I contacted Dee after I saw a help post on a repro list. Like she said, the only thing she had was the Tums so we did the best we could under the circumstances until she could get her vet on the phone. Like many of us, she lives out in the boonies and doesn't have easy access to an ER vet.
I recently had the whelping from H***. the bitch went down at 52 days, wound up in ICU at Texas A&M, almost died and got constant monitoring and medical care up til an emergency section at day 60. Prior to that she wasn't strong enough for the section. If I ever had another whelping like this one, I probably would never breed again. I learned a ton from this experience though and that is what I tried to share with Dee this morning. My girl had been eating well, on an excellent diet, no supplemental calcium, no puppy food and prior to this had been as healthy as a horse. She was tested for everything up to and including PLE. All negative. We still don't know why this happened but I am thinking that some dogs just have more problems with the pregnancy leaching calcium than others. I guess it just pays to have supplies on hand and to be vigilent always. Dee was doing everything possible and got her girl to the vet as soon as she could round him up. I am just so happy that the Tums had enough to keep her alive until he could take over. Thank God she made it. When push comes to shove, we just have to stick together for the good of the dogs and do the best we can.

Your right there is a confusion between feeding them food with calcium and the actual calcium supplement.

I know about the whelping from hell! My last one almost made me give it all up. I never want to see my girls in that condition again. That and the emergency making the wrong call and making things worse. It makes me mad that ERs charge an arm and a leg for their services and most of the time they aren't staffed with knowledgable personel. I thank God that after she was healthy I had her spayed. Had I decided to breed her one more time, she'd have died.

I had this to happen to katie when her puppies was about 2 weeks old. I have alway give Calcium taps but had changed to a new Vitamins with calcium. I guess it was not enough becuase when I got up that morning I knew what it was, called the vet told him what was go on and told him I was on my way. I keep Pet nutri-drops & nutri-cal on hand always. I give her some of that and ice cream.(I melted the ice cream and hand feed her) By the time we got to the vet she still needed a shot, but could walk on her on. Not sure what had helpped but one, nutri-drops, nutri-cal or ice cream but she was much better by the time we got to the vet than what she was her at the house. The vet said he is not sure which one helped but she looked better than what I told him on the phone. He went ahead and give her a shot of calcuim and we went home. She was back to her old self in about 2 hours. I went 1st thing to my computer and order a very large bottle of Pet tabs calcium and start back give it to her. But she does not like it. I have to put cheese on it. What calcium do you all order?? That is why I when to the other Vitamin because they liked it better.

Dee I am so sorry you are having such a rough time! I was glad to hear that you went in and got the babies out since she was due and having problems. I've had 1 pre-whelp experience and 1 post whelp experience.. the post was just 2 hours after whelp. It is a nightmare! But both Mom's did well and raised their puppies, so good thoughts heading your way!
My Vet also had me give fluids and metacam. Watch her temp, which can spike extremely high! But you can hold it somewhat at bay by rubbing the insides of the ears and the pads of her feet with cotton balls soaked in rubbing alcohol.
Good Luck!

Thanks deb, I didn't know that.

i want to update everyone. My mama and all the babies are doing great this morning. i only got up every three hours or so last night. I fed them once before beddtime and when I went to feed them again later, they were all good and warm and nursing and mamaa had come out of her anesthesia and was caring for them so I was able to get some rest. Today, I will worry about taking a couple of the puppies off her because of her calcuim. I have three super tiny girls and two big old robust boys. This is the first litter for my Crystal Waters*/Durrer guy so I am hoping to be able to keep one or two of them if all goes well. mama will be spayed in the future. She is only two and a half years old and free whelped the only other litter she had but I do not want to go thru this again. i would just die if I lost her. She had to have the section because she didn't have enough strength to push the babies down. Things like this ought to serve to deter all those people that we see on here every day that want to start breeding. It is enough to make me want to quit but oh, the joy, when you feel in your heart they are okay and are toddling around all over the place. Thanks everyone for your prayers and concern. Especially Ruth. And my friend Rose cheatam of kyblueyorkies had a part to play in calming me down last night when I called her in a panic about the mama. Great friends and New friends are hard to beat.

Dee,

Question? Was this your girl that had the episode/eclamptic? If so, just a thought, my repro vet informed me that nursing should not be even thought of and pups should be hand nursed, especially in Toy breeds.

Dee, so glad to hear that babies & momma are doing better, i hope they continue to thrive.

I'm so glad that Mom and the babies are doing better! Continued good prayers!

I think if it were me, and she went eclamptic when the babies are older.. I wouldn't place them back on Mom, as it probably would happen again.
But, the 2 of mine were 1 pre and 1 - 2 hours post whelping. My Vet felt it was the sudden dropping of her milk.. (and lots of it) caused the eclampsia. Of course, I just didn't put them back on Mom and forget her, but I supplemented, gave her fluids, and a strict regimen of different meds and sources of Calcium given to me by my Vet, and around the clock vigilance for several days. Mom did raise her babies, and never showed any other signs.

BTW, I did spay them after they weaned. I didn't want to risk it again! It is way too scary and way too serious!

Mmmm.....It's just information that I've received from 2 different vets; one a Top Yorkie Vet in Dallas that most exhibitor breeders use and a Repro Vet here and California.....both of their words were to the affect of: don't allow pups to nurse if you value your girls life and the chances of it happening again with the next letter are in that favor, so you might consider spaying a bitch that has had an episode. They said that usually with larger breed dogs it can be done, but shouldn't with toy breeds.

When my Samantha had eclampsia when her pups were 3 weeks old, the vet told me to start weaning them as it was too dangerous for the mom to nurse them.

I agree at 3 weeks old, I would take the pups away from Mom. That is typical Eclampsia. Pre-whelp Eclampsia, I was told happens when massive amounts of milk is dropped all at once, getting ready for whelp, and throws their body off. I don't know, I spayed so I didn't have to worry about it again. I've never had eclampsia weeks after they were born, and would take pups away immediately.