Long Term Effects of Breeding Methods

Q: How much are we damaging the long-term viability of a breed by specific breeding practices, such as using supplementary progesterone to enable a bitch carry full term and scheduling c-sections for every whelping.

A: This is a tough question for sure. Personally, I have worked hard to have free-whelping bitches in my program, and whenever possible, I like to have a natural mating. However, one of my best girls had to have progesterone supplementation in order to maintain a pregnancy, yet none of her descendants (and I am now 5 generations down from her) have had that same problem. So, I know personally that this is a very nuanced question and not a black-and-white issue. 

I have also been fortunate to have very few c-sections, yet recently I had two back-to-back as we had a last puppy who simply was not going to be able to get out because of a dead puppy blocking the way. This is where the use of technology, an ultrasound to check for viability and an xray to check for positioning, can truly help us make good decisions with our veterinarians. 

For a breed that normally free-whelps, having an elective c-section for the convenience of the breeder is not in the best interests of the bitch, puppies or breed. The very process of going through the birth canal stimulates the puppies and helps prepare them for birth. As Moon and colleagues found, “neonates delivered by cesarean section have a higher mortality rate at birth and within the first 24 hours of life than do naturally delivered puppies.” (Moon et al., 2000)

As far as specific breeds that simply are unable to whelp naturally any longer due to their physical shape, that is an entirely different discussion that I feel their breed club would be best addressing.

I know Dr. Gayle Watkin's rule of thumb is that she’ll tolerate breeding, whelping and mothering issues as long as they are not severe and are not passed to the next generation. So, if a bitch unexpectedly required supplemental progesterone to maintain a pregnancy, Gayle would keep her daughters in her breeding program but if any of those daughters needed supplemental progesterone, Gayle would retire them and their daughters. Depending upon the issue, she might also retire the sons since some maternal issues may also be influenced by the stud line.

Moon PF, Erb HN, Ludders JW, et al: Perioperative risk factors for puppies delivered by cesarean section in the United States and Canada. JAAHA 36:359-368, 2000