[glencorgi]

Here's another story to think on that a breeder granted permission to share. This was sent to me in regards to a similar topic on another list.
----------
Quick overview: I've had/bred/shown pems for almost 20 years now.* With roughly 17 litters under my belt in that time, I've only had one C-section necessary, and have generally had pretty good luck & instincts...* I've never had huge litters as some people seem to (my largest ever was 7), and probably average 3-4 pups.* (2 singleton litters, 2 2-pup litters, etc.)*
*
The ammo I mentioned was mostly accrued during the last 4 years.* I had a Champion bitch I'd obtained from another breeder I know very well (on an agreement from her breeder to co-breed & split two litters).*She produced two litters easily, free-whelped both, was a wonderful Mom, etc.* Her breeder "signed off", and I attempted to breed her again for a litter all my own...* Since she had been such an easy brood bitch, I went the fancy route of using frozen semen from a well-known stud dog now "gone over the bridge",(who I had known* when he was alive).* So - now I had to go the ovulation timing route thru the vet, and the stud fee*for the owner of the frozen "straw" , which was to*be PICK PUPPY (ouch!).* And the fee to the storage facility, as well as the rental of the liquid nitrogen tank with the goodies.* And surgical implantation directly into her uterus.* And - about $2,000+ later - it didn't work...* BIG OUCH!
*
OK - next season, live Champ dog close to home - it's his first attempt at dadhood, but that should be OK we decide.* Seems to go well (AI on the spot) but...* no pups.* Doesn't take.* Next season: live on-sight dog - fertility specialist - ovulation timing - surgical implant - $2,000 + = no pups again.* By now, this bitch is 5 years old, and I decide she's done her thing, there must be some reason she isn't doing "it" again, and I have her spayed.* After all, I have her daughter from her second litter, who is being shown and nearly finished.* (A litter sister, who was the co-breeder's pick, has already finished... - nice litter!)* OK, daughter finishes, OFA/good, CERF, etc., etc. - 2 1/2 years old, here we go!* I drive from Oregon to Calif. and leave her to have her bred to a Ch. dog there.* Ten days later, I drive back down to pick her up.* At 30 days, a vet friend of mine ultrasounds her and announces she has AT LEAST 10 PUPPIES - Yikes! Wow!
*
All is well - she eats like a pig - starts to look a bit porcine, actually - getting large, round, feeling good - and then....* about*6 1/2 - 7*weeks, she gets strange about eating.* Not like she doesn't have room, but more like she doesn't feel well.* Hmmmm - Over the next few days, she actually starts to look smaller somehow - dropped? no...* just smaller.* Not right...
*
After talking with my vet (on a Sunday morning, of course, when the office is closed...) we decide to ultrasound her the next afternoon.* She tries to reassure me when I say I think she's lost the pups, because there would HAVE to be discharge...* That's right, because about an hour later my bitch*comes in from outside with yucky black stuff all over her pants.* (10 minutes later I wouldn't have known, because she cleaned herself up before I could).* Another call to the vet (tears) & the doc calls in a prescription to a local pharmacy for antibiotics.* We'll just keep the same ultrasound appt. for the next afternoon.
*
The next morning, I have one very sick bitch.* She can't stand on her own, has a "vague" expression in her eyes, and her rear muscles start to shake & tremble uncontrollably.* We FLY to the vet...* She now has really yucky discharge as well...*
*
An hour later - after vet exam, ultrasound, and diagnosis of open pyometra - she is emergency spayed.* Another $1,000, no puppies, etc.* I have no idea how much I spent to show her, with entries, travel, handlers, etc., but it ain't cheap!* A month later, she went to live the life of riley with friends of mine in California who previously had 2 pups from me, gone now to old age, and had wanted one of hers...* They gave me $350 for her to help with vet bills (LOL) and paid her flight there.* I could have gotten more for her if I'd waited & tried to, but they are a wonderful home, and that's what I wanted for her.*
---------------

More to think on ...

Debbie
*