What Is The Maximum Weight Difference Between A Male And A Female Dog To Breed ?
I have 2 female and 1 male pomeranians. The male is about 22 lbs., the females about 10 lbs. Is it safe to breed them with such a weight difference? I am afraid one of my little ladies are pregnant. The ladies are 14 months old, second heat. The male is 16 months. I have heard horror stories of the mother dieing from pups being to big, not enough room to grow inside or while giving birth. Any truth to these?
Answers
Size of the stud and female are an important consideration when breeding dogs. It is ideal to have them be somewhat close in size or have the female be the larger dog.
Fetal oversize is a cause of dystocia (difficult birth). If the puppies are too large for the vaginal canal they may not be able to be delivered naturally. For example in bulldogs the puppies almost always have heads that are too large for the birth canal and are delivered by C-section.
During pregnancy the uterus will stretch to accommodate the puppies it is at birth that you may have problems.
At 45 days after conception the fetal skeletons calcify and the puppies will be visible on x-rays. This is the most accurate way to count the number of puppies. This information will be important at delivery so you will know when all the puppies are out.
Canine gestation (pregnancy) is 63-66 days so just over 2 months from conception. Hopefully you know the date of breeding.
I always tell people who are interested in breeding to set aside money in case the dog needs a C-section. Any dog, even bred to one her own size, can have problems with birth and may need a C-section. If your dog is having trouble giving birth this is an emergency! Unfortunately most of these are night and emergency clinics are expensive.
Consult with your veterinarian about having a pregnant dog--appropriate care of the mother is important!
Poor maternal health increases risk for dystocia.
answered 4 months ago
So the horror stories I have heard about the pups growing inside her could kill her because they are too big or that she will die during delivery due to the size of pups? Thanks for answering, I appreciate it.
answered 4 months ago
The weight of the male has no role in fertilizing the egg of female dog. If the female dog is mature and in heat then your 22 lb male dog can pregnant them without harming.
answered 4 months ago
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