 So you want to breed...
Probably the wrong forum but hoping more will read this. Friday morning I was at the vets with one of my fosters when a woman came in with her shih tzu and her daughter who looked to be around 10 years old. The mom held the dog and the daughter signed the dog in. The poor thing was obviously in distress and luckily the receptionist noticed the woman sitting with the dog and they took her back immediately. It seems the dog had given birth approx 3 weeks previously to 7 puppies, 5 surviving. The family apparently loved their shih tzu and wanted a puppy just like her. They bred her because they thought she would soon be getting too old, so at the age of 6 they bred her for the first time. They also thought that losing 2 puppies was normal. Her calcium levels were so low that she started seizing. The owner just kept saying " I didn't know" when ask about supplements and why she didn't have mama on puppy food. Well they got their wish and had puppies just like mama. Unfortunately they no longer have the mama. She didn't make it. Now what they have are 5 orphaned puppies and obviously no knowledge about caring for them. The vet techs were attemptiing to educated them on bottle feeding and the care needed but sadly I don't have much hope. |