Sunday 20th September 2009
Here follow some interesting observations made by Dr Brian
Jones D.V.M., MRCVS, on the subject of breeding and Artificial
Insemination.
Before breeding, ask yourself the following questions: -
• Is your bitch in the peak of health?
• Is her weight correct? Not over or underweight.
• Is she at an age where she will be able to care for a
litter? Never at the first season and if older, fit enough
to cope.
• Does she have sufficient merit to improve the breed?
• Do you have the right stud dog? Genes will be passed on
from both parents.
• If you are planning to do Artificial Insemination (A.I.)
make sure that you have semen in storage before your bitch
comes into season.
• Always keep a log of your bitch’s seasons, e.g. date first
started, date finished, length of time colour showed, etc.
• Do you have sufficient good homes for the resulting puppies?
Some females have a regular six-month cycle; others only
come in every year, yet others every eight months. Each
one is unique in her own way, but the norm is a six-month
cycle. Be aware of your own female’s calendar so that you
and the owner of the stud dog (or veterinarian if using
A.I.) will be prepared when the time comes. The progesterone
test is very accurate to determine time of ovulation. This
prevents a lot of errors and mishaps.
It is good practice to take a swab at the first sign of
the cycle to check for any infection and to take appropriate
action. The same can be done for the stud dog. Many cases
of ‘fading puppy’ syndrome can be traced back to a herpes
infection. This condition is treatable and your veterinarian
will know what regime to follow. Give your bitch a booster
vaccination before mating as this will give the pups added
immunity. Also de-worm her.
When all is said and done, nature knows best, so try to
leave the dog and bitch with time to get acquainted and
do a bit of courting. They will know when the time is right.
You could place yourself at a discreet distance to supervise
proceedings.
If your bitch is of a nervous disposition, be on hand to
assist, but try not to interfere. Some bitches take an instant
dislike to the dog and will not have anything to do with
him. If you are determined to use him, it is advisable to
do A.I. with fresh semen. Your veterinarian will assist
you in this.
Forced matings are not a good idea and may cause a lot of
damage psychologically.
During pregnancy feed and exercise your bitch as normal
but be sure to add calcium to her diet in the form of milk,
cheese, bones inn combination with cod liver oil.
Calculate the whelping date so that you will be fully prepared
for it. (Usually 63 days from the date of the first successful
mating. However puppies born on day 59 or day 66 fall within
the normal range.) The bitch needs peace and quiet and as
little interference as possible. Rules one to ten are: warmth.
Many pups are lost due to inadequate heating.
Oxytocin is a marvellous drug when used correctly but tends
to be a first resort when it should not. Uterine inertia
is most likely caused by a lack of calcium, so a boost will
be beneficial, but can be prevented if the bitch has calcium
supplements throughout her pregnancy.
Discuss this with your veterinarian who will guide you in
the right direction.
If the litter is small be vigilant for mastitis. Make sure
the pups are suckling from all the nipples.
Pups should be de-wormed at two weeks of age.
