ABSTRACT
Introduction Breeders and veterinarians share 2 great fears: the first and most devastating is the loss of a bitch “in whelp”. The second is the loss of a litter or an overwhelming number of pups.
A 10% to 40% loss of pups is reported to be a “normal loss”. This remarkably high figure is difficult to substantiate and sources do not always indicate if it includes loss from conception to 12 weeks of age or from birth to 12 weeks of age. This is a staggering figure. In general, any time losses exceed 10%, veterinary investigation is warranted. If an underlying cause can be determined, the remaining pups in that litter as well as pups in subsequent litters can be protected. History, physical examination, and diagnostics will be described in this chapter.
