YorkieTalk.com Forums - Yorkshire Terrier Community - View Single Post

wildcard · 07-14-2008, 04:05 AM

For me it totally depends on the reason for the section, the family history of the bitch, and the value of the bitch to my breeding program. My last pregnant bitch was sectioned after her singleton puppy's placenta separated prematurely, prior to her entering labor. Not unusual where there is only a singleton. Now I can't know at this point whether it was bad luck re: the singleton, the fact that she was bred to a stud whose sperm quality is probably low (he was 11 at the time), whether she is not going to release more than one egg per cycle, etc. In other words, I don't have enough knowledge about the cause of this section to make a decision. I do know however that she comes from lines, both paternal and maternal, that have large litters and have always free whelped. I also know that I specifically purchased this bitch because of her incredible pedigree. In other words, the pros of trying again far outweigh the cons, because there is no clear indication that the problem that caused the section was her problem generally versus a single breeding gone awry. So she will be bred again, after she skips a season. Were this to happen again she will probably be spayed (not at the same time as the section). Now another of my bitches was bred twice, both times requiring a section due to uterine enertia of an unknown cause. We gave her that second chance, she proved not to be able to whelp naturally because for whatever reason she would stop contracting. So she was spayed after her second litter.

There are so many reasons why a bitch might not free whelp- it may be her problem, it may be something as simple as a one time whelp mispresentation (for instance a friend of mine had a puppy who instead of heading down the birth canal starting back up into the other uterine horn, since sideways birth is not possible a section was required). Either way I am going to give the bitch a second chance to prove she is able to free whelp so that I can have more information on which to base a decision.

Also worth pointing out that for a second pregnancy on a bitch who was sectioned due to uterine enertia with an unknown cause I would most certainly do progesterone testing during breeding so I would have a firm due date (I do this anyway but I would be particularly adament about it in a second whelping of a previously sectioned bitch) so I would know for certain if she went past her due date and needed an elective section for that second breeding. I might also try Whelpwise for fetal monitoring during such a pregnancy.

I have a bitch who is borderline insofar as her size and ability to free whelp. It is not just weight that matters but the span of the pelvis. I have had several experienced breeders feel her and the general consensus is that she is too narrow to whelp naturally. She is not a bitch whose lines are hard for me to get, she is my first homebred girl and I am very emotionally attached to her. I am heading off any problems with her by just not breeding her in the first place LOL.

I am guessing the issue with Scotties is one of large head size at birth versus a narrow birth canal (like bulldogs but on a lesser scale). You can breed for a larger pelvis span if that is the issue, so I can see how as a breed you can work on that problem. I don't see why that cannot be an emphasis in toy breeds as well, only breeding girls that have a wider pelvis (i.e. I have no intention of breeding my girl with the narrow pelvis). But that is not going to eliminate other issues such as malpresentations (true breaches, two puppies trying to exit at once etc).

07-14-2008, 04:05 AM	#23
wildcard Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Indiana Posts: 236	For me it totally depends on the reason for the section, the family history of the bitch, and the value of the bitch to my breeding program. My last pregnant bitch was sectioned after her singleton puppy's placenta separated prematurely, prior to her entering labor. Not unusual where there is only a singleton. Now I can't know at this point whether it was bad luck re: the singleton, the fact that she was bred to a stud whose sperm quality is probably low (he was 11 at the time), whether she is not going to release more than one egg per cycle, etc. In other words, I don't have enough knowledge about the cause of this section to make a decision. I do know however that she comes from lines, both paternal and maternal, that have large litters and have always free whelped. I also know that I specifically purchased this bitch because of her incredible pedigree. In other words, the pros of trying again far outweigh the cons, because there is no clear indication that the problem that caused the section was her problem generally versus a single breeding gone awry. So she will be bred again, after she skips a season. Were this to happen again she will probably be spayed (not at the same time as the section). Now another of my bitches was bred twice, both times requiring a section due to uterine enertia of an unknown cause. We gave her that second chance, she proved not to be able to whelp naturally because for whatever reason she would stop contracting. So she was spayed after her second litter. There are so many reasons why a bitch might not free whelp- it may be her problem, it may be something as simple as a one time whelp mispresentation (for instance a friend of mine had a puppy who instead of heading down the birth canal starting back up into the other uterine horn, since sideways birth is not possible a section was required). Either way I am going to give the bitch a second chance to prove she is able to free whelp so that I can have more information on which to base a decision. Also worth pointing out that for a second pregnancy on a bitch who was sectioned due to uterine enertia with an unknown cause I would most certainly do progesterone testing during breeding so I would have a firm due date (I do this anyway but I would be particularly adament about it in a second whelping of a previously sectioned bitch) so I would know for certain if she went past her due date and needed an elective section for that second breeding. I might also try Whelpwise for fetal monitoring during such a pregnancy. I have a bitch who is borderline insofar as her size and ability to free whelp. It is not just weight that matters but the span of the pelvis. I have had several experienced breeders feel her and the general consensus is that she is too narrow to whelp naturally. She is not a bitch whose lines are hard for me to get, she is my first homebred girl and I am very emotionally attached to her. I am heading off any problems with her by just not breeding her in the first place LOL. I am guessing the issue with Scotties is one of large head size at birth versus a narrow birth canal (like bulldogs but on a lesser scale). You can breed for a larger pelvis span if that is the issue, so I can see how as a breed you can work on that problem. I don't see why that cannot be an emphasis in toy breeds as well, only breeding girls that have a wider pelvis (i.e. I have no intention of breeding my girl with the narrow pelvis). But that is not going to eliminate other issues such as malpresentations (true breaches, two puppies trying to exit at once etc).