[Benjy]

I've got a 6 year old amazing Shih tzu that accidentally got pregnant by a pug puppy in Feb this year. We decided not to go ahead with the pregnancy and had the puppies aborted in early March. It's now mid August and she's on heat. I'd love for her to have pure bred puppies, but not sure if it's too early to try again? Do I have to wait until next breeding cycle, or can she try now?

Thanks!

 

[Hallie]

DO NOT breed a dog unless it's been health tested, you know the lineage of the dogs and therefore know potential risks etc, and you know what you're doing. There are tons of homeless purebred shih tzus in shelters right now. Why add to the problem? How did she 'accidentally' get pregnant? If she was in heat you should've been responsible and been watching her and definitely shouldn't have let her around a male dog unsupervised. IMO you should just have your female spayed.

 

[spotted nikes]

You might want to read some of the breeding threads on this forum.

There's a sticky at the top of this one called "accidentally pregnant". Also read "His Name is Sam", and search the General forum for "Journey of the free puppy".

Can you tell us a little about your dog? Does she have a show record? Where did you get her? Do you have her parent's show records?

To answer your question, you should wait another cycle.

But are you breeding to better the breed? Has she been health tested for any genetic defects? You did the right thing doing an abortion before. We get a lot of people on here that have a purebred dog so they think they should breed it and sell the puppies. Threads get very heated. If you are a responsible breeder that has a dog that has a good show record, and are bettering the breed, then that's fantastic. Nothing cuter than Shih Tsu puppies. My family always owned them or Lhasa's when we were growing up.

 

[raafley]

Having a litter is risky to your bitch, you could lose her - had you thought of that?

Post partum heamorraghe is not uncommon, neither is a c section, which also carries risks. She can also die in labour.

Health testing is a must in any case, you don't want sickly pups who later in life have to be pts due to health problems.

I'd think again as having a litter is not a rosey as it sounds.

 

[Cowgirl Kristin]

I'm sorry to say this Benjy, but expect to get bashed for this thread. Most people here are against dog breeding unless its a show quality lineage. You should probably ask this question somewhere else (like call your vet).

 

[Keechak]

You must sit back and ask your self. What will make her puppies healthier and better than their parents. Mom and dad should each get their eyes checked by a certified canine eye doctor (not just a vet) and both should get patellas checked. Also you should know everything about your dogs parantage, are your dog's grandparents still alive, if not what did they dies from? is cancer common in the bloodlines of your dog or the stud dog? lots of things to think about. Have you done any companion or therapy work with your dog to evaluate her temperament by unbiased parties?

 

[Xeph]

Most people here are against dog breeding unless its a show quality lineage.

Doesn't have to be show quality lineage (depending on breed). Working lineage is perfectly acceptable. But one should not breed just to breed. There are plenty of "just pets" in the world, waiting around in shelters and rescues to be adopted.

Also, unless you go to a reproductive vet, you'd be surprised at how many "regular" vets are pretty unhelpful in regards to pre-breeding care.

 

[hulkamaniac]

I'm sorry to say this Benjy, but expect to get bashed for this thread. Most people here are against dog breeding unless its a show quality lineage. You should probably ask this question somewhere else (like call your vet).

It doesn't have to be show lineage. I don't agree that it has to necessarily be working lineage either. Breeding shouldn't be done indiscriminately though. You need to know what genes your bitch is carrying. You could potentially breed a litter of deaf or blind dogs or dogs that have bad hips. You have no idea what genetic diseases your bitch may be carrying that may be recessive. Then you breed her with a dog who also is carrying the right (or wrong) gene and suddenly two healthy dogs have a litter of puppies that have a seizure disorder. Health testing is extremely important. Not to mention the fact that we already have way too many dogs in this world. Why add to the population? That's the real issue and the real question. What is your reason for wanting to breed?

 

[infiniti]

Not to mention the fact that we already have way too many dogs in this world. Why add to the population? That's the real issue and the real question. What is your reason for wanting to breed?

This will be the primary question from everyone here almost. A good majority of us don't believe in breeding just because our dog is cute or capable of bearing offspring or because we *think* we have "good homes" lined up for them. For each puppy that is born and placed into a good home, that's a home that is taken from a shelter dog in need, which means that is one more dog in the overpopulation of dogs already living that will be needlessly put to death.

Please be a part of the solution, rather than the problem. Please have your dog spayed if you are simply casually breeding her because she is a female dog with the capability of giving birth.

 

[cshellenberger]

Also, six years is a little too old for breeding, the ONLY way I'd ever breed a bitch that age is if she were an AMAZINGLY exceptional dog with her full GR championship (or international GR CH), had EVERY health clearance needed in the breed at an 'excellent' rating. Most reputable breeders are looking at retiring a six year old bitch as that's when the pregnanacies become more high risk for mom and pups (think of a 45 year old woman and the health risks she faces).

However to answer the question at hand, you should wait AT LEAST one more heat period to breed, abortion is very hard on a bitches body and can GREATLY increase the chance of uterine rupture (which she's already at increased risk of due to her age).

 

[Willowy]

I'm curious as to what kind of abortion procedure can be done without spaying the dog. I know there's a shot that can be given, but it needs to be done within a week, I'm told. The OP made it sound like it was longer than that.

 

[MoosMom]

if you are coming to an on line dog forum about this then chances are you are NO WHERE near educated enough in dog breeding to even be considering such a thing.

 

[raafley]

Just over two years ago I had a three day stay in hospital leaving my two Malamutes in the capable hands of my ex husband. Seven weeks later having taken my bitch to the vet I found she was pregnant.
My ex didn't tell me they had "got together" as he thought he'd caught them in time and didn't want a row. At the time he was still my husband.
I immediately had my boy health tested, eyes clear but a degree of hip dysplasia.
Eight pups and LOTS of hard work later, when the pups left for new homes I had my bitch health tested - also a degree of dysplasia - frightening!

I kept my adorable Flynn (second pup born) who is everything on this earth to me and last year after x rays found he had severe hip dysplasia - luckily the other pups are clear with exepction of one who has a mild degree.

Next week my baby Flynn is going to have a hip replacement and next year - please God all goes well - he'll have the other done. This is the outcome of irresponsible breeding and I am crying as I type. To see my baby (avatar pic) go through this is unbearable and I wouldn't wish this on any dog, let alone my baby.

If I could turn back time I would but by the time I found out my girl was pregnant the only option was to spay and abort, a risky process at such a late stage.

Flynn was the only pup who chose me, would sit with me and always come to me so fate made me hang on to him and I am so glad I did as he'll never go without the best of treatment but everyday I feel guilty. Maybe it wasn't entirely my fault but it is entirely my responsibility to now give him all I can.

The pain he will have to go through for these ops is going to be heartbreaking and now divorced I have to deal with it alone. My only hope is he'll come out of the ops a fit and healthy dog but getting there will be awful for him, poor baby.

Please read this and think again. All of my dogs are now spayed/neutered, I just wish i'd been careful enough to have had it done before.

 

[Benjy]

Hi Willowy,

I bought my shih tzu, Rosie in china and we've now relocated to India. I was a little worried to get the pups aborted, but there was just no way we could look after them so there wasn't any other choice. She was given the a tablet called "UNWANTED" (terrible name) that is actually for human females that catch early pregnancy and want to abort... very scary stuff and I made sure to do a lot of reading before giving it to my dog.
She took a tiny amount of the tablet for 4 days, and I was with her the whole time until all the foetus were passed. I would never want it to happen again, and since have had my male dog (a pug) neutered so there's no chance of them ever hooking up again! She's on heat again now, and is all over my pug to try something again with her. Poor Rufus (the pug) just doesn't get what she wants, but is generously allowing her to rub against him. I even caught him mounting her yesterday - much to my shock and surprise!

We're lucky in India that there's a full time helper to look after my dogs all day, so they're both incredibly spoilt! I'd so much love for my Shih tzu to have babies here in India as there's no genuinely nice Shih tzus here at all. As she's from Beijing, I'm looking to buy a male now from china and have it brought over.

 

[Cowgirl Kristin]

I've never heard of that pill. Odd, very odd!

 

[cshellenberger]

It's the morning after pill here I think Kristen.

 

[Yvonne]

yeah it is a human abortion pill not for canines and I would seriously be worried what it may have done to this dogs repro system to try and breed a litter from her now. I do not recommend this six year old dogs gets bred. Needed to populate India with your breed is not a good idea as I have seen what has happened with all the gsd breeding there. You also do not need to breed her because of lack of dogs in India as you just said you can import a male from China so this is wanting to breed a maiden 6 year old for profit? I urge you to reconsider. I also urge you to do proper vet care and not use human abort pills on your bitch.

 

[Willowy]

If you couldn't look after the pups earlier, what's changed now?

Anyway, a 6-year-old female is kind of old to be having her first litter. I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[Pynzie]

It's kinda sad when an op gets the same advice from multiple people on here and still he/she doesn't listen. ::sigh:: Some people just have their mind set on something and despite the many dangers and reasons not to go ahead with it they still will.

Still, I too am going to tell you not to breed her for all the very good reasons already listed. Even if you don't care about the number of dogs in shelters or the possibility that her puppies will have inherited health problems, you should care about the high risk involved with breeding a 6 year old dog that has already had an abortion using medication that is designed for a human.