Inducing labor in Holland Lop?

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jakeschell05

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I'm new to this site and I'm not sure if this is the right section, so forgive me.

My adult female Holland Lop has been pregnant for 36 days and I worried about the kits and her well-being. I can still see babies moving inside her and feel the kits as well. This is her fifth litter (each litter she's had eight kits and only one has ever died, so she's a pretty good mom) I've been breeding for three years and never has one of my does gone this long.

How should I, and should I, induce labor? I've heard TUMS can induce labor because of the calcium, or fresh or dried lavender. I tried giving her some italian parsley, because I heard that could work.

:pleaseplease: help!

Thanks!
 
It looks like you posted at 4:10 a.m. my time, so few people were probably browsing the forum. Please be patient. We try to help everyone we can, but many of the members here are pet owners, not breeders. Sometimes it takes a little while for one of the breeders to hop in.

How old is your rabbit? What breed, and when was her last litter?

Day 36 is a long time overdue. Are you able to accurately palpate her? Sometimes things go wrong with first time does, but it is unusual for such a seasoned doe to go so long overdue. I know you said you see/feel kits, but there is the chance that you were seeing something else (maybe gas) and she didn't conceive.

If she is definitely pregnant and you're sure that her gestation has been calculated correctly, it wouldn't hurt to give her a few supplements to help the process along. TUMS is a good option. Lavender and parsley can induce labor too, but I think they're needed in larger amounts than it's safe to give a rabbit who isn't used to eating it.

The best thing though is oxytocin, which can only be prescribed by a vet. If you have a rabbit savvy vet in your area, or even a regular small or large animal vet that would prescribe you meds, it would be good to try and get some of that to move things along.
 
I'd doublecheck your breeding dates first off, just to make sure all is accurate.

I don't induce. I let nature take it's course.
Overdue does tend to have larger kits that are generally (but not always) born dead.
 
She is two and a half years old.

Sorry for being impatient, like I said, I'm new and I thought there were more users on here.

I apologize.
 
There are lots of users on here, most of which generally sleep at night. That still doesn't mean every single user on here knows about inducing labour in rabbits.

You should speak to your vet about this issue.
 
We had a doe (first timer) overdue and on Day 33 I got concerned. I could tell she was trying and getting nowhere, but she wasn't in distress. I tried Tums and then we tried palpating her, then moved her to another cage. Not sure if it was one or a combination of all three actions, but she had two DOA on Day 34. Good thing because I was close to taking her to the vet for oxytocin.

Just our experience, but the few times we've had a doe go that long, or longer, the kits were dead.
 
Goodness, I hope your doe is okay! And her unborn kits, too. ): I never realized a few days overdue meant so much danger to rabbits. Sending good vibes your way.

Sorry I don't know anything about overdue does or what to do about it; I really hope she and her kits are okay though!
 
Good luck. I'm usually up at the time just since I'm not a breeder I had nothing helpful to add. Maybe I should have bumped it, but at least others came in to help like they always do.
 
Contrary to popular belief, Tums will not induce labor (confirmed this with my rabbit-savvy veterinarian). Supposedly, parsley can cause uterine contractions and lavender can induce labor, though I know of no scientific studies that back these claims up. Probably the best non-medical thing you can do right now is to allow her a large exercise area and encourage her to run around.

At this point, however, I would be skipping the "at-home" methods and would contact a rabbit-savvy veterinarian if she has not already had her kits. 36 days is too far overdue for my liking.
 
Tums are used as a calcium supplement to prevent hypocalcemia. Many breeders have discovered that does will kindle shortly after receiving the supplement. So although there are few reliable lab tests to prove the effectiveness of home remedies in rabbits, experience says it's a worthwhile aid. :)

Parsley is definitely effective, this is what I often feed to does who are close to kindling. But I wouldn't feed it in very large amounts if the rabbit isn't used to fresh treats.
 
I've always used Tums as a hypocalcimia preventative, too, and have never noticed a difference in kindling time (I give a Tum the first few days before, on, and a few days after the kindling date). Chances are, breeders are giving the Tums when the doe is due, so of course it's more likely that the doe will kindle not long after receiving the supplement; I see that more as a coincidence/the placebo effect. Either way, there's no studies to support the idea of calcium inducing labor, and Tums really shouldn't be considered an alternative to veterinary care (which I know is not what you were suggesting).

I always give my does a big handful of fresh parsley on their due date, though it's more for good luck than anything, since whether or not the parsley makes a difference I'll never know lol. I really wish there was more research into herbal medication out there....
 
Are you sure she was pregnant? Does can not be pregnant and still make a nest. You said you saw her belly move but have you been able to palpate?

Is she still eating and drinking normally?

Good luck at the vet
 
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