I know the Isoflurane anesthetic gas is used for c-sections But a friend just lost a litter of 5 and when she told me they gave the bitch Hydromorphone (painkiller) plus the Iso, I am wondering if that is what caused the demise of the pups?

Any vet techs or vets out there that could comment on this? Is this the likely cause of losing the whole litter? The pups all came out with a heartbeat but could not be revived.

So sad. My friend is heartsick and so worried about her bitch.

Didn't they give it to her girl for pain relief AFTER the pups were removed? That would be fairly normal, from what I know, and should not have compromised the pups. I do know that a friend, even using a repro vet, had her vet (one of my vets, too!) almost give the girl a little too much of the anesthesia, using the weight of her much bigger dam rather than the little prego in question. Maybe the staff had forgotten to write down the weight. Fortunately, the vet DID ask the owner, who was just outside the operating room preparing to dry pups, and the correct dose was given, with a successful outcome in an emergency situation.

I am sorry for their loss. Was this a scheduled C-section, or one after pups might have been in distress for a while? That would have made it all harder on the puppies. Was your friend there to work on the pups? I have found there is a huge difference between an emergency c-section in the wee hours ( I drove my other friend for a friend's horror story) and the staff, etc. available during a scheduled section. Sometimes we have no other choice, though, and I strongly prefer a trial of labor, all things being equal.

Hydromorphone is a respiratory and cardiac depressant. It is a morphine derivative and would not be my first choice for a C-section.
Generally for C-Sections Propofol is given as an induction agent, and Sevoflurane is the gas anesthetic of choice. Short-acting anesthetics, gas anesthetics and reversal agents for injectible anesthetics are the key to get the dam on her feet and out of the vet hospital as soon as possible, and keeping the puppies healthy.
I'm sorry for your friend's loss, it's a tough situation in the middle of the night with less options.

Sad thing was this was in the day, not at night. All done during normal working hours, and given before the c section.

Where was the Narcan???? That could have very well saved every pup in the litter. It is an antagonist to the hydro. When we do sections every pup gets 1-2 drops placed under their tongue as soon as they are out. The body absorbs it and it counters the effects of the narcotics.

I am making a note of the *narcan* you're speaking of and thank you for sharing the information on this list. Every vet that does even 1 c-section or surgery should always have it on the shelf.

I find it disturbing to hear about entire litters lost from a c-section.

I've heard of some breeders that do a c-section to make sure they get every pup out alive. I've never done that but if it's not a qualified, well stocked vet........ they could be accomplishing the opposite.

It could have to do with how long it takes to get the pups out. The longer the C section takes, the more the drugs go to the puppies. With our vet, a litter of 10 takes about 15-20 min from the time I walk in the door to the mom all sewed up and set on the floor to wake up. I love our vets. We seem to never lose any at our current vet.

Ive had problems like yours when I was in another town and going to an inexperienced vet and the C section took 2 1/2 hours. Lost almost everything.

WOW, I hope your girl is properly shaved and she gets all the suture she needs. 20 Min? WOW