Long story, new here, please help! The sooner the better :)
 

Ok, this is a long story, but in order for you to fully understand the situation, I feel that it is necessary for you to know some of these things before you jump to any conclusions. About 1 year ago I adopted an abused dog (Yorkie) who was severely neglected. The previous owner didn't even know exactly how old her dog was. So I had to take her to the vet in Detroit in order for her to get the required shots and to come across the border. The vet had estimated last June that she was approximately 8 at the time, which would now make her approximately 9 now. He also informed me that she had what was most likely breast cancer in her top right teat. She also needed to be fixed. I decided that I still wanted to take her home because it was not like her previous owner would have done anything for her anyway. She was also way to unhealthy at the time to go through any surgeries anyway. She was literally going bald, was very timid, and had severe fear driven aggression. The previous owner really just had her for breeding purposes and kept her in one of those little carry cases all the time. She had informed me that she had one litter previously with no complications, but only had 3 puppies and she was not happy about that (she is an idiot by the way). She then said that after about a year or so Char-Dae (my yorkies name) stopped going into heat. She had tried several times to breed her again and it was unseccessful. So she bought a male yorkie to live with Char-Dae and she still would breed for quite a few years.
So, I figured that she could not get pregnant.
Well, Char-Dae's health and behaviour have come a long way. She is very attached to me now and is not aggressive anymore. Her hair is beautiful too! All she needed was some good food, daily exercise and a lot of love. I will put pics up when I get the chance.
So about 9 months ago I bought a 1/4 pomeranian and 3/4 yorkie puppy (well about that, I don't know his exact genetic configuration). I named him Porkie and he is the cutest mutt in the world (it has to be the yorkie in him).
In March, I was pretty ill. I had an infection in my skull and was in and out of the hospital. An infection in your head makes it really difficult to remember things, the whole month is pretty foggy to me. I woke up in the middle of the night because I heard my dogs in the living room. I got out there and my 7 month old puppy, who had never really humped anything before, (like his teddy bears, or legs) was locked with Char-Dae. I know they were locked because they were completely turned around and Char-Dae was trying to get away. So of course, I had to calm them down and wait it out. I was traumatized, didn't know that they could physically do that lol, crazy. So it turns out, Char-Dae goes into heat now! At first it was a dry heat, then she started bleeding. I had a diaper on her anyway to prevent Porkie from giving in to her taunting him. So, once she actually started bleeding. He went completely psycho. I have never seen him like that before. I woke up again a few days later to them doing it once again. He had managed to chew the diaper right off of her. So my mom came to take Porkie for a few days because I was really sick and couldn't keep him away, no matter what I did.
About 4 weeks ago I took them both to the vet. The vet had said that Char-Dae was very healthy now and I must have done something right. The lump in her teat has also gone down quite a bit in size and is almost gone. The vet said that she could not tell if Char-Dae was pregnant and that it could be false pregnancy due to her new nurturing environment. She also said that she sould be able to deliver puppies fine, even for her age. She also said that Char-Dae could breast feed out of that teat. Yeah, not sure that one is a good idea. Also, the vet didn't seem to know what she was talking about (my regular vet just retired), so I am not going back there. She was also really rude to me until I explained the situation. The vet didn't recommend it but I put her on puppy food just incase.
So she is definitely pregnant. I knew that a month ago, which is why I took her to the vet. So I know she mated the week of March 11th. I lost the thing that I wrote down the last date they mated on. I know it was the week of March 11th tho because I have my doctors note dated that week, which is the same week they kept waking me up. However, I don't remember if it was early in the week or late in the week. A couple of days overdue could make a huge different in fetal survival and complications with the dam. I am very worried about this. Her due date would be right about now. Her abdomen is very firm and huge. I can hear at least 3 fetal heartbeats with my stethoscope, so I know the pups are alive. Three days ago now Char-Dae had a large amount of stringy clear mucous hanging from her vulva. I am assuming that it was her mucous plug (I didn't see it with my last pregnant dog). Her temp is 99.8-99.3 but has seemed to run low like that for awhile now. I have been told that is normal in some dogs. My friend who is a breeder thinks that I should wait about 2 more days and then go to the vet to see if she needs to be induced. I also have the emergency vet number on hand. They are moving but not as much as they were a few days ago, which could be a sign of a few things, such a labor and not having anymore room to move. Her milk is also in. She has been sleeping in her whelping box for like 3 days now, but is still eating and drinking lots, and gets really excited for her treats.
So anyway, should I just continue to wait it out for a couple of days? Would really appreciate any input on the situation. And yes, Porkie has an appointment scheduled to get fixed!

Shes too old to be having puppies you just have to hope for the best

Take a deep breath, and wait a day or two. Pups are less active right before they come.
Where in Canada are you?

Oh boy...I hope one of our experienced breeders can help you out here!

Hello and welcome. Once they did it the first time, why didn't you keep them apart? And she is quite old. To hear she's come such a long way, it's scary to think that this pregnancy may put her back into an unhealthy condition. I pray she & the pups will be okay. I guess all you can do now is read, prepare & coming here is also a good place as there is a wealth of information. Good Luck!

I'm from Ontario. Where are you from?

I tried! I really did! When I realized the second time that he was crazy I sent him to my mom's! Trust me I have been praying lots. I appreciate the extra prayer :) I know this sounds really weird but her pregnancy has seemed to make her healthier. The vet said that is probably why her cancer has gone into remission and I am ver lucky it didn't go the other way around. I am not saying that I am happy this has happened, I'm sick to my stomach worried about her!

This sounds really bad to me, I would take the dog to the vet, or at the very least take her to my breeder friend. This thread probably needs to be moved to the breeding section. I would think that pregnancy would cause the cancer to return.

I have absolutely NO experience or knowledge with this...just wanted to say GOOD LUCK! I hope the mama is fine and the lil pups...And I hope you are doing better....will be sending good thoughts and prayers your way.....

There are alot of very inteligent ppl on here, I am sure they will help you a great deal.....

Maybe the mod can move this to the breeder's section for you or you can start a new thread there.

Mammary cancer wouldn't just go away on its own, so I highly doubt that was teh issue. It was probaby a hormonal thing.

I have no experience with this kind of thing, just wanted to let you know we'll keep you in our prayers.

First of all just wanted to say welcome to YT! I applaud you for rescuing char-dae and sorry you got such bum info from the original owner and are now faced with this. I also had an unplanned pregnancy with my two yorkies (my female was extremely young to go into heat and showed no signs) and they only mated once but we still got one little pup who we love and are keeping. I am no expert but because of her age and because of the uncertainty of her due date I would highly suggest you get her to the vet immediately. This is not a normal scenario in my opinion and waiting too long could jeaporadize her life as well as the lives of the puppies. I wouldn't wait 2 days. It's better to be safe than sorry! If you take her in now and she's not ready but the vet thinks she is okay then great, if you hold off you could lose them all. Will be praying for you and the whole situation! If there is anything I can do to help please don't hesitate to contact me! :-)

Ps. Not trying to be negative or scare you just don't want to see this become an emergency situation and a tragedy!!

I just called a much better vet! They laughed when I told them who I went to before. They told me that she sounds fine and I have been doing everything right. They said I should wait another day or two, then make an appointment. Although I'm glad I didn't hesitate to call. The vet is even gonna call me back to see how things are going. I have never even been there before. You didn't offend me at all. You are absolutely right!

The vet laughed when you told them the old vet's name, that's strange! Did you tell the vet that your girl was so old? I've heard that if they don't have the muscles to push, the babies can die. Do you know the signs of distress? Best of luck!

Oops! I missed 9 yr of age..I thought 9 pounds for some reason...not used to seeing a 9 yr old having a litter...well, it is done.
Keep in close contact with vet and best wishes...let us know..some come and post a story like this and disappear leaving us to wonder what happened.

I very much agree with Rose that she should be allowed to have the pups naturally if possible. I have heard of much older dogs having pups but they were not yorkies.

Nancy brought up a good point that you need to be sure you know the warning signs of a labor in distress. You should feel puppies moving. If she starts running a high temperature then she would need to go to the vet immediately. If she starts having a dark green discharge before going into labor that is a indication of problems. Please do keep us posted.

how many years has it been since she has had a litter?

Well what is done is done and all you can do at this point is hope for the best. I'm wondering what the original vet thought about the mammary cancer. That alone is very serious and should have been treated immediately when you brought her home last year. When are you going to see the new vet? You really need to ask this vet about the cancer. It could easily spread and since you did not have her treated since last year it could be life threatening. :(

The breeder that you purchased this girl from is beyond irresponsible that she allowed one of her dog to be rehomed without being spayed. It should have been the very first thing that she did before rehoming her. Accidents do happen but the real blame for this goes to the breeder for her irresponsible practice of not spaying prior to rehoming her.

Please let us know how she is doing. Make sure that you keep that vet appointment and when the puppies are born please let us know how momma and babies are doing.

agree totally - I'm no breeder but this is pretty drastic considering age and her health - You're getting good advice and hopefully things will go smooth but I'd be a wreck thinking about the 'what if's' .....IT's hard enough on their bodies when they're young and healthy but throwing in what you just mentioned makes it a risky pregnancy

as quoted above by (megansmomma)- the breeder showed a complete lack of responsibility and care for this girl.:(

ALL the best !!

Hindsight is always 20/20! We all wish we could go back and do things differently...with that being said, all you can do is what is best for your baby girl going forward. You, nor I, nor anyone can change what has happened and hopefully you will get great advice going forward from some of the wonderfully knowledgeable people on YorkieTalk. I know nothing about breeding, but feel the anxiety you must be going through. I am sending positive thoughts your way and hoping for the best results for your little family! Good Luck!

Wow! Sounds like a really tough situation! Are you going to be healthy enough to care for them all once they are here? I wish you luck and hope that everything turns out ok. Please keep us posted.

Saying a prayer that everyone stays safe and healthy......

All I can do is shake my head and pray the mom will be ok. I personally would take her in and spay her even at this late date because my #1 priority is the safety of the mom as I would be very attached to the mom and not the puppies as I have not bonded with the puppies and have the mom. I hope that doesn't sound cruel but the mom has had her fair share of troubles and health issues and putting her through another litter isn't worth her well being and possibly losing her to save puppies.

JMHO

Donna Bird
Brooklynn's Yorkshire Terriers

:thumbs_up

Where are you from in Ontario? I live in Toronto, if you pm me and tell me your exact locale - I may be able to put you in touch with very responsible breeders for help and assistance.

I would also like to say that it is best to neuter this dog. Please seriously consider that.

So why didn't you get her fixed and her tumor removed a year ago when your vet told you to?

Now she's pregnant and her cancer has had a year to grow?????

About 4 nights ago she went into first stage of labor. After I posted on here. She was crazy, like nesting and trying to get under the couch, wouldn't leave my side (which is normal). I got no sleep what so ever that night.
She went into active labour two nights ago (at about 1200). Her first pup didn't present itself until 300am. The head came out, but the rest of the pup was stuck, so I pulled on the head the way I was told to during contractions. Still, the puppy wouldn't budge. Oh, and his sac was broke so I had to try to keep him breathing. I called the emergency vet service and they asked me if I was comfortable with putting my fingers up inside her and then actually pull on the puppy as hard as I could. I thought I was going to break it in half, but I got it out. It was active right away and latched on to mom immediately. So I waited for the placenta, but nothing came. I waited and waited. Called the emergency vet service at 500am again to see if it was normal to wait two hours and no placenta came out. She wasn't in any distress, so it could just be a slow labor. I was soooo worried. I just knew it wasn't right. Her contractions got harder and harder, but still no puppy. At about 630am her 2nd puppy finally presented itself, but same thing, wouldn't come out. This time it really would NOT come out and Char-Dae was really really pushing. It took me over a half an hour to get it out, almost rushed to vet but got it out on last attempt. Suprisingly, this puppy was just fine.
Still no placenta, for either puppies now. I could see Char-Dae was starting to become extremely tired and her vulva was sooo swollen, I couldn't believe it. Plus green disharge came out, which I know can be normal after a puppy is born, but it was too much. I have seen the green before and this wasn't right. So I rushed her to the vet. .
So, I decided to get her an emercency c-section and to get her spayed at the same time. To be honest with you, I was freaking out on them because it was taking them so long. They were just worried about money. I told them I just had to go get it and come back. Still they made me apply for a medical credit card, which I told them it was pointless because I am a full time student and am now currently unemployed. Also needed a co-signer, and didn't happen to bring one with me ...lol. I was also crying (and throwing up from not sleeping for 2 days). I just wanted to stop her pain!
So she didn't get in to her c-section until after 900. I was not happy...and a little unstable lol. She was really in distress by the time we got there too, and more and more green was trickling out. Her uterus couldn't take it anymore, she was literally limp (which is why I was pissed when they suggested oxytocin as a first approach, if I didn't want to do a c-section, I'm just happy I took maternity last year and knew it wouldn't work lol). She had been in active labor for 9 hours at this point with only two puppies. The vet said that the third puppy was trying to come out breech, but for some reason was not going into the birth canal.
I went home and got to take a little nap. The vet woke me up about an hour and a half after I got home and told me that the third puppy didn't look like it had good odds but he could try to save it. I said no please just leave it with it's mom and keep it comfortable. He then said that it would be understandable if I wan't to put him down. I was like, are you serious? Just leave it with it's mom. This vet was doing everything it could to get my money. It died a few minutes after he called me anyway. But the fourth one was extremely healthy.
Char-Dae did great during the surgery. She is an awsome mom. She growls at almost everyone but me when someone comes close to the puppies. She wont leave their side. She is really tired from the whole ordeal and I have been waiting on her hand and foot. I am letting her drink 1% milk mixed half with water. I also made her some boiled chicken and mixed with with some puppy food and water. Its like a dogs food chicken soup. She really likes it. Do you think this is ok?
To answer some peoples questions, yes I had really edudated myself on this. I knew all the signs of distress, but I still kind of panicked and just kept wanting to bring her to the vet for every little thing. It was not the first time I have assisted with this. The emergency line was very helpful. One member (sorry I forget your name right now), had suggested that this could be a hormonal problem (with her breast). I thought about this and it makes perfect sense. These things can happen in people too. I talked to the vet about it, and he said that it was very probable and that getting her spayed might help this. He does not think it is cancer at all. But you never know. You cannot feel it now, but her milk has really come in, so it would be difficult to feel anyway. To all the other with the rude questions, read my story again.
I also want to thank all of the people with the kind messages sent to me! Sorry it took me so long to update all of you, but as you can imagine I have not had much time.

Thank you for the update. I am so thankful that Char-Dae is okay and she has some surviving pups.

As for giving her the 1% milk, I do not recommend it. If possible get some canned goats milk and mix it with half water. You can also give her some cottage cheese or scrambled egg. Are you giving her a calcium supplement like Pet-cal? That is very important.

I pray momma and babies do well.