How often do little dogs need c-sections?

Specifically, a maltese. I was reading a bit about them and stumbled on the page about breeding, and this particular site mentioned the cost of a c-section if one was needed. It sort of surprised me, because I never really imagined a dog needing a c-section, and the more I read, the more it seemed that little dogs are the most common of needing them. So I was just wondering how often little dogs, maltese in particular, need c-sections versus being able to give birth naturally.

How often do little dogs need c-sections?
Many toy dogs need c-sections. Especially if the breeder was stupid enough to breed a female to a larger male. On top of those who have the c-sections are those who die because they needed one, but the breeder was not well enough educated on breeding or failed to get a good mentor before they even bred their dog.





Breeding any dog is expensive, but breeding toy dogs is not only expensive in money, but can also be in loss of life too if you do it the wrong way.





Bulldog,s Pugs and flat head breeds almost always need c-sections too.





Edit: Pit Bull I'm not sure where you got the idea Chihuahua's have large heads, but I have 4 Chihuahua's and their heads are only about 3 inches wide. Chihuahua's do often need c-sections though because they are so tiny.





Edit 2: In the case of my breed the Chihuahua the male should always be at least half a pound smaller than the female. A pound smaller is much better.
Reply:Give the dog a chance to whelp naturally. Keep a close eye on her. If she appears to be straining alot or having trouble call the vet or take her to the office. Don't hesitate! Sometimes small dogs need c-sections and other times they don't. Usually dogs with larger heads are going to be more prone to needing c-sections. As for size issues, if the two dogs are about the same size, I really don't know. It could go either way but I have a feeling it will probably be ok. Good luck with your Maltese! I own one and they are sweet little imps! ^_^
Reply:This is common in large headed breeds, such as:





-Chihuahua's


-Pugs


-Bulldogs





I'm not sure about Maltese, though.





Yes, it is very expensive, which is why it is important for people to know this before they carelessly breed their dog.





It can be particularly dangerous if the male is much larger than the female he is bred to.
Reply:One of the reasons small dogs with proportionately large heads are expensive is the stress and expense of the c-section births on the mothers. I think all Pekingese are c-section births, for example. That is why so many designer dogs have beagle in them, the larger Mom can deliver the puppies more easily. And remember, no pet stores, puppy mills or back-yard breeders, and then we would not be euthanizing millions of dogs.
Reply:Not just little dogs, though they certainly do very often.


Breeds with large heads like bulldogs, mastiffs, etc. usually need Csections too, the heads of the puppies are too big to go through the mother's birth canal.


A prime example of over breeding.
Reply:it can be quite often in little dogs, especially if its a large litter or, big pups.
Reply:just about every time.
Reply:I breed small (4 pound) Yorkies and I have never had a C-section, but the females are chosen very carefully for this specific purpose. I look for wide hips, short stocky. Many times, the size of the litter the puppy came from dictates the size of the litter the female puppies will have. If a small dog has only one or two puppies, the chances of it growing too large to deliver naturally can also mean a C-section. I also breed twice with one day break in between. Breeding less, sometimes means less puppies, breeding more sometimes means a premature puppy.





The mistake so often made is breeding a larger male to a smaller female, but it goes further than that. You can have a 3 pound dog that comes from much larger parents. So not only must the particular dog be the right size, you must research his lineage and make sure everyone in also small. In short, you can have a puppy from a 3 pound male bred to a 5 pound female take after his grandfather that is 10 pounds.





A dog, less than 2 or more than 6 would have a greater percentage of C-sections and a dog not in top condition would also have a higher percentage. So nutrition and exercise also play a part.





So, if you have done your homework as to proper nutrition and exercise, and chosen your breeding pair carefully, I would say Yorkies and Malteses would be similar and it would be a figure not more than say 15 or 20 percent.





Don't ever give calcium supplements as this has been linked to uterine inertia requiring C-sections and also eclampsia after the pups are born.





An x-ray about Day 50 is always a good idea to check the number of puppies and the vet will be able to give you a good idea if natural delivery is possible.