How can I tell if my shih tzu is pregnant?

[Cheekyteddy]

Hi all

I had my shih tzu put to stud on day 10/11 of her season. Can anyone tell me if she is likely to get pregnant at this stage of her season and if she is pregnant when am I likely to be able to tell without vet intervention?
Thanks

Louise

[lankeela]

Words fail me. How can you even contemplate breeding when you don't even know the basics about mating/whelping.

This information is freely available in any book or on any website. Many people on this site will tell you that I am usually very helpful to people with questions about their pets, but I am afraid that when the questions are as basic as this then I just don't think people like you should be breeding.

[lankeela]

Try reading this:

http://www.spinillons.com/Thingstoread.html

[Cheekyteddy]

Thank you lankeela. Who made you judge. I just asked a question if you don't know the answer then why respond?

Please do not judge me, you know nothing about me or my situation.

My daughter has a degree in animal management and supervised the mating. She knows the lady that owns the stud.

I thought that rather than ask them, I would ask the "friendly" folk on answer bank!

How wrong can you be.

[lankeela]

But I do know the answer. Because I made it my business to find out such things before I ever contemplated breeding.

[Cheekyteddy]

Still not a lot of good lecturing me especially if you know the answer. Are you going to enlighten me?

I hope you take your soppy poem on board yourself.

[redcrx]

i dont know the answer Im afraid, but surely after the earlier response youd have called your daughter by now. You said she is the one whos overseen it and has the degree.

[lankeela]

If you think all I posted was a poem them you should go back and read the rest of it.

Your bitch may well be pregnant, as most bitches will only accept the dog (unless forced which is cruel) when they are 'ready' to be mated. This is often around day 10 - 12; I have had bitches produce when mated on day 7 and day 30. At around 2 - 3 weeks the first sign is often a hardening and pinking of the nipples, and the bitch tends to become a bit more lovey dovey'.

Bitches can 'miss' i.e. not be pregnant for many reasons, so even if they 'tied' i.e. the dog was held inside the bitch she can miss. Some bitches can produce a litter after a slip mating, when the dog enters the bitch but does not tie; the ejection of semen as he thrusts is sometimes enough. Sometimes a bitch 'takes' on the first mating, sometimes on the second or third; there is no way of knowing as the sperm can live inside the bitch for up to a week, which is why some bitches can produce puppies with two different fathers, as the eggs can be fertilised by sperm from two different dogs.

You can scan at about day 28 (this doesn't have to be by a vet, there are several people around who provide this service). Worm her (I use Panacur liquid 10% which is given from day 42 until 2 days after whelping.

Basically it is a case of wait and see, no need to increase food or decrease exercise, keep things as they are until about week 7 or 8 when you need to up the protein levels (feeding complete puppy food to the mother is recommended) but don't let her get too fat or she may have trouble whelping. The last litter I helped whelp was a Shih Tzu and the first was a breach birth and had to be helped out, or else the bitch may have lost all the pups and died herself. Hope you have someone on hand to supervise the whelping. (let your vet know when it is imminent). Trim around rear end or pups could be strangled.

The Book of the

[lankeela]

The Book of the Bitch is a good buy. Also most breed books will have a chapter on breeding/whelping.

This site has some very useful info too.

http://www.doggehouse.co.uk/whelping.htm

[lankeela]

Very helpful gravitate, but if she waits a few months the bitch may well have exploded, as they are only pregnant for nine weeks.

[lankeela]

Also, don't giver any extra calcium before she whelps but it is essential after she has given birth, as the pups will take all her own calcium in the milk, and she could suffer from eclampsia which can be fatal if not treated quickly by a vet, with a simple injection. They go all weak and staggering about, glazed eyes, like they are drunk. Vets quick, or else you will lose her. This can happen at about 2 - 3 weeks after giving birth, when the pups are draining her of milk.

[Cheekyteddy]

Thank you lankeela i am very appreciative of your info.

I have spoken to my daughter now as well and all is well. All you say she says and I will look at the book.

I think it was only when she had been mated that I realised how little I knew which is why I was asking.

[gelda]

Lankeela, I think all people who are thinking of breeding (dogs of course) should read that article. I've a friend who has a Pointer bitch who he wants to breed from, he's under the impression that he can make a lot of money out of it, she's his first dog and he hasn't got a clue what he's letting himself into. I shall print the article and give it to him. Thanks

[Cheekyteddy]

Can I say that I have no intention of making any money from breeding our pet dog!

I have more homes (No money to exchange hands) than she could ever have puppies. Homes with dog experience and lots of love to give. It is a life long ambition of mine and maybe I am being selfish but it is nothing to do with cash.

She will be spayed if she has a litter or not. We will have tried and if it does not work well que sera!

By the way before I get more criticism she is three years old I am not breeding from a puppy!