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New
hope for Fading Puppy Syndrome sufferers
We
would like to share with you our recent experience with our
first litter of Dogue de Bordeaux puppies. We have, thankfully,
successfully bred and reared four litters of staffies with no
major problems.
Our Dogue bitch Ella had been fit and healthy throughout her
pregnancy and was due Friday 12th July 2002. On the Thursday
I noticed she had been panting heavily although her temperature
had not yet dropped. I thought it best to get her checked over
by our local vet. On examination he was tempted to start her
with Oxytocin but did not as due to her size was unable to feel
whether her cervix was fully dilated, however he did say he
thought she was on the way.
On the Friday lunchtime her temperature did drop and the usual
nesting and panting began. When by Saturday lunch time (24 hours
after temp. drop) she was showing no signs of contracting I
called out our local vet. He said she was not in the First Stage
of labour, which I am sure all of you breeders will agree temp.
drop, nesting and heavy panting is the first stage, and merely
gave her a diluted calcium injection as he thought she could
be showing mild signs of Eclampsia.
Distressed
Off he went leaving me with a very distressed bitch now getting
very exhausted. Before leaving he told me to leave her alone
to let her get on with it, something I would never do incase
of complications.
At about 10.00pm I again called the vet out as there were still
no signs of straining. He came out and this time said he thought
there were "slight" signs my bitch was in labour and
gave her a small injection of the much needed Oxytocin.
After about an hour and a half the first puppy was born. Puppies
were born throughout the night in total a litter of nine. Though
this may seem a large litter it is not for Bordeaux. From this
litter of nine five were born dead. I managed to get four breathing
again but sadly the little dog could not be saved. Out of this
litter of nine many were born with no sack and no placenta attached.
All signs my bitch had gone over her dates and should have been
induced sooner.
Next day Ella was still exhausted. She was off her food and
it was as much as I could do to get her to drink. Again I called
out the vet. He gave her more Oxytocin to "clear her out"
and checked the pups stating they were all fine.
On the Sunday lunch time I went out to the puppies, as I had
been doing in half hourly intervals, and sadly a little bitch
puppy was pushed away from the others. On checking her and trying
to revive her she was dead, maybe with Ella being so tired and
being so big she may have crushed the pup.
By tea time another little dog puppy had been pushed aside.
He was still alive though very weak. Throughout the night I
bottle fed him with Lactol at two hourly intervals and he seemed
to be doing OK. Sadly by Monday morning he had taken a turn
for the worse. I took him to the vets where he was put to sleep
as he was loosing mucus and blood from his nose and mouth.
This was heartbreaking I had lost three puppies from this litter
already. Having no confidence by now in my local vet I contacted
Swanbridge Veterinary Hospital in Hull. One of their vets called
to visit as I had noticed the pups not seeming to be gaining
weight. When the vet came she told me Ella had stopped producing
milk and ALL the remaining pups would need to be hand reared.
This was devastating news as I know of the low survival rates
and increased risks to hand reared pups. Ella was given anti-biotics
and more oxytocin injections and we monitored her closely.
The puppies meantime were brought inside and kept nice and warm.
They were bottle fed every two hours and helped go to the toilet.
By the time I had finished feeding the last puppy it was time
for the first pup to be fed again. They were doing really well
and though dropping on my feet with tiredness it all seemed
so worth it as it was saving these helpless little bundles.
Sadly at the age of two weeks my biggest bitch puppy refused
to suck her bottle. She had also gone very floppy. I took her
straight to our local vet, though not impressed with this vet
this puppy need urgent treatment. When we got there he did not
really give any explanation as to what it was just that it was
an infection and I should commence tube feeding, which I did.
I had never experienced fading puppy syndrome so was not aware
of any of the signs from past experiences. Sadly this bitch
seemed to get worse and worse. I took her back to the vet who
gave her another anti-biotic injection and sent her home. The
next day I took her along with the rest of the litter to Swanbridge
to be checked over.
Infection
Whilst there I was given the sad news that she had got Fading
Puppy Syndrome and had gone too far to even attempt to save.
The kindest thing was to put her to sleep and out of her pain.
I was told that FPS could be caused by viral infections such
as E-Coli and Herpes virus. Anti-biotics will not cure the FPS
just help prevent any secondary infections. As my puppies had
not received their mother’s milk they were even more at
risk as they had NO anti-bodies to fight these awful infections.
On checking the litter the vet thought that the two dogs were
showing early symptoms so they were kept there in isolation
and given anti-biotics to support them. The only cure would
be for them to fight the infections themselves. After a day
they seemed to have picked up and came home. By which time another
of the pups had shown the same signs. I took her straight to
the vets but after a day’s fight she also needed to be
put to sleep peacefully. By this time the two dogs had again
took a turn for the worse and also had to go back in the vet
hospital. As you can imagine we were absolutely devastated,
these little pups we had become so attached to and worked so
hard to save were now dropping one by one.
Another bitch then needed to go in as she also was showing signs.
All this happened over a period of about four days, with lack
of sleep it is hard to remember exactly.
I spoke to a vet at Swanbridge and asked for their honest opinion,
was I going to loose them all? To my sorrow the reply was "There
is a good chance as the anti-biotics are not killing the cause
of this infection" My heart sank, did I give up now and
save any further suffering and ask they all be put to sleep?
I could not do that yet!
I came home and searched and searched the Internet. My search
was for articles related to Fading Puppy Syndrome. It seemed
to be every article I read gave the same sorry ending and confirmed
what the vet had said anti-biotics could only support the puppy
and help against secondary infections.
Then finally I read an article that mentioned something none
of the others had "Plasma Transfusion" I read and
read over this short article. I then phoned the vet where by
now all four remaining puppies were. I told him what I had found.
His reply was that it was done in horses but not known in dogs.
The idea of this plasma transfusion – preferably from a
recently vaccinated dog – was to actually inject anti-bodies
into the puppy. This is what they desperately needed to fight
these horrible cruel infections. Much discussion with the vet
began. He could offer no guarantees it would work but what had
I or the pups to loose as they would have died anyway.
Claude – the puppies’ father – had by chance
received his booster vaccination the week previously. He was
the ideal donor. Off I went to Swanbridge with him and explained
to him he was his babies only hope, I am sure he understood!
On arrival Claude and I went to theatre. He let the vet take
huge tubes of blood without any anaesthetic. I had to leave
Claude there incase more blood was required. The blood was spun
down using a centrifuge as only the white cells are required
as they contain the anti-bodies.
Carefully, several mls. of this plasma were injected into the
tiny little puppies’ legs. All we could do now was wait……..
In what seemed to be only a few hours the improvement was visible.
They had the desire to suckle again, they had perked up and
were crying for their food. They were moving around and nuzzling
up to each other. The same day I brought the two bitches home.
The two dogs needed to stay in to receive anti-biotics as an
added support as they had developed pneumonia also a few days
earlier. However, the next day they too came home. The vets
were over the moon and so was I.
Sucking
Whilst home until they were three weeks I tube fed them to prevent
them inhaling any milk whilst sucking and making the pneumonia
any worse. A course of anti-biotics was given to them all for
extra support. Those anti-bodies had got straight to work and
attacked those awful killer viruses.
My puppies were weaned at three weeks and were the easiest litter
I have ever had to wean. They piled on the pounds and were behaving
as any other puppy would. Play fighting, running around and
of course messing everywhere!
Three of them have gone to wonderful homes and though not our
original intention to keep one for ourselves we did, as after
all that we had been through with them I could not let them
all go!
I am so grateful to all the vets at Swanbridge firstly for all
of their hard work and secondly for listening to my idea and
being prepared to give it a shot.
On speaking to them they have said in a similar situation they
would not hesitate doing a "Plasma Transfusion".
As for us, if ever we had a litter which received no mothers
milk then even BEFORE any symptoms of FPS were shown we would
get a plasma transfusion done to give those puppies at least
some anti-bodies to fight infections. If ever we had a litter
showing the first signs of FPS we would do the same. We would
not give this horrible syndrome the chance to get to work on
our puppies.
As far as I know this is the first time this has been done in
this country as I called around several vets and like Swanbridge
they had heard of it in horses but not dogs. I do understand
it would need to be proven in hundreds of other cases to become
a recognised cure but I am convinced. My litter was dying before
me, nothing was saving them and they were really close to death.
If it can save them then a puppy in the early stages of FPS
would stand an even better chance.
I know I am writing this for all breed owners but FPS is the
same in any breed and if my experience can help and prevent
any of you going through the same heartache as we did then my
time taken writing this article will have been well worthwhile.
If you are faced with this situation and need any further information,
you are most welcome to contact us on 01652 660681.
Likewise if you are faced with this situation and your puppies
do receive a Plasma Transfusion please let me know the outcome.
As the vet said there are no guarantees, but if the pups are
dying anyway what is there to lose?
Anne-Marie
and Phil Brannon
(RedRoar Dogue De Bordeaux and Castlestaff Staffordshire Bull
Terriers)
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