couldn't get her to take any formula in, she kept regurgitating, and they tried to start and IV, but she was so tiny that her veins kept collapsing. Ultimately, there was nothing she could do, she kept crashing and coming back. The vet went back to work on her for another 20 minutes and then came back and said she crashed another 5 times (a total of 9 times since they began working on her), and that she recommended euthanasia, since the pup was a "poor doer" since birth, and there wasn't anything more they could do for her. So we had to put her down. I was unbelievably heart breaking, considering I had bonded so much with her, since if it wasn't for me she would have been alive in the first place (Shelby had shown no interest in this particular pup at all), and we had just decided we were going to keep her. How common is it for something like this to happen? I knew this was a possibility when I decided to breed Shelby, but I still wasn't prepared for the heart breaking agony I would experience. I did all my research, bought a bunch of breeding books, and prepared myself for a whole year (it took that long for the stud to finally show interest in mating with Shelby), and I still can't get over losing this puppy. I have been beating myself up for days with what-ifs. The vet says there was nothing I could have done differently and that if she had survived the lack of oxygen at birth could have caused brain damage and unpredictable health issues, and she would not have lived long. Has anyone else ever felt this awful over losing a puppy??

03-18-2011, 03:50 PM	#2
FlDebra Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: FL Posts: 7,651	Don't beat yourself up. It sounds like you were prepared and had educated yourself on what to do. You also sought vet help and it sounds like they were very persisitent with their efforts as well. It is a fact of life that all puppies are not going to make it. She could have had any number of internal problems that might have made for a painful and sad life if she were to have lived any longer. Sometimes God just calls them back to Him sooner than later. You will often read here that one of a litter is stillborn or dies shortly after birth. I don't think it is anything the breeder has done wrong, just that it was not to be. Enjoy the ones you do have along with your adult Yorkies! You will be so busy with them, you will not have too much time to dwell on the loss of this one little baby. I would say a nice prayer for her and maybe do something in her honor -- plant some spring flowers that will remind you of her each Spring when they bloom, or a small tree that will represent the tree of life -- some very short branches and some long -- takes them all to make a beautiful tree. I do understand how you feel. I once drove several hours to pick up a little pup born with a cleft palate. The breeder was going to put her down and another yT member had rescued her but could not keep her due to the time-intensive care it needed. I thought I could help the tiny pup. I tried so hard, tube feeding her every 2 hours. She seemed to do well nd then suddenly went down hill. She lost weight so I took her in to the vet. He said it was the worst cleft he had ever seen and he did not see any way she could make it but he would try to help. As they were giving her some supplemental shots (water & vitamins) under her skin to help nourish when she started having some very bad distress. She did not make it. It broke my heart! I knew there was nothing I could do, but especially, when you try to nurse one along, it tears your heart up when they don't make it. So, yes -- I've felt this awful too. __________________ FlDebra and her ABCs Annie, Ben, Candy Promoting Healthy Breeding to the AKC Yorkshire Terrier Standard Last edited by FlDebra; 03-18-2011 at 03:54 PM.

03-18-2011, 06:57 PM	#7
Sookie My Four Sweet Babies Donating Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: South Jersey near Philadelphia Posts: 5,452	Sorry for your loss. Losing a frail pup is, unfortunately, not uncommon. It happened to me and I cried like a baby. I put so much love and hope into that puppy. I don't know of any breeders who haven't lost a pup at some point in time. Try not to beat yourself up and concentrate on the babies that you have. You didn't do anything wrong. Breeding is not for the faint hearted. Congrats on the other healthy pups you have!! Would love to see pics!! __________________ I LOVE MY BABIES

03-19-2011, 01:55 PM	#10
bellemarie YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: belfast, northern ireland Posts: 520	I lost a puppy last year. She was 7 1/2 weeks old. I have never forgotten her or got over it, and This thread reminded me of how painful that was. I had to tell her new family as well as she was booked. Her ashes are sitting in my cabinet along with her picture, but because I know she may not be my last puppy to lose, I have decided to get a tattoo on my ankle- of an adult and baby yorkie sittin together on a bridge, with a rainbow over it, and every one of my babies (adult or puppy) who crosses rainbow bridge will have a pawprint added to the tattoo in their memory- so I Can't ever forget. Some will find that a beautiful idea, some (not many yters tho) will find it pathetic, but it will be a permanent reminder of how fragile and temporary life really is. I am so sorry for your loss- your probably so raw now, I cried for nearly a week straight, but it does get better; she's happy where she is, playing with all our other babies who were taken too soon. At least you know she won't hurt, just be happy and content forever... I hope if you can remember that, it will be of some comfort, if not now, then in the near future... Also, I'm glad to hear all other babies and momma doing so well- and you are truly blessed to have such a dedicated veterinary clinic- not all would have gone to such lengths to try and save her. __________________ "...She will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of her heart; you owe it to her to be worthy of such devotion..." Last edited by bellemarie; 03-19-2011 at 01:58 PM. Reason: Add

03-21-2011, 10:16 AM	#11
smartpuppiepets YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Beverly Posts: 1,042	It is not common to loose a puppy or puppies but unfortunately it happens, it can not be assumed to common. It seems like your case was the exception not a rule. Unfortunately so many things could have happened it sounds like no one will be able to give you an answer. If it was me i would have had an autopsy done as soon as the puppy passed. A fresh autopsy sometimes can give you some good answers. But this is how we all learn and get experience. If you decide to breed this girl again and forbid it happens again the autopsy will be a must and more research and health tests will be mandatory, also a review on the female's diet, vaccination protocol before mating , etc... So sorry to hear that you are having such a hard time, do not blame yourself or anything like that, it sounds like you did all you could and again, that is how everyone can learn. It did surprised me a lot to hear that the ER vets tried to get an IV on the new born puppy, i never heard of such thing for this breed as the tint size of the new born puppy would never allow for it , well, as far as it is my understanding. I can see that you did all you could in a responsible way and that should comfort you. Blessings to you and remaining puppies. XOXO __________________ "The reason a dog has many friends is because it wags it's tail instead of it's tong " [I]Smartpuppiepets@yahoo.com /I][

03-18-2011, 04:52 PM	#4
RachelandSadie No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 5,748	it sounds like you've done all you could do. she's over the rainbow bridge now and living and thriving again. hugs and prayers coming to you. love those other pups and take good care of them and know that sometimes things do happen that we can't prevent or prepare for.

03-18-2011, 06:17 PM	#6
Sammy Mommy Donating YT 2000 Club Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: New York Posts: 3,896	You did everything you could do for this pup. I'm so sorry that you lost this little one. Sending hugs.

03-19-2011, 11:04 AM	#9
YorkieRose No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 8,577	I am sorry to say it happens often...I guess that is one reason God decided some animals needed to have litters instead of a single birth..not all will live and not all are meant to....no matter what the breeder does, some become angels too soon...and it never gets any easier to lose them. Myself and many, many breeders I know have even lost the entire litter of 3, 4 5...it just all goes wrong...then another litter will be born and everyone one is healthy and happy at 12 weeks...and go on to live a long life...but the lost ones are never forgotten.

03-22-2011, 05:59 AM	#12
JedsMom Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: ky united states Posts: 110	This was the hardest thing for me to learn in raising beagles. Sometimes it just happens and there is nothing you can do to stop it. We can try and try everything you know but still...it happens. So sorry for your heartache.