Reproduction/Thyroid Question
Submitted by mikesbulldogs on June 24, 2010 - 11:04amI have a 3yr old bulldog bitch. Her c-section was scheduled this Friday the 25th, I had her xray monday the 21st and found out she wasn't pregnant. This would have been her second litter. I'm trying to figure out what might have happened to cause her not to conceive. The only things different this time around was I did use a different male(he is proven). Because of her progesterone results she had to be AI on a Sunday and since Fed Ex doesnt do Sat overnight I took her to the stud home in TN,and left her there and picked her up 5 days later. Since I didn't know the situation two days before the trip I had my vet give a bordetella since she would be with other dogs I was concerned with kennel cough, and I did go ahead and get her DA2PP booster. I never had to worry about kennel cough before because she never left the house/potty area. Of course I did the folic acid.
Do you think the trip could have stressed her. Do you think it was the vaccine(I have heard different well known breeders have different opinions)some say it is good it will pass immunity onto puppies. some say they would have waited till after the puppies were born. I did take her today to check her thyroid, I know they tend to have low levels, I will get the reults back tomorrow.
I'm not questioning the breeder's competency in the AI, she has done it for years. Sorry for the long post, I just wanted to make sure I remembered everything I did differently this time than the first. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Several things come to mind
Several things come to mind here -
The vaccines so close to breeding her could have been a factor.
The trip may have stressed her, and the stay at an unfamiliar place may have stressed her too.
The male and your female may have incompatible chemistries for conception.
Sometimes Bulldogs can be on the low side of normal on Thyroid levels and need a bit of supplementation to conceive and carry a litter.
Your bitch could have picked up an infection (from anywhere; the Vet's office, the male's house, a potty stop along the way, someplace she went during the gestation time, etc.) that killed the developing fetuses.
This is interesting to me as I have a bitch that has been bred 3 times and only once has she shown any sign of conception. That was the 3rd time and by a surgical insemination. Her Ultrasound reveled signs of pregnancy, but no pups. All 3 times have been to the same male. While he is older, he has sired several litters during the times we have used him. On all of the 3 breedings the progesterone numbers have indicated our timing was perfect and each time we used a fresh collection that had extender for transportation of about 2 hours.
She is in heat now and I'm going to try a different, younger male to see if she can conceive and carry a litter. We ultimately have a frozen semen litter in mind for her, but I want that to be done AFTER I know she can have pups since there is a very limited supply left.
failure to conceive
sress at being in an unfamiliar place could be the cause. However I am more concerned about the vaccines and think that could be your culprit. Frankly I am surprised your vet gave them knowing you were planning to breed. She should have received her vaccines before her heat cycle started if they were going to be due any time during the heat or pregnancy or lactation. In fact no vaccine should be given to any dog in the same area as the bitch during this time. Failure to conceive, abortion, or deformed pups can result.
Miriam
omegabulldogs@aol.com