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| Reproduction Seminar This past weekend I attended a reproduction seminar given by Robert Hutchison. It was very good and I recommend attending any presentation by him if you have not already. This talk was in Phoenix. He gave a presentation to the same club last year and he changes his ideas as he gets more data. He runs the International Canine Semen Bank and Animal Clinic Northview in Ohio. Some of my notes: Based on a discussion with FAA officials, you will not be able to fly dogs in 4-5 years. He did 230 C-Sections last year. 1/3 of fetuses do not attach to the uterus wall. The eggs evenly space themselves around the uterus, 1/2 on each side. Can ultrasound for pups at day 19 post ovulation; palpation at day 24, Relaxin (though advertised as an early pregnancy test) day 26; radiograph at day 45. Ultrasound can detect heartbeat at day 26 but not a good test for the number of pups. The more ultrasounds he has done has convinced him that reabsorption is much more common than originally thought. Radiograph at 52-54 days can tell the number of pups and see some defects. New pups are 80% water. Check Drops are no longer available. After a bitch is 6 years, the chances of pregnancy decrease. Pups calcify at 43 days. Dead pup in uterus implodes. 40% of pups born breach and will drown if not removed quickly. If the pups head is out but the bitch stops pushing, break the sack. Pups put out cortisone which causes labor. Why single litters go longer. Rule - Never be more stressed than the bitch!! Nutrition during pregnancy - 25% animal protein (eggs most digestible, milk next); no calcium supplements; multiple meals. Raspberry leaves or Concept-A-Bitch may cause premature contractions based on Whelpwise but he isn't sure it is a problem. Normal pups are actually premature. All the organs are totally developed (liver one example). So taking the pups before they are ready makes them pre premature. He has never had a C-Section bitch not have milk or act aggressive to the pups. He feels that C-Section bitch that do so had the procedure early. Had cases where Whelpwise told him to do a C-Section or the pups would be dead. 5 days later he did the C-Section and the pups were fine. Supplemental heat for pups kills more than help. With a health bitch and a normal litter, room temperature (70 degrees) should be ok with no extra heat. Pups are born with sterile guts and adding antibiotics can cause problems. The reason for difference size pups may be large placenta gives more food so large pup. Or twins in the same placenta, less food and more compressed. Prolactin and progesterone below 2.5 nanograms cause contractions, milk, maternal instincts. The progesterone test is used for breeding and labor. A level of 2.5 is needed to maintain pregnancy. Greater than day 65, post ovulation, the pup starts to out grow the placenta. Oxytocin dose initially will cause high blood pressure but too much will cause dilation. Heart rate of pups are double that of the bitch. More live pups from a C-section than normal whelp. (He does not recommend everyone go for C-Sections. It has given him info on reabsorption. Has done a C-Section where 4 pups are on one side of the uterus. Since they are normally spaced out, 4 on the other size reabsorbed.) Better to help pup out rectally than push again it in the vaginal track. Bitches flag 5 to 6 days before ovulation. Semen last 5 to 10 days in the bitch. They now have chilled semen lasting 30 days. Ovaries are the sole source of progesterone. Goes up after ovulation to as much as 20. The pre-whelp drop causes the temperature to drop. Always lay a pregnant bitch on her left side or it will compress the uterus. C-Sections don't reduce the number of possible litters. He had a cocker walking and nursing 47 minutes after he started a C-Section. Puppy scale should be accurate in grams. Lack of weight gain is the first sign the pup is going down hill. If glucose level normal, giving more glucose can kill. No such thing as fading puppy syndrome. Can do any test that can be done on an adult, but the valves are different. Most vets don't recognize that. Also most labs will require enough blood that it would kill the pup. He does a complete set of tests on 1ml. Hold neck skin between fingers and see if it remains vertical is not a good test for dehydration. The best test is to touch the inside of the lip. If sticky, dehydrated. Same as adult. Puppies don't have the blood brain barrier. Takes 6 months to form. Below 94 degrees, the pups intestines stop. Over 100, just as bad. If pup is not breathing, there is an acuputure point between the nose and upper lip for breathing. Use of a rectal thermometer could do the same. If pup is still gasping after using a bulb to clean out the mouth, tape to a yard stick, facing down at a 30 degree angle. All new born pups lungs are raspy. Birth weight doubles in 10-12 days. Heart rate 200 beats/min. Respiration 15-35/min. Temperature of new born 96 degrees; 1 week 96-76; 2 weeks 97-98; 3 weeks 98-99; 4 weeks 100. Normal puppy urine is like diluted lemonade (specific gravity of 1.005-1.017). If bright, then dehydrated. Too hot or high humidity can cause a problem. High humidity can cause diarrhea. A single pup can get chilled because of over licking by bitch. Mastitis could be caused by hard hits to the mammary glands (getting into and out of the whelping box). Unless the bitch has a temperature over 103.5, let pups nurse. Fetuses can be reabsorbed up to 38 days. After 45 days, the pup starts to calcify and will not be reabsorbed. On aborted fetus, the placenta is more valuable for analysis than the fetus. Refrigerate but don't freeze. Colostrum only good for first day or two. Debatable after 24 hours. Can be obtained from the bitches blood. Pup gets 1/2 of the protection of the bitch and it reduces 1/2 every 9 days. Herpes virus is very serious in pups, not adults, but is probably over diagnosed. Much bitches have already been exposed. Can get a titer to verify. If the pup has herpes, raise the body temperature to 99 or 100. One reason why, before the whelp and for the first couple weeks, keep other dogs separated from the bitch and the pups. Dewclaws and tails should be done after 3 days. 5% of the pups protection comes via the placenta and 95% from Colostrum. Nosomes of no use. Ohio State has said that separate shots at different sites will not compromise the immune system. Puppy formula - 4oz cow's milk, 4 oz water 1-2 egg yolks, 2 tums, 1 tsp vegetable oil = 1 calorie per 1 ml. Normal weight gain = 1-2grams per 1 lb of anticipated adult weight per day. Milk comparisons Protein Fat Lactose Bitch 33% 41% 17% Cow 25 29 38 Goat 27 31 34 Esbila formula 33 44 15 Tubing Stomach capacity is 20ml per pound. Calories approx 60-70 per pound daily. Use 1/3 Pedialyte for hydration. Feed with pup on it's chest as it would normally feed. File tube before inserting. Measure tube daily. Rock pup to burp Amoxi can cause diarrhea. 2-7 years is peak male semen production. To get 3 litters, better to breed the bitch 3 seasons in a row. Bitch doesn't go into menopause. Better to spay after breeding. Does not believe there is a problem with chilled or frozen sperm in any breed. Best odds are surgically implanted because the uterus can be checked out. Litter size larger from frozen than natural. Pyromutris is not a cause for spaying. Easily cured and can then be bred. Smaller litters are caused by breeding too early or too late. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This was cross-posted in the Rottweiler_Health group, permission to copy from the Collie Eye Problems List. |
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