Montana's in labor!

[Tink]

Woooohoooooooo!!!

When I checked this morning she was cool to the touch which was a good sign. (For our non-breeders: A dogs temp drops about 2 degrees before they start labor, so that told me she was getting ready.) I've been checking her frequently and now she's got a clear drainage going and is panting like she ran a race.

Dh is 15 mins from home, so I'll even have help if needed. :D She seems to view herself as HIS dog, so I'm sure she will be glad to see him as well.
Hopefully soon I'll be able to announce our next litter! I'm predicting 3 pups... being an optimist here since she still doesn't have a belly on her. If there's a nice red or chocolate female I just might have to keep it since that's what I've been hoping for.

**Fingers crossed**

[AngieDoogles]

How exciting Tink! Keep us updated. I'm crossing my fingers for a perfect little red or chocolate for you!

[DianaB]

How exciting!!!! I'll have to check in later and see if you've posted any more.

[Mandy]

Good luck, thats exciting, cant wait to hear more.:)

[Janet]

This is so exciting. How are we suppose to wait!!! Praying all goes well with the delivery.

[Tink]

Sorry to keep making you all wait. LOL
Believe me I share your agony!
She's not changed one iota overnight. She has an occassional light discharge, now that it's cooler out she's panting less, she's as active as ever, she's still got runny stools, is still eating, running, jumping.

Today is the 63rd day. I tried explaining that to her, hoping it would help. I've read that they have to be able to relax in order to transition smoothly... so maybe that's the key here? She's not one who likes to relax!

Anyway, she seems fine, quite happy for all the special attention and is dragging it out for all it's worth. Time wise she could wait another few days safely, but with the symptoms she has, I wouldn't expect it. But then I expected she was revving up yesterday. She's dug a hole in her pen that's at least 2 feet deep and almost straight up and down on the sides. She sits IN it by dropping her back half in and settling down on top. Once in, only the very top of her head is visible. I took this to be "nesting" behavior (for a badger!) Her nice private birthing area is all clean and ready with fresh bedding only feet away, but remains untouched.

I can feel my hair turning gray one by one

[Mandy]

Awwww she's making you wait, and all of us too. Hope things go well for her, and you!! Best wishes.

[AngieDoogles]

The anticipation just keeps building!!! It'll all be worth it when you see those adorable little puppies! ;)

[Mandy]

Any news yet?? :)

[goofywife]

Any puppies yet?

[AngieDoogles]

I sure hope Tink has some puppies soon!

[Janet]

I know it's hard on you Tink to wait for Montana to give birth, but for crying out loud.....I'm waiting too!!!! ROFLBMO!!!! I'm so anxious I feel like I'm the one going through this instead of you. Let us know the minute (okay, maybe five minutes) after she delivers....LOL

[Tink]

LOL you're all too sweet.

I keep checking her and nothing's changing. I would have swore she'd have em on Friday. She's doing everything she should to be just prior to labor... only she's been doing it since last week.

She's not at all sick, she's happy, bouncy, obviously feeling good. so we can only wait.

[AngieDoogles]

If she doesn't have those puppies soon, we might all just explode from all the anticipation. lol. Hopefully it won't be long now... ;)

[judy]

Awwww...the thought of her in her hole is so cute! Maybe you can bribe her with the promise of as many treats as she wants if she has them tonight.

Prayers for an easy birth and that the remainder of your hair doesn't go gray.

[Tink]

My vets office swears that Montana would have a big belly if this was a false pregnancy... I'm not convinced.

I will admit that Canadas belly was so tight that we never once felt a single head or saw movement. (I don't think they had room to move around!) But Montana isn't any bigger than normal (other than she's bagged up and leaking) and I can't feel a single pup in her either!

They're saying since she's not sick or in any distress, it's safe to just wait but if I can't stand the suspense, I can call to bring her in tomorrow.
They said the only way to really know is to bring her in for an ultra sound which of course is gonna cost me dearly. She's obviously feeling fine. Plenty of energy, still eating and drinking normally, but she displays every sign I know of for going into labor since Friday but hasn't followed through.

I can't really afford it right now with dh having missed a week of work with his eye injury... and all the recent dog related expenses. And I can just imagine about the time I push to have it done, she'll deliver on the ride home. LOL


So what would you do?

[Tink]

I've been researching online... how sad... the more I read the more I think this might be Montanas problem and I dare BET it's not her first time...

"FALSE PREGNANCY IN THE DOG occurs when the bitch produces both physical and psychological changes that are a nuisance to the bitch and the owner. The psychological changes in the owner arise most often when informed that their prize bitch is NOT pregnant after all! The bitch will often produce milk, engage in nesting activity and look like she's pregnant. It's amusingly sad to see the affected dog try to persuade a tennis shoe to nurse! These visible changes take place beginning about 4 weeks after the heat cycle begins (estrus) and can continue for a number of weeks. False pregnancies are always unpredictable and can show up whether or not a mating has occurred. Often so much milk is produced the bitch becomes uncomfortable. Once a dog has had a false pregnancy she's likely to be afflicted again.
APPEARANCE
Most dogs experiencing a false pregnancy will begin to show some swelling in the mammary glands about five weeks after their heat cycle has ended. If you have bred your bitch, you will be elated that she "is getting ready to have pups". You might also be surprised that she "isn't filling out much". You will wonder why she isn't starting to show a big belly. Many dogs whether they are bred or not, will develop a false pregnancy, and look, act, and even think as if they are pregnant. Some will carry small toys or pillows around and even start digging a nesting site wherever they please. When the time draws near to when they would be delivering the pups, usually 63 days after a mating, milk will drain on its own from the mammary glands. Some dogs are really troubled that they cannot find the pups they psychologically feel they should be nursing.
Fortunately 90% of false pregnancies resolve over a period of three weeks with no treatment. Since no real harm is done there's no reason to speed up what nature will take care of in time. For about 10% of bitches, though, the psychological effects directing mothering behavior are so intense that the bitch is miserable. She's continually searching for pups that aren't there and seeking relief from the mammary gland engorgement that's making her uncomfortable. Mastitis, an infection of the mammary glands, if it were to occur at this time could be particularly dangerous.
On occasion, in about 10% of false pregnancy cases, treatment is warranted. Various hormonal substances have been used to hasten the reabsorption of milk and to halt the milk production. None of these medications is entirely safe so close veterinary supervision is necessary. Most often the veterinarian will administer a hormone to interrupt the dog's secretions of internal hormones that may be promoting the production of more milk."

If this is her problem, Canada having gone through the real thing likely just made Montana worse. I could just cry for her... I've got a call in to the woman I bought them from and if she admits this has happened before I think I will reach through the phone and strangle her! Can you imagine the emotional torment it would cause her?

IF this is the case I will be getting her spayed and probably rehome her where there are no other female dogs breeding. I wouldn't want to put a dog through this twice!

[Tink]

Does anyone want to go with me to beat on this woman?

Her response via Email...

"Yes, Monty has had 2 false pregnancies before....She did this same thing after Canada had her pups once, so it may be another time for her to be doing this.....She had us fooled twice into thinking she was pregnant too and we had to take her to the vet and found out it was a false pg....So it could be again....She is a very dominant female, BUT, always seemed to push away the males when we tried to breed her, so if it was me and this is just my opinion from knowing her all these years, I would bet she is NOT pregnant....But I could be wrong...Canada on the other hand, loves the fellas so I kn ew she would be knocked up when you said her and the dog hooked...Keep me posted, but I would wait it out too...
Watch her closely as she has had a history of laying on her pups too...."

This poor dog should have been spayed and she'd have not had to endure this again! Can you imagine NOT telling a new owner something like that? I'm absolutely LIVID for Montana!

[Tink]

I wouldn't otherwise have separated the pair, but:

When Montana escaped she didn't seem at all concerned about being away from Canada. It was Canada who was distressed by it. I'm thinking Canada will be occupied enough by her pups right now that she won't feel the loss as deeply as she otherwise would. What I'm reading tells me that For Montana to be around a breeding female just encourages her hormones to keep doing this to her and that she's likely to continue to lactate and try to go into labor until the pups are weaned. That's a long time to be like this!

If I can find her a place where she'd be number 1 dog with no breeding going on but someone to play with and love on her, she'd get back to normal and be a much happier, healthier animal. One of the articles I read about false pregnancies in dogs compared this to sending someone to the nursery to recover from a miscarriage. How heartbreaking is that? That's the point at which my tears started.

I emailed all my local dog loving friends to put out the word that we need help ASAP... so am hoping someone will come through for us soon. She's so pretty and loving that I can't believe no one would want her. I plan to offer her for the price of her spay and refund the money to pay for it once they have it done. Supposedly spaying her now would not be a good thing until her hormones settle down.

I don't know what else to do.

[judy]

Tink,

I'm so sorry! That poor dog. Whatever you end up doing, I know it will be the right thing. You have such a wise, good heart.

Prayers for the sweetie, the puppies, the new Mama, and for you, who has to go through all of this,

Judy

[Mandy]

I'm speechless, honest! Poor dog, and poor you. I know you will do the right thing, please give her a big hug from me!

[Janet]

I am so sad for Montana! Tink, can you let her nurse some of Canada's puppies? Wouldn't that help Canada at the same time? The puppies would be getting enough nourishment and satifying Montana at the same time. I can't remember, but has Montana EVER been pregnant? I'm just wondering that if after the puppies are weaned...if you could keep the females separated and see if Montana could become pregnant. You'd have to make sure they tie of course and how many times, but not let Canada get pregnant her next heat. Sounds like Montana would make a wonderful mama, if she didn't feel she was competing (?) with Canada....does any of this make sense?

[Tink]

Thanks Ladies I can always count on you.

I'm hoping tonight when people get home from work and start checking email that I'll get someone interested in Montana. Some of the seasoned breeders at the Labradoodle site I frequent advised me to get her a stuffed animal... preferrably one that makes a noise when moved, to help her with the bonding and need to cuddle issues. They're telling me this isn't uncommon and isn't as hard for a dog as it would be for humans. I hope they're right but would like to know which dog they asked and if she was honest in her statement. :confused:

It just breaks my heart to watch this being played out.

[AngieDoogles]

Wow Tink! I can't believe they didn't tell you her history, knowing you wanted to breed her and Canada!! How awful! I hope you are able to find a wonderful, loving home for her and that she feels better soon. *Hugs to you and Montana*