Dog Community

Preggo chihuahua help please

Posted : 1/29/2007 2:42:11 AM

Hi my name is Evan and I'm mom to three chihuahuas. My female is pregnant, not exactly sure her due date but I was estimating Feb. 9. Her habits have been changing in the past couple of days and I get the sense that she might be in active labor soon. She's had a litter before, but it came on very quickly and we rushed her to the vet because she didn't seem to be pushing at all. She delivered via c-section. The father is larger than she is so that will probably be the case this time as well, but she's acting so strangely and I don't want to go to sleep for fear that she is in labor but I won't know. Her vulva is very loose and open, and she has been licking herself more than usual. She gets comfortable in one place, and for a while she'd get up every hour and move around sniffing. Now she's getting up every thirty minutes. Whenever she gets up I feel her stomach and it is very hard, and stays hard for about a minute maybe longer. Then it softens and stays soft until she moves again. I'm wondering if maybe she's moving because it's a contraction and it pains her? Her temp is 99.1, but her temp was 99.2 yesterday and the day before so I'm not using that as a factor. Any thoughts? She's my precious baby and I would do anything for her. All the material I've read say that the contractions you can feel are the second stage of labor and that they happen one after the other. So could these be contractions or am I just being a worry wart?

Also she just looks plain uncomfortable.

ColleenC

Posted : 1/29/2007 2:46:55 AM

I would probably get her into the vet. When the temp drops below 100, they should have the pups within 24 hours. Is she shivering at all? Has she been eating? You should already have a c-section scheduled since she had one last time and you expect her to have one again. I would get her to a vet ASAP if it were my dog. Of course, I would also have her spayed as well. I work very closely with a Parson Russell breeder. We haven't had many dogs need a c-section, but if they require one, we spay them. The dog's health is always more important to us. Hes been breeding for about 10 years or more. Please, take your girl to the vet. I would probably call an emergency vet since her temp has been low for so long.

Evan Forbes

Posted : 1/29/2007 2:52:07 AM

Yes I called the vet this afternoon and she said there's nothing she will do until I can confirm she is in active labor. Her temp seems to be always low, as if it's normal for her. Have you ever had a dog have contractions so far apart? That's my main concerns, are these really contractions or is her belly just hardening for no reason?

gayle

Posted : 1/29/2007 2:58:37 AM

to do a c-section it does not have to be in active labor, in fact it can be dangerous to wait until then. i would take her to a different vet tomorrow for an examination and to schedule a c-section. it is possible for the uterus to rupture where the previous c-section scar is, so prenatal care is very important. you said you want to do the best for your baby, take her to the vet asap, and get her spayed after this litter. good luck.

ColleenC

Posted : 1/29/2007 3:00:17 AM

Is she panting a lot? Shivering? How has her appetite been the past few days? Any discharge? Having a temp that low is not normal. The average temp is 101-102(approx). Do you know what dates she was bred?

Xebby

Posted : 1/29/2007 3:02:03 AM

I have to agree with everything Colleen said. normal temps should be above 100 if it's even 99.8 that is low. If she has been this temp for 2 days she should see a vet even if she hasn't had signs of contractions especialy if you know the male is lager than her. By the sounds of things she may need an emergency c-section so I would get her to the vet as soon as you can. Even if it turns out to be nothing at least you have your peace of mind that you did all you could for her.

Evan Forbes

Posted : 1/29/2007 3:03:45 AM

She's not panting or shivering, just laying in one spot until her tummy gets hard and then she gets up and moves around and sniffs everywhere. She did some nesting yesterday morning in my bed. She has a whelping box with a heating pad but she only lays in it half the time, she moves around to different places. I'm not sure if she's having discharge, she's licking herself more than usual and her bottom is wet some of the time but that could just be urine. The only thing with calling and scheduling a c section is I'm not sure when she was bred. I have a male chihuahua and they are together all the time so I can only estimate. I've only been able to feel the puppies move for about four days now, so that's another reason why I thought it wasn't time yet.

What if I schedule a c section and the puppies aren't ready?

gayle

Posted : 1/29/2007 3:05:22 AM

What if I schedule a c section and the puppies aren't ready?

the vet should be able to determine an approximate due date and schedule accordingly. it would be better to deliver early than wait until both pups and moms' lives are in jeopardy.

Xebby

Posted : 1/29/2007 3:06:44 AM

Get an ultra sound done, or even for more exact results x-rays, thoes should help determin where the pups are in development and if there is anything else going on inside there.

ColleenC

Posted : 1/29/2007 3:10:59 AM

At this point, you really need to have her checked out by a vet. No matter if you have a c-section or not. This can turn into an emergency very quickly. Her temperature should not be below 100 for 3 days. She has had a c-section before, and the male was larger. I would consider her a high risk. If she has to have a c-section, please get her spayed. Having more litters really risks her life at this point.

Evan Forbes

Posted : 1/29/2007 3:12:25 AM

I had no idea that after a c section having another litter could put her in danger. The vet never said anything of the sort.

So the consensus is I should call the emergency vet, or I should wait until the morning?

ColleenC

Posted : 1/29/2007 3:15:56 AM

If this was Rose, my little girl, in the same situation, I would call the emergency vet. The fact that her temp is so low for so long really worries me. I may just be a worry wart, but I would much rather find out sooner than later. Time can really make a huge difference in the lives of both the mother and pups.

Xebby

Posted : 1/29/2007 3:24:13 AM

This is true for humans as well but a mamal can only have 3 c-sections (3 IMO is pushing the limit) in it's lifetime, anymore can kill it. Having a larger male breed to a smaller female is extremly dangerous in smaller breeds, it puts the female at high risk and most often the birth must be done by c-section. Often it also results in deformities because there is simply no room in the mothers womb for the large pups to grow normaly. If she looks unconfortable I would call the e-vet but the choice is yours.

I really do wish the best for your little girl and I hope the two of you can get through this smoothly.

Xebby

Posted : 1/29/2007 3:31:05 AM

Just wanted to add that you do not want to use an electic heating pad, they are known to burn the dog and can become very dangerous to puppys that have not learned how to use ther limbs to move away from the heat. The vet I worked for never used them for that very reason. Instead we used hot watter bottles to keep the animals warm. Or you could also fill a sock with beans or rice and microwave it for about 2min and it becomes a safe heating pad.

lisa baker

Posted : 1/29/2007 8:25:31 AM

Ok so I am the blunt one around here and imo you should not be breeding dogs if
A: you are breeding a larger male to a smaller female. even a good byb knows better.
B: a good breeder knows when the dog is due as it was an intentional breeding

So that being said you need to have this little girl seen by a vet and watch her very closely. If you are planning on becoming a breeder please do the research and become a reputable breeder. There are too many byb, puppy mills now. I volunteered at a shelter for years and see no need for the average gp to be breeding dogs. jmo! Best of luck to you and your little ones. I hope this little girl makes it through this horrible ordeal.

Edited for spelling error