Labor??

[AZChins]

You definitely could have easily missed it. The contractions most often just don't get the deceased kit anywhere near being delivered or the kit gets caught in the birth canal. Contractions will stop when the mother just can't push anymore. Often the mother has exhausted her blood calcium or blood sugar to the point where the contractions can't even be potentiated anymore. It could have been that she was wobbly because of this.

But, yes, you could have missed the labor very easily. She probably wouldn't be bearing down like a mama chin in labor normally has and not getting the good, strong contractions that a normal labor brings. This was not in any way your fault! I know that very well because I've had the problem before a few times here. In fact, I am pretty sure that a lot of breeders have just found females passed away and never knew that they died from a toxic shock condition from retained dead fetuses.

Please don't think that anyone would ever think it was your fault! These things just happen, they are horrible and they just happen. Unless a breeder by some lucky, lucky break catches it early and can go to the vet for a c-section or maybe even has the vet induce labor, the mother chins usually do not have a very good outcome.

 

[Chinniechantel]

I hope you didn't read my post as this being your fault or something you could have prevented! Chins are so good at hiding when something is wrong, I am surprised we ever get them to the vet in time. I have witnessed only 5 births in over 10 years, and know breeders who have never seen it happen. I hope you can remember all the happy times you have had with her and rest easier knowing she is at peace. Sorry for your loss.

 

[tunes]

In order for the contractions to continue, the kits would have had to be alive. Basically, the will was there, but not the chemistry. Oxytocin stimulates the uterus to cause the contractions to start again, but if the kits are dead, it still won't matter.

I went through this with a female who had a kit stuck. You can read about it here: http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=223. Even with the oxytocin, there was nothing the vet could do except a C-section and spay because A) the kits were dead and the oxytocin couldn't budge them, and B) she was so full of pus because of the dead kits, it was spay her or put her to sleep.

 

[AZChins]

Sometimes the oxycitosin will help to get some good contractions going. It really does depend on the situation. I wouldn't say that it never would help because I have had it help here on a few occasions to get dead kits delivered. It's always better to induce contractions than to get a c-section done. It is not always going to work, but it is worth a try. If the kit is stuck, there's no way that anything but surgery or even removing kits through the vaginal opening will work.

They use it in other mammals to help mothers expel retained fetuses and placentas.

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/111300.htm

 

[Chin_Pig]

i just thought that i missed something i should have seen....

i have many pictures and lots of memories. she was my favorite girl, i will definatly watch my other girls more and make sure everything is as normal as it can be.

thanks for all the information and everything,

i appreciated everybodys relpies, i will know for the future what is normal labor and abnormal,

Cassie

 

[AZChins]

Here's a better link

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/171509.htm

The section on dystocia explains a bit. Basically if you induce contractions/labor using oxytocin you should also give a calcium solution as well (what do they normally use, is it gluconate or something like that.) The calcium solution will help in potentiating much stronger contractions. And help in the removal of dead kits.

There is also a section about using oxytocin for helping with milk production.

I think it's a helpful page, however, this may be the only information that vets have on chinchilla reproduction. It's extremely limited. All in all, it would probably be a good page to maintain a bookmark to so that it can be used for reference.