Gun Dog Forum

My first GSP was supposed to be born around Feb. 1st. I got an email from the breeder today saying she thinks she lost the litter because the bitch's belly is smaller today than in was in week 5. This would have been the bitch's 4th litter, and she's produced one litter in each of the previous years. Is this common? Should I have any concerns?

Female hormones are strange. She may have had a false pregnancy or reabsorbed the fetuses. Or, tomorrow or the next day she may have a singleton pup. Since successful pregnancies are usually progressive in dogs kept in good health, it's likely a fluke thing.

Sounds like a false pregnancy maybe something was wrong and the fetuses got absorbed as already stated ...A female can gain weight bag up etc and due date circle labor and then nothing.. Normally this can happen with more first timers or could be that the stud got to the bitch to late or many other things where mother nature takes over.
Sorry

I would assume the breeder is going to have her xray to see if there are any pups..i wouldnt contact buyers and getting anyone concerned until i had her to the vet to be sure..ive never had a litter before but i have been around other people who have and they seem to always get the pregnancy confirmed during the pregnancy..did the breeder say they were going to find out from the vet?..hope it all works out for you!!.....ruth

The breeder said at one point that she had been xrayed and confirmed, but she didn't say anything about going back to the vet again. Another breeder I talked to was very concerned that she wasn't going in for more xrays or a c-section. Fortunately after talking to the other breeder he has some amazing pups ready to go in a few weeks out of of Hustler/Stradivarius lines and I can get the last female. I'll wait to hear from breeder number 1, but it may be a blessing in disguise for me. Sad to loose a litter though.

wills1235 wrote:The breeder said at one point that she had been xrayed and confirmed, but she didn't say anything about going back to the vet again. Another breeder I talked to was very concerned that she wasn't going in for more xrays or a c-section. Fortunately after talking to the other breeder he has some amazing pups ready to go in a few weeks out of of Hustler/Stradivarius lines and I can get the last female. I'll wait to hear from breeder number 1, but it may be a blessing in disguise for me. Sad to loose a litter though.

it is confusing why the breeder wouldnt be at the vet asap..not to judge them but i just would not wait on ensuring there are no pups especially for the sake of the dog..but thats great you found another breeder...i have a pup coming in a week and a half out of tennessee with Hustler lines..cant wait..look on DOGS FOR SALE on here under the title FUTURE LITTER NOW..you must see this litter!! we are getting a female as well..we have 3rd pick..and the breeder i HIGHLY recommend!!..good luck and post pics when you get your new pup....ruth

how far along is she?? i doubt she would resorb bones.

dog dr wrote:how far along is she?? i doubt she would resorb bones.

Have never heard of one reabsorbing pups that were getting pretty well along in the pregnancy. In the first trimester it can happen but past that I think it is something else and it sounds like a false pregnancy to me.

Ezzy

I know of a case where she whelped one puppy. The breeder took her to the vet because he thought there was a problem. X-Rays showed there were no puppies, but the vet said there was something that appeared to be bones. It was determined that other puppies were born dead and the female ate them.
Maybe your litter was whelped late at night and had the same problem with no witness.

Any news on that litter and did you pick a pup from the other breeder?...ruth