AKC Gazette April 2006

Small Wonders

The majority of boxer bitches free-whelp rather easily. In 35 years of breeding I have only had to deal with 2 C-sections, one to retrieve the last puppy, and one that resulted in the loss of 4 after the delivery of another 4 live pups. Boxer bitches usually have strong labor and good contractions, but they are sometimes susceptible to secondary uterine inertia—the uterus simply gets “tired” and contractions become ineffectual. It is up to the breeder to know when to intervene, and when to let Nature take its course.

Boxer moms often do not read “the book” on what they should and should not be doing during labor. They sometimes have very long first stage labor, lasting up to 48 hours, and drive their human ‘watchers’ crazy, wondering if this seemingly endless panting and restlessness will ever result in live puppies in the whelping box. Usually, I have found that until their body temp is under 99, they are not ready to deliver. I confess to not taking the temp very often, as each tiny fluctuation is designed to drive me to distraction. Perhaps the most significant temp reading, for me, would be a rise in temp AFTER it had dipped below 99 in the laboring bitch. Especially if that rise coincided with a lessening of nesting and panting activity—then I would be concerned that labor had ceased or nearly so. I would call the vet immediately at that point.

Conventional wisdom says that puppies should result within an hour of the water breaking. Not necessarily! I have had perfectly normal whelpings with pups not making an appearance for several hours after the water broke. Another accepted “given” is that a delay of 3 hours between pups during whelping is a danger sign. Possibly—but if the bitch is strong and nothing seems unusual, I have learned to be as patient as she is and usually the next healthy pup comes along. I admit to getting nervous if a 5 hourdelay has occurred, and of course, if she is straining continuously and producing nothing, a vet visit is a must. As breeders, we have to know our laboring bitches well, and use our instincts to determine which variations on textbook delivery are perfectly normal in any given situation.

We have all been taught that the appearance of a green discharge before the first puppy has arrived is a real danger signal, often signifying the premature separation of a placenta. However, I have also seen small amounts of green discharge during first stage labor that did not signify anything dire—healthy pups came along nicely. Clearly, each bitch is different and again, it is our responsibility as owners to tell the difference between calamity and what is ‘normal’ for any given animal. Competent veterinary advice is essential—accent on the ‘competent.’ I know of a situation with a slow laboring bitch where a vet did what was probably an unnecessary C-section because the timing fit into his busy schedule—hardly a criterion for major surgery.

If a puppy is born dead, or appears dead, I am reminded of the wise words of my own mentor who has observed “That’s why dogs have litters.” Not every puppy is viable and not every puppy is meant to survive, despite our best efforts. On the other hand, I do give newborn, moribund whelps every chance, working on them vigorously, sometimes even roughly, to try to stimulate that first gasp. I breathe for them, swing them sharply downwards in an arc to try to force fluids from their nose and mouth, and even pinch their toes trying to elicit any response to indicate life. Usually I have Dopram (doxapram hydrochloride), a respiratory stimulant, on hand--to drizzle on the tongue of a seemingly dead pup. If there is a heartbeat, the Dopram is absorbed into the circulation where it reaches the respiratory centers of the brain and hopefully rewards us with a puppy that suddenly decides to breathe.

Boxer bitches make great mothers, and usually quite sensible ones. While caring deeply about their babies, they are not frenetic once they settle down after whelping. We as owners are their own best advocates, and our knowing observations are every bit as important for a good outcome as the skills of a good vet in a crisis.

Stephanie Abraham
P. O. Box 346
Scotland, CT 06264