ECLAMPSIA
Another life threatening emergency which can occur even during pregnancy, during labour, or during lactation. If caught early enough, it can be successfully treated.
This is an imbalance of calcium in the blood stream and can be brought on by a number of contributing factors, including stress! Even a bitch previously not predisposed to this disorder, can develop it at any time.
INITIAL SIGNS: These include, shivering, panting, restlessness, an elevated temperature (sometimes but not always).
ADVANCED SIGNS: May include all or some of these signs, excessive salivation, a dazed look in the eyes, sensitivity to light, and a stiff gate.
CRUCIAL SIGNS: These are, collapse, stiff limbs, non responsive to puppies or owner and finally coma and death.
If you are alert to the initial signs, begin administering calcium orally. I use a liquid as it is fast acting brand name Calcium Sandoz. Rather than administering a massive dose all at once, I divide the dose and administer it every half hour until the dosage it met. You cannot overdose on liquid Calcium or do any harm to the bitch if it is administered orally. The most she will develop is diarrhoea, but better that than death!! Calcium administered by intravenous methods, given too quickly or too much, without carefully monitoring the heart, is dangerous unless done by a very experienced vet.
Vitamin C is a calming vitamin and is very useful to administer here in combination with the Calcium as well as Cod Liver Oil to help the Calcium be better absorbed into the system quickly. After initial treatment with the Calcium Sandoz, I treat with a combination Calcium and Magnesium tablet (contains all types of calcium and vitamin D). I find this also relaxes the bitch.
DO NOT under any circumstances give anything to the bitch orally if she is in the critical stage. Get her to your vet as quickly as possible as it is a life and death situation.
If you caught your bitch early enough, she may be able to continue nursing her puppies if you keep the Calcium intake up. She must also be moved to a quiet room where there will not be a lot of people or other animals disturbing her. Keep a watchful eye on her.
If she developed to the more advanced stages, you will need to hand feed the puppies and if she wants to be with them, only allow this by wearing something on her to protect the mammary area so the puppies cannot feed from her.
Eclampsia can also develop during pregnancy, especially if the bitch is small and carrying a large litter. This is extremely dangerous and a high chance of the bitch aborting the litter and becoming at risk of dying herself. Care and quick treatment is needed.
WHICH BITCHES ARE MORE AT RISK: Generally bitches with a large litter, highly excitable bitches, Toy breeds, and certain other breeds such as the Bull Terriers, bitches that produce an abundance of milk and also allow their puppies to feed continuously.
Stress is a big predisposition and contributor to Eclampsia. Make sure your bitch is not stressed by too many people looking at her puppies, where she is constantly exposed to noise and distractions, and other animals. They need quiet.
Incidentally, Calcium is also useful during labour as it helps the uterus to contract.
For more such information buy my book available for sale from this web site.
Written by Anne Roditis-Muscat
© copyright 2007
Another life threatening emergency which can occur even during pregnancy, during labour, or during lactation. If caught early enough, it can be successfully treated.
This is an imbalance of calcium in the blood stream and can be brought on by a number of contributing factors, including stress! Even a bitch previously not predisposed to this disorder, can develop it at any time.
INITIAL SIGNS: These include, shivering, panting, restlessness, an elevated temperature (sometimes but not always).
ADVANCED SIGNS: May include all or some of these signs, excessive salivation, a dazed look in the eyes, sensitivity to light, and a stiff gate.
CRUCIAL SIGNS: These are, collapse, stiff limbs, non responsive to puppies or owner and finally coma and death.
If you are alert to the initial signs, begin administering calcium orally. I use a liquid as it is fast acting brand name Calcium Sandoz. Rather than administering a massive dose all at once, I divide the dose and administer it every half hour until the dosage it met. You cannot overdose on liquid Calcium or do any harm to the bitch if it is administered orally. The most she will develop is diarrhoea, but better that than death!! Calcium administered by intravenous methods, given too quickly or too much, without carefully monitoring the heart, is dangerous unless done by a very experienced vet.
Vitamin C is a calming vitamin and is very useful to administer here in combination with the Calcium as well as Cod Liver Oil to help the Calcium be better absorbed into the system quickly. After initial treatment with the Calcium Sandoz, I treat with a combination Calcium and Magnesium tablet (contains all types of calcium and vitamin D). I find this also relaxes the bitch.
DO NOT under any circumstances give anything to the bitch orally if she is in the critical stage. Get her to your vet as quickly as possible as it is a life and death situation.
If you caught your bitch early enough, she may be able to continue nursing her puppies if you keep the Calcium intake up. She must also be moved to a quiet room where there will not be a lot of people or other animals disturbing her. Keep a watchful eye on her.
If she developed to the more advanced stages, you will need to hand feed the puppies and if she wants to be with them, only allow this by wearing something on her to protect the mammary area so the puppies cannot feed from her.
Eclampsia can also develop during pregnancy, especially if the bitch is small and carrying a large litter. This is extremely dangerous and a high chance of the bitch aborting the litter and becoming at risk of dying herself. Care and quick treatment is needed.
WHICH BITCHES ARE MORE AT RISK: Generally bitches with a large litter, highly excitable bitches, Toy breeds, and certain other breeds such as the Bull Terriers, bitches that produce an abundance of milk and also allow their puppies to feed continuously.
Stress is a big predisposition and contributor to Eclampsia. Make sure your bitch is not stressed by too many people looking at her puppies, where she is constantly exposed to noise and distractions, and other animals. They need quiet.
Incidentally, Calcium is also useful during labour as it helps the uterus to contract.
For more such information buy my book available for sale from this web site.
Written by Anne Roditis-Muscat
© copyright 2007
