The American Beagler Forum

This past week I had a litter of eight pups from a first time mother. I had to leave the day after they were born to go out of town for a week. One of my hunting buds took care of my hounds. Two days into my trip he called to tell me two of the pups were dead. Thinking this was her first litter and a large one at that it would be best anyway. Two days later he called to say I only had two living. I really started asking questions then and he said she had milk and looked to be taking care of them. The next day the last two was dead. What could have gone wrong here guys? I have never lost an entire litter in the first week.

I had the same problem two weeks ago. I came home and the 4 biggest pups were dead and just two are still living. I was thinknig she could of done it if she didn't think she had enough milk for all of them.

I've never had it happen and prase the good lord, I have had 3 litters this summer and haven't lost a pup yet... and I'm praying that continues.... but, could it be the heat got them or are they in out of the heat? I've seen others have pups drop like flys in hot weather. I keep small fans on mine just in case due to seeing heat claim them first hand from buddies of mine.

Mastitis would be my guess. I had the exact same thing happen couple years ago. I still just blame my buddy for letting all my pups die After I done some research I figured she must have been making bad or spoiled milk. She has whelped since then and raised them all. Maybe someone else knows for sure and better luck next time.

Mastitis would be my guess also but just thought I would ask for others opinion. I have had fire ants to kill some newborn pups one time but the guy feeding my dogs said he didn’t see any. I just wish I would have been home on this litter.

Have you been using those python tags? Cus that will kill em all too

if you use python tags when should you take them off

We often give a shot of Oxytocin (believe thats the spelling) within hours after pups are born. This seems to work very well for us.

We lost a litter last year. The bitch had gotten bit by a spider on the inner thigh in the whelping pen, left a big hole in her leg. Don't know if the pups were also bitten or if the effect of the poison from the spider bite to their mama got to them, but it was over before we figured out it was a possibility.
The bitch was healthy and had lots of milk.
Brown Recluse spiders have had a up surge around this area, many being taken from store and even school buildings. Lord only knows what creepy crawlers call the barn home.

Five weeks ago my four year old had a litter of pups. Six of them, already a great mother I knew these pups had a fighting chance. This is her second litter, she only lost one on her first, I think she rolled over on top of it. This time ago it was hot one day and I heard the pups whinning awfully bad. The kennels are about a good walk away from my house, as I got closer I saw the mother outside of the kennel and she was panting. I saw the pups and they had saliva hanging from their mouths and they were panting hard. I got them into the house and cooled them off. I let the mother run around our yard. I then took a walk in kennel and put it under a shade tree and that's where they stayed until last week. They are five weeks now and are back where they were born. They are eating some puppy food and but also still nursing from time to time.

Chris Thompson gave me some advice, take empty liters of soda bottles and fill them up with water and freeze them. Put them out in the kennels with your pups, they act as a air conditioner.

i have raised a bunch of litters sounds like coccidosis too me...

Sundown Beagles wrote:We often give a shot of Oxytocin (believe thats the spelling) within hours after pups are born. This seems to work very well for us.

Out of curiosity why do you give that? Oxytocin (pitocin) is used to induce uterine contraction. This is done prior to birth to induce or expedite birth & is also used to treat post delivery hemorrhage. Not being a butt, I'm just curious, my female just had and lost a litter of 4 a few weeks ago.

Not knowing what part of the country your in, or how you kept your pups leaves some questions. Was the bitch showing signs of illness, if it was mastitis, you'd know it. If she wasn't ill at all, that wasn't it. Bitches rarely have "bad" milk. Did the pups show illness, diarrhea, death wine, or did they just fade away and die. Coccidia is a pup killer, but believe me, you'd know if they had it, mama would have had it too, and in that case her milk would have been bad. Hard to save pups with Coccidia, but not impossible. It's been hot across the country, did they have air flow and a place at least under 80 degrees? I'm guessing they died from heat exposure. Young pups dehydrate quickly, and a hot, panting pup won't last long.

I use oxytocin also 1cc a few hours after delivery get it off the local vet he said it cleans them out keeping them from getting infection and helps the milk drop also prevents mastitis.

Only time ever had coccidia show up was after weaning, never heard of it in new born.

Google, fading puppy syndrome.