Great Dane Club of America - Breeder Education 2009

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Question #2
When breeders are expecting a medium to large litter, it it a common practice to just schedule a c-section? It seems like there is a good possibility of needing one anyway and I HATE to lose puppies. Of course, I always seem to lose harls. In addition, is there a particular supplement that breeders use, whether it's nutritional or homeopathic? I don't do a lot of breeding and I feel like getting them born is absolutely the worst part of it all.

Response:
I try not to do c-sections unless I have to, but on the other hand, I always err on the side of caution and don't let a bitch go past her due date.

I always do an ultrasound (to confirm pregnancy, done between 21-28 days) and follow up with an x-ray just prior to whelping. (No, I've never had any problems from either.) I do this because I need to know how many puppies I can expect and I know when the bitch is done whelping.

With medium-sized litters, I've had little or no whelping problems. I rarely have large litters-my average litter size is between six-to-eight puppies. I have had bitches get uterine inertia or have a dead puppy blocking the others, requiring a c-section. Also, while some vets would let a bitch got more than two-to-four hours between puppies, I tend to NOT wait.

Before a c-section, I do request an ultra-sound so you know if you are dealing with viable puppies or not.

The more common problem I've had is the one-to-two puppy litter. Those bitches never seem to come into labor. While I know some would take a wait and see attitude and let them go a day or two over the due date, I section them right on their due date.

Personally, I would not routinely schedule c-sections unless you knew you had a bitch with whelping problems or the litter was especially important to you; like a bitch's last litter bred to a dead stud dog with limited semen availability. However, if there was any indication one was needed I would not hesitate.

As for worry about puppies during labor, perhaps look into Whelp-Wise?

Response:
I do not consider a scheduled c-section to be a "normal" thing to do. It's much better for the mother and puppies to go through a natural whelping in my opinion. However, if a previous litter required a section, perhaps a scheduled section may be in order - circumstances are different with every litter.--Some first time dams who are sectioned have a difficult time bonding with and taking care of newborns, usually it takes a few days to get them all settled, and on occasion they never do really accept the litter.

Response:
I have never pre-scheduled a c-section. Even when I was only expecting 2 puppies. My bitches seem to whelp very easily for the most part. I always have my Vet on call if I get into trouble.

Response:
It seems like there is a good possibility of needing one anyway and I HATE to lose puppies. Of course, I always seem to lose harls. In addition, is there a particular supplement that breeders use, whether it's nutritional or homeopathic? I don't do a lot of breeding and I feel like getting them born is absolutely the worst part of it all.

Response:
I think that some bloodlines have difficulty whelping naturally. If you are unfortunate enough to breed into such a bloodline you will encounter this problem on a regular basis. It has always been my practice to pre-schedule time with my vet on and around the expected whelping dates and make certain that a vet will be available for section if needed. I NEVER go past the due date as I have lost puppies doing so and I NEVER go more than 3 hours between puppies. I x-ray when I think the bitch is done whelping to look for the "missing" puppy as I have actually had one puppy whelped alive (if you can believe it) 20 hours after the rest of the litter. I figure the expense to section them alive is the same as the expense to section them dead. Bitches who are sectioned take up to 2 full days to figure out that those screaming things in their bed are actually their puppies in my experience. Normally on a second litter if you need to section the bitch accepts the puppies much faster. I would look at the experience of others with the same bloodline and make my decisions based on their experiences.

Response:
I do know of breeders who schedule c-sections, but usually because they have a single puppy not a medium to large litter. In forty years I have only had 3 c-sections. We are not a breed that should need c-sections, unless there is a problem such as going past due date, not going into labor, in labor and not progressing. I think everyone feels anxious that all will go well when puppies are due, but c-sections are not always without problems.

Response:
The important question is, should you breed a bitch you know will need x-rays or CS to give birth safely. X-rays have a horrible and well documented ability to destroy DNA. Ionizing radiation is a carcinogen. Loss of puppies is purely a financial matter and should not receive a higher priority than securing healthy genes for future generations. Often we are duped into believing we are not responsible breeders if we don't ultrasound, x-ray and schedule C sections, when just the opposite is true..

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by breeders in response to questions of general interest reflect their opinions based on their individual experiences within the breed and are not necessarily the opinion of the GDCA. It is imperative that anyone with a Dane puppy that shows signs of illness or injury obtain an immediate examination and diagnosis by a veterinarian.

Recommendations or ideas expressed by the breeders in Breeder's Ed. should be discussed with your veterinarian in detail. It is strongly recommended that a veterinarian experienced with Great Danes and other large breeds be contacted whenever possible.

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