The Cost of Raising A Litter

[dmcarty]

I agree that it is usefull for some reasons but have heard of some doing this so many times during the gestation that it seems a little excessive.

I had a friend who just had it done on her bitch (not a basenji) They said - oh yeah there is at least 4 and all looks fine. There were 3 - one was quite big, was breach and stuck and they lost that one - so in that case - not terribly medically helpful.

[lvoss]

How much information an ultrasound can give is highly dependent on the skill of operator. My vet looks for sacs and heartbeats at 28 days to confirm pregnancy and give a rough count. Bitches can reabsorb puppies from the time of that first ultrasound at 28 days and actual whelping so the count is not always accurate even if the operator is very skilled.

The reason for doing x-ray in addition to ultrasound is that the x-ray a few days before whelping gives a more accurate count and allows a vet to see if the skulls will pass through the pelvis. It won't really help with positioning. Rally's second litter was all lined up correctly 3 days prior to whelping but one had turned by the time she went into labor and got his butt wedged in the birth canal neccesitating a C-section. So even doing everything, is no gauruntee you won't have problem but the emergency vets at Davis were very happy to have all that information that I had because I had done ultrasound and x-ray. We lost the one stuck puppy but they saved the other 3.

[sharronhurlbut]

It sounds like its about stacking the odds for a successful litter yes?

[lvoss]

Yes, and being prepared if something does go wrong.

[lvoss]

A Saturday at the vet with puppies, $1200 bringing the total today to $3920.21

[lvoss]

I kind of stopped posting the running total because my mom, the co-breeder, didn't always let me know how much she paid for some services. Here are what I know of the rest of the costs for raising the litter.

Dew Claw removal and wellness check for mom and puppies - $90
First Shots + Microchip - $310
CERF Exams - $140
Second Shots - $115
Registration - $140
AKC DNA Profile - $140

New Total - 3565.21

This list doesn't include the added food expenses, paper towels, carpet cleaning, etc but I never keep track of that stuff. It also doesn't include the emergency vet visit when the pups were born. I know the estimate had been $1200 but I did not see the final bill and my mom won't tell me what it was.

Here is the cost of the stuff in the Puppy Pack that we sent home with each puppy.

Collar - $4.99
Lead - $6.99
Trial Bag of Food - $2.50
Variety of Treats that the puppy likes - $5.99
Nylabone - $3.50
Toy that smell like home - $3.99
Blanket that smells like home - $1.00
The Puppy Primer by Patricia McConnell - $7.95
Homemade Puppy Winter Coat - $5.00
Homemade Adult Winter Coat - $10.00
Snuggle Puppy - $13.95
Rou's Tips for Basenjis - $13.00
Total - $78.86 per Puppy Pack.

So a low estmated total is $3801.79 for the litter.

My price for my puppies comes out to $850 and my mom kept Bella so that would mean $2550 to offset costs.

So on this breeding we lost $1251.79 or the way I like to think of it, Bella cost us $1251.79. She is still cheaper than Sophie so I think we did OK.

[lvoss]

Oh, and the emergency vet visit cost can be considered the cost for TC since my mom and dad have talked to Sue and they all agreed that she could stay. She is keeping my mom's boys in line and she loves her daughter Bella.

[YodelDogs]

OoOOoooOOOO I didn't know you kept TC! That's awesome!

I totally fell over reading your litter expenses! I am….dumbstruck. I thank God that I have never had such expense with any of my litters but I know it could happen at any time.

I think you would kill me if you knew how much Ayla has cost me. :o

[lvoss]

My dad fell in love with TC and she really became his dog. So as the time approached for TC to go back to North Carolina, my dad did something that totally surprised my mom, he asked her if TC could stay. So TC is staying and my mom is hoping to finish her AKC Championship. My dad is looking forward to getting "his" dog out for some coursing and racing this year.

[mackeyfan]

thank you so very much for sharing this. I knew breeding was hard work and $$, but wow never seen someone break it down like that.
:eek:

[Schouiffy]

Can we turn this thread into a stickey??????????

[lvoss]

Most people don't realize the costs involved. I had a person call me a couple of weeks ago researching the breed. She asked what the average price of a puppy was and was shocked when I told her that in California $900 was the average. When I said this was due to the high cost of vet care in the state her response was, "You have to take them to the vet?"

Once people see the itemized cost, it all makes sense but most just never think about what goes into breeding a litter.

[Alex]

This thread is already a sticky.

[Andrew]

@lvoss:

When I said this was due to the high cost of vet care in the state her response was, "You have to take them to the vet?"

:eek::eek::eek:

I've really enjoyed this thread, and I appreciate the work you've put into it. I had no idea how much went into breeding personally, but this comment FLOORED me!

I wonder if this person realizes you have to feed these animals & take them out to potty, too!?!?!?

[snorky998]

Some people just don't get it. I just had my 2 in for their annual visit and my total cost was $420.00 and I thought I got off easy. The cost alone of Ivermectin is astonishing.

[sharronhurlbut]

I can only hope the person posting you have to take them to the vet was just teasing.
Otherwise, its very sad indeed!

[tanza]

@sharronhurlbut:

I can only hope the person posting you have to take them to the vet was just teasing.
Otherwise, its very sad indeed!

I doubt that Sharron…. it is a common question that I have heard... people seem to think that birthing pups is natural... and you never had problems...

[sharronhurlbut]

Oh, Pat, that breaks my heart!
Those poor girl dogs….

[lvoss]

@sharronhurlbut:

I can only hope the person posting you have to take them to the vet was just teasing.
Otherwise, its very sad indeed!

She was very serious. She knew nothing about health testing, had never considered that you should get pre-natal care. She also didn't think about the after birth check up for mom and pups. I don't know how she thought shots were given. It just never occured to her that vets were involved.

[tanza]

And that is a problem we all have seen… "pre-natal" care???? That is required??????