5 Yr Old Basset Just Went In Heat. Would Like To Breed Her, She Is…
5 yr old basset just went in heat. Would like to breed her, she is in very good health but has never had a litter. What is best timing for that, how long is gestation, is there special care for when pregnant and what size litter to expect?
6 Responses
Hi Eric, you should have made sure your Basset was up to date with innoculations; wormed and flea treated before she came in heat. Hopefully she is ok with all those. May I just add she is getting on a bit for a 1st litter so if you are going to mate her don’t leave it any longer.
Find a stud dog who has had all the relevant health checks for the breed. Bassets are prone to IVDD so bare that in mind too (research it ok). Be prepared to pay a hefty sum for the stud dog fee. Your bitch should have had these health tests too.
Bitches are usually receptive to a male between the 11th and 14th day of her heat. Its always best to mate twice, say 11th and again on the 14th day. She will carry the pups for 9 weeks. Its the luck of the draw as to how many puppies she will have.
However, to care for the bitch and a litter is hard work and expensive. The puppies will need worming from 2 weeks old, and every 2 weeks after that….wormer from Vet not pet shop. Worms lay dormant in the bitch and pregnancy hormones kick them into life, passing through both the placentas and the bitches milk. Your bitch will also need worming from being mated right through…Vet can tell you which wormer is safe.
The puppies need clean bedding several times a day; they need to be kept at an even temperature of 24 degs C. Be prepared for Vet bills along the way….the bitch delivering the pups; a sick puppy or two ect.
The puppies will need to be registered with the relevant Kennel Club and Pedigrees written. They should all be microchipped, up to date on wormer; puppy packs ect. You will also have the job of finding them the correct homes….Contracts should be prepared to say that you will have the dog back at anytime during its life should there be any problems.
At the end of all this you will probably be out of pocket….and owing Vet bills. You may also be left with a puppy or 2 you can’t find homes for. Be prepared for all these things.
Having said all that….your bitch may sail through the whole thing and you have wonderful life long owners waiting for the puppies!
Good luck….and please do think very carefully before you go ahead with the mating. Have extra money to spare for Vet bills and be prepared for any scenario.
Great thanks, our girl is caught up on shots, etc., and due for a regular visit this week. She is shy of 5 years, has always had very good check ups, etc. Will speak with our vet as well, and wouldn’t be considering this without several good potential puppy lovers lined up and getting the best advice we can. Much appreciated…
Totally agree Krista….so many things can go wrong….you need to know exactly what you are doing and be ready for anything. X
my opinion: with such an unhealthy breed, unless you have a specific goal in mind, best to avoid breeding her.
also, read through this: http://www.basset-bhca.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=104&Itemid=183
if you are unwilling to test for these things and submit those results to OFA, don’t breed. if you aren’t willing to do a LOT of pedigree research, don’t breed. if your bitch isn’t registered, don’t breed. if your bitch isn’t titled in at least something, don’t breed. if you’re breeding to make money, don’t breed.
find a breed mentor to help you do this the right way or don’t do it.
This dog is too old! It is a basset! Large heads, long spines to get stuck in the birth canal. SOOOO many things can go wrong! You have no idea how expensive this could get so quickly! You could kill your dog! At the very least you would be looking at a stud fee, sonograms before the puppies are born so you know how many to watch for – and to rush her to emergency for a Cesarean if the puppies don’t deliver normally. Then you have a series of well puppy/mom visits to the vet running up bills for that.
Then there are expensive vitamins to keep the puppies from going blind if there are too many for the mom, round the clock feedings to keep the puppies alive if the mother refuses them or dies when they are born.
You need a heated whelping box, need to know how to spot an emergency, how to provide CPR to any puppy that isn’t breathing when delivered.
We can tell by the questions you have asked that you are not prepared to do something like this. Just STOP. And get this dog spayed so she has a longer, healthier life.