My dog got eclampsia with her first litter. She was very sick. I have read that if they get eclampsia they can get it again with the next litter. I would like to breed my dog again, but not if she is going to get eclampsia.
Has anyone had any experience with this? Did your dog get eclampsia once, but was fine with her other litters? Thanks for your help.
In 26 years, I have had three bitches come down with Eclampsia. In two of the cases, it was right after dew claws had been removed from their pups and I believe both dams were perhaps stressed from their puppie's stress. With the first bitch, it was her 2nd and last litter. With the second bitch, it was her first litter. With her second litter, my vet recommend that we supplement with calcium right after the pups were born....no incident of eclampsia for her. The third bitch was diagnosed with Eclampsia the day I had left for Potomac (of course)again, I believe stress came into play in that incident. The same bitch, her second litter, no calcium supplement...no incidence of Eclampsia. There was another conversation about Eclampsia here on the Forum not long ago. It was pointed out that perhaps by putting our pregnant bitches on puppy food before they whelp, therefore supplementing calcium to them at the wrong time, may be a contributing factor. I believe I will give our next expecting mommy, performance formula instead of puppy food and see how that goes. Good Luck!
How you feed and supplement your girl prior to and after whelping can be critical in the development of eclampsia which is basically hypocalcemia--too little calcium.
DO NOT supplement pregnant bitches with Calcium (Ca) during their pregnancy. Doing so suppress the Lac Operon, the enzyme system the body needs to mobilize Ca from the bones for whelping and milk production. Feed a high quality diet and you can give vitamins that do not have added Ca. Do not feed high calcium foods like dairy products prior to whelping.
I rountinely give my girls subcutaneous Ca supplementation when they are in first stage labor and will feed them cottage cheese during labor and for several weeks after in addition to a high quality puppy food.
Your girl may whelp with no problems with proper management but always be aware of the signs of eclampsia and/or uterine intertia and have treatment available if she needs it.
My repro vet also said 'no' to any calcium supplements. She said that high dose calcium supplements was a cause of the problem. I also give my pregnant girl a heaping tablespoon of cottage cheese usually once a day. There's not enough calcium in that to hurt anything.
