# Help please! 6 month old pregnant dog



## Elbe (Apr 29, 2015)

Before people jump down my throat calling me irresponsible and stupid and cruel I did not do this. 

We took a bitch in that her previous owner was trying to get rid of. 

We have since found out that she is in fact pregnant!

I believe she has been mated with another a husky that her previous owners had. She's a husky/malamute. 

Our vet has advised to progress with the pregnancy as she is a big pup and the litter has very little chance of having a detrimental impact on her health. 

My concern is she is very young and won't be able to cope with being a mother. 

Has anyone else ever had a bitch that has coped with a litter at this age?

Please no negative comments I really just want constructive advice.


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## newfiesmum (Apr 21, 2010)

I am no expert on breeding, but, depending on how far along in the pregnancy she is, I would say try another vet. If it is safe to abort and the puppies are not old enough to be viable outside the womb, why put this poor puppy through the pain and trauma of childbirth?


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## Elbe (Apr 29, 2015)

newfiesmum said:


> I am no expert on breeding, but, depending on how far along in the pregnancy she is, I would say try another vet. If it is safe to abort and the puppies are not old enough to be viable outside the womb, why put this poor puppy through the pain and trauma of childbirth?


We have. The pregnancy is too far and it would be too dangerous for her. I'm devastated but getting prepared to hand rear the pups. I just wanted to know if anyone has ever experience a mum this young being able to whelp the litter indepently x


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## Burrowzig (Feb 18, 2009)

It does seem odd to me that a Husky-Malamute cross should have had a season so young, let alone be pregnant at 6 months. Seasons _can_ be from 6 months, but that tends to be in smaller breeds. I wouldn't be surprised if she's older than what you were told - and if the previous owners are the sort of people who would allow her to be mated, or not supervise an in-season bitch properly, they'd probably lie about her age as well. My collie pups are nearly 10 months now, and have not had their first seasons; their mum had her first at 15 months.


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## Dogloverlou (Dec 8, 2013)

I'd have been really annoyed with that vet to be honest and insisted on the mismate jab. 

At that young an age there is every chance she will reject her pups and/or struggle as a mother. Does your vet have any further advice on those concerns?


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Elbe said:


> Before people jump down my throat calling me irresponsible and stupid and cruel I did not do this.
> 
> We took a bitch in that her previous owner was trying to get rid of.
> 
> ...


If shes a Malamute Husky mix, then both breeds are slow maturing, both mentally and physically. As a 6month old she still has a lot of growing to do. The Malamute breed club say that bitches should be a minimum of 2 years old before being bred from for that very reason.
So despite what your vet says, the likelihood that she will be both physically and probably even more so mentally prepared to whelp and have a litter of pups is highly debateable, so I therefore agree more with your thoughts then the vets. She will only be 8 months old when they are born still a puppy herself. Both breeds tend to be more trying in adolescence and young adult hood in general. The age most Siberians are given up to welfare is often between 9 and 18months when owners find them starting to get hard work. Malamutes tend to be their hardest between the end of the first year and into and through the second year.

Do you know how far along she is? gestation is usually about 63 days from conception. There is a mismate injection the the newest of which is one called Alizin, this can be used up to day 45 of pregnancy, but ideally really day 20 or before is a better.


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## lovemybabies (Apr 14, 2015)

How far along does your vet think she is? did you have a scan on her ? Like others think.... are you sure of her age? if she is only 6 months old she should not have a season at 4-5 months old ( this would be unusually early for a large breed as they are very immature physically.)


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## Elbe (Apr 29, 2015)

She scanned and thinks they'll be here in the next two weeks. I have not taken this advice lightly or without other opinions. They only option left is too surgically abort or spay. Neither are a safe option at this stage in pregnancy. I won't put get through that risk. Mia's a big pup, not tall but very bulky which is why the vets thinks progressing with the pregnancy site safest option as she has avoid chance of delivering the litter. 

My concern is that Mia is very Young and immature and won't look after the litter. I would just like to know if anyone had experienced a dog this young have a litter and take to motherhood? Or is it certain I'll be hand rearing. My vet has told me due to her age she's likely to reject the litter and they'll need hand rearing x


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## lovemybabies (Apr 14, 2015)

To be honest... I have not. Larger breeds go into season much later than 4.5 to 5 months of age... Be prepared though for possibly feeding and taking care of them yourself and get bottles and a puppy milk supplement. 

How many pups did they see?


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## Elbe (Apr 29, 2015)

She thinks 6. I've got a whelping kit on the way along with a whelping box. I'm just praying she defies the odds and looks after them. If not me and my partner will be prepared for the sleepless nights and round the clocks feeds!! X


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## mrs phas (Apr 6, 2014)

the other thing you could do is ask the vet or on fb/local sites if anyone has a large breed dog with a small litter
that way you might, just might, be able to foster them on to the nursing bitch, if she does reject


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## lovemybabies (Apr 14, 2015)

Best of luck! You will have to keep us posted


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

The youngest bitch I had here having her litter was a fifteen month old Cavalier bitch, whose owner was taken into hospital unexpectedly.

The bitch was called Kizzy and really, she was pretty useless. She had six pups and screamed the house down from start to finish, then she began snarling at the pups. I knocked her out with valium and, when she woke up, she appeared to accept the pups, although she seemed bewildered as to where they had come from.

I used to have to hold Kizzy down six times a day to allow the pups to feed and I had to stimulate them to wee/poop and clean up behind them. I had them weaned by three weeks old as Kizzy was horribly clumsy and used to racket around the whelping box, standing on them and lashing them across the face with her tail. I got sick to death of hearing the poor little things shrieking, so I took them off her.

All six survived and they went on to make beautiful dogs, four of them ended up being shown and winning well.

I'm sure it was Kizzy's age that made her such a bad Mum, she was just too young.

Your pup, although undoubtedly way too young, may surprise you. Be prepared to help her to sever cords and rupture membranes and to teach her how to feed. At the first sign of a snarl or a growl, get the pups away from her though.


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## Elbe (Apr 29, 2015)

Thanks guys! I'll definitely look into the fostering if she rejects them. I'll keep you all updated! X


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## Elbe (Apr 29, 2015)

Thanks sweety!

My grandma used to breed whippets so I know all about helping deliver and what I need to do if Mia's doesn't break the sack ect and to stimulate toileting. 

I'm doing all the research I can in preperation. I just hope she does defy the odds! Xx


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## Tanya1989 (Dec 4, 2009)

If you go on the facebook page "Orphaned puppies" there is alwasy an up to date list of bitches in milk. It may be worth joining in preparation and getting yourself familiar with the layout


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## Elbe (Apr 29, 2015)

Thanks Tanya xx


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## EsmaeSteel (Apr 7, 2015)

I no someone who's girl had pups (not planned) at 10 months.. She wasn't the best mother but did the basics.


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## rocco33 (Dec 27, 2009)

Bear in mind that it's not just rejection you need to be concerned with, but at this immature age she may attack and kill them. It can happen with older dogs too that aren't happy mums, but it more likely with an immature bitch.


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## Elbe (Apr 29, 2015)

Do you know of that would happen straight away or could she accept the pups then attack them later on? x


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

Burrowzig said:


> It does seem odd to me that a Husky-Malamute cross should have had a season so young, let alone be pregnant at 6 months. Seasons _can_ be from 6 months, but that tends to be in smaller breeds. I wouldn't be surprised if she's older than what you were told - and if the previous owners are the sort of people who would allow her to be mated, or not supervise an in-season bitch properly, they'd probably lie about her age as well. My collie pups are nearly 10 months now, and have not had their first seasons; their mum had her first at 15 months.


Plenty of big bitches can come in to season early, there is no hard and fast rules. I have known a few to so at 5 months and plenty of small breeds much later on.
It is a bit of a disaster but she will not be the first young bitch to have pups.

Different species but just occasionally a bull will serve a calf at around 6 months old so they can calve at 15months or sometimes even younger. They are still babies really but most do manage to rear the calf though many need a caesarian.


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## Elbe (Apr 29, 2015)

Hi everyone. Just thought I'd update you all. Mia went on to naturally deliver 9 puppies naturally. She had them earlier than expected so we came down stairs to five she had whelped on her own then she went on to have the other four. 

She was absolutely amazing. She did everything from breaking the sacks to chewing the membrane. She then fed, stimulated and cleaned and looked after all nine pups. She defied all the odds, came out with a clean bill of health and a beautiful litter of nine healthy pups! Xx


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

Well, that's wonderful that all went well. Such a relief for you.

Thanks for the update.


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## Blitz (Feb 12, 2009)

Really good news. When did she have them.


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