[Janet731]

My daughter's dog (purebred chihuahua, about 10 lbs normally) had a broken pelvis earlier this year. It was broken in 3 places. It has been 8 weeks and is fully healed now. However, the birth canal is no longer straight and smooth, but has a slight bend to it just as it curves down toward her vagina. I don't know for sure, but it appeared that it also may likely heal with a kind of protrusion from part of the bone where it came together in a kind of jagged connection. (Geeze, I hope this makes sense!) The vet recommended that we get her spayed due to the possibility of problems if she were to have puppies. Before I could get an answer back (permission to spay, actually) from my daughter (in the Army) the dog came into heat. Not typically a problem, but she must have desperately wanted out of the yard when I was at work one day, and she climbed a stack of wood near the fence, walked along the top of the fence (like cats do) and jumped down when she got to the front of the house. She did this twice before we finally figured out how she was getting out. Well, lo and behold, she is now pregnant. I'm expecting puppies (maybe 2 or 3 it seems) in the next week or so. I am concerned about a baby possibly getting stuck where her pelvis is now crooked. Should I maybe find a midwife, or should she have a C-section? Neither my daughter nor I can really afford the C-Section route, so I'm hoping for a less expensive alternative, if there is one. Just really worried, and not sure what to do. Thanks for any help that may come our way! ~Janet (and pregnant Daisy)

[Wondergirl]

Sounds like a C-section might be your only hope to save her life and the life of her pups.

[shazamataz]

You should have gotten the dog spayed when you found out she had been mated, at very least when you found out she was pregnant!
It costs slightly more to have a spay/abortion but letting her have the pups puts her life at risk.

She will need a c-section as not only may the puppies not be able to make it through the birth canal but it will more than probably cause her a lot of pain trying to push them out.

Call your vet now and put them on call for the operation, you can even book her in for a certain day or time for the surgery without her being in labor if you know her due date.

Dogs that have c-sections are also less likely to care for their puppies, while it is still fairly rare they tend not to associate to puppies as being their because they have not seen them being born and they have to be put under anesthetic for a long time and recovery can take a day or more she might not welcome the puppies.

Be prepared to bottle feed. If you need more info about feeding just post when the time comes.