My Jack Russell is pregnant by a Border Collie. Is birth risky?

I would strongly suggest to keep her monitored during pregnancy as c-section may be needed to deliver the puppies. Radiographs at 40 days of pregnancy will be very useful to assess the size of the puppies and make sure they can be naturally delivered. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

I would be concerned about the size difference and the possibility of her needing a c-section. I would recommend calling and explaining your situation and maybe they will move up her spay procedure in the next week or so. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Pregnancy complications really depend on how large the puppies are and how many she is carrying. It is best to work with your vet for regular checkups to confirm the pregnancy, and an X-ray as it gets closer to Riley's due-date to check on the size and number of puppies. Your vet can then recommend if a C-section is needed. Signs to watch out for during labor that may indicate dystocia (difficulty giving birth) include straining for long periods without success, a visible puppy stuck in the birth canal, or no puppies produced after several hours of labor. These are all signs something may be wrong and that Riley should be brought to the vet for care.

Yes. A female dog that has mated with a much larger dog is at risk of pregnancy complications. I would recommend a veterinary exam with her vet to come up with a pregnancy plan for Mabel if you choose to continue the pregnancy. If the pups are too large she may refugee a c-section. Monitoring of fetal size is recommended to decide if a scheduled c-section may be needed. It is also possible to spay Mabel if you do not want any pups. This should be done asap as a spay later in pregnancy can be harder on the bitch. In either instance I would recommend consulting with a vet to understand her options and possible complications.

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This is a little bit of a predicament! I do share your concerns. While Millie may end up being just fine with this possible pregnancy, there would be concerns if she bred with such a big dog, and especially if she ends up with a small litter. Puppies tend to grow much bigger if there's only 1 or 2, and that coupled with the size difference could cause problems in Millie's labor. The safest option would be to have Millie spayed immediately, and that would remove all the variables of whether she'll end up with a dystocia (problems in labor) later on. This would be the safest option for Millie. If you do choose to let Millie proceed with this possible pregnancy, I definitely recommend touching base with your vet right away for guidance. I would absolutely recommend having Millie x-rayed later in her pregnancy so you know how many puppies you're anticipating (this helps us know when it's ok for her to be done delivering puppies, so we don't worry that there's still a puppy stuck in there!), and learn how to monitor her temperature to watch for the temperature drop that can signal impending labor. This will help you be on the lookout for the warning signs that her labor may not be progressing as it should, which could lead to a necessary C-section. I hope this helps, and feel free to request a consultation if you'd like to discuss this in more detail!

No this isn’t entirely correct. She does however have a greater chance of needing a C-section if the puppies end up being bigger than her birth canal. Which is why it’s best to have her examined by your vet and radiographs taken to look at the size of the fetuses. If they are too big to pass, then a simple C-section can be scheduled for the Mama dog. I hope this helps. Best wishes and take care.

Hello, I’m not sure if there was supposed to be a photograph of the male dog attached to this post or not. If you have a large male who breeds with a small female, there is always a concern that she will not be able to have the puppies and will need a C-section. Any small female dog who is having puppies should have radiographs done after day 45 to see how many babies are expected. If you do not want her to have a litter, I recommend calling the veterinarian and discussing getting her spayed ASAP. Some dogs can have a shot to stop the pregnancy but there can be some serious side effects to that. Getting her spayed will eliminate an accidental pregnancy in the future. Getting her spayed also has other health benefits and is recommended for any dog not intended for breeding. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions!