The Off Topic Forum

Dog Blood Types

Hi all,
I have a female Labrador dog that had a beautiful first litter but now since then it has not been going well. The pups are either born dead or die within a week or so after birth. Her second litter 3 of them did end up surviving. But I lost the other 8 within a week or so after birth. And now in the litters since then none have survived beyond about 10 hours after birth. Also for some reason in the first two litters there were 11 and then the next litter there were 2 and this last last litter there was only 1. And Labradors are prone to have larger litters.
I don't know what all this means but I think there are a lot of different possibilities and even the vet can't say for sure what it is. But something that somebody pointed out to me was that maybe it has to do with blood types. So like if the female has a negative blood type and my male has a positive blood type. This could create positive pups. But in the first litter if blood from the pups mixed with blood from the mom she would then create antibodies against the positive blood type. This would seem to explain a good first litter an bad litters after that. It wouldn't seem to explain small litters but maybe that was just a coincidence.
I just read that like all but about 30% of dogs in the UK have positive blood types. And my male dog's dad is from the UK as well as one of his grandparents while my female's parents are from Ireland. Although she does have a Grandparent from the UK.
So I don't know it this is the problem but I would appreciate any thoughts on this.
Thanks

craigmartin
Tuesday, September 21st, 2021

i had a border terrier good few yr ago same thing would happeb 2 her pups,born perfect then maby 2 or 3 start litterally look like they were starving usually have 6 other 3 would b grand,vet told me what it was something the bith had inherited & their was no cure,cant think now what it was sorry

Tadhg13
Tuesday, September 21st, 2021

More likely to be fading puppy syndrome

Springwell
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021

I take it you have presented your bitch to a vet after the second litter to have her checked? Did you check with her breeder?
Could be a genetic defect, could be undetected mastitis.
Regardless the reason, I would have her spayed and not breed from her again.

Bea
Wednesday, September 22nd, 2021

Thanks everyone for the advice.

craigmartin
Thursday, September 23rd, 2021

Just shoot her and get a new bitch.

paddycrawford
Thursday, September 23rd, 2021

She is a family pet.

craigmartin
Friday, September 24th, 2021

Christ Paddy lol.

To the op, I think it might be time to give the breeding a break, and maybe bext time try a different dog. Either that, or maybe spay her.

nedzer
Tuesday, October 5th, 2021