“It was the saddest thing ever. I cried and didn’t know what was going on,” recalls Priscilla. For five years, Priscilla has been raising Siberian Huskies. “I decided to breed dogs when I saw the joy a new puppy brought to my young son. I decided I wanted to bring that joy to other kids, too,” she recalls. Her puppies were always born healthy and happy, until about two years ago. “One of my new moms had her first litter and three puppies were born. Two days after the birth, the smallest of the puppies died. Then in her second litter, she gave birth to four puppies. In that litter, one had luxating patella (dislocated kneecap) and another was born with a cleft palate, was very small and died two days later. I was so sad. I had never lost a puppy before. I didn’t want this female to go through that type of loss again,” Priscilla says.
Dr. Bramlage, Former Director of Veterinary Services at Revival, says certain birth defects are a result of puppies not receiving proper nutrients when they are in the womb. “Research has shown that a folic acid deficiency is one cause of cleft palate. That is one reason human moms supplement with prenatal vitamins and why dogs also need folic acid during pregnancy,” he says.
Determined not to let this trend continue, Priscilla began to do some research on heat cycles and dog pregnancy. She went to the Revival Animal Health website and noticed an ad for Breeder’s Edge® Oxy Mate Prenatal Vitamins. “I didn’t even know that prenatal vitamins for dogs existed. I read the reviews and thought this sounded like exactly what I needed. I told myself, if this didn’t help I was going to fix her,” she recalls.
The next time Priscilla’s dog came into heat she had her on Oxy Mate throughout the pregnancy until she gave birth. “Every puppy survived with absolutely no health issues! I now use Oxy Mate with all my females. It’s become like a religion to us to keep all our dogs on Oxy Mate and Breeder’s Edge Oxy Momma,” she says.
Priscilla has now been regularly using Breeder’s Edge Oxy Mate and Oxy Momma for almost two years. “It has worked wonders for our pregnant mamas. We haven’t had any problems since. Our puppies are born healthy and strong without hip issues and other deformities. It has also helped the moms with their weight and has made their coat and fur healthier. I really recommend Oxy Mate!” she says.
Share Your Pet Care Victory With Us
You strive to raise healthy and happy pets. You love the feeling of holding that newborn puppy and seeing the joy a new pet brings to a child’s face. At Revival we want to celebrate these wins because we understand that keeping pets healthy comes with challenges.
In our series, Pet Care Victories, we are highlighting YOU and your pet care wins! We know that even the best of us sometimes struggle with the health of our animals. And while at that time it can feel frustrating and devastating, it’s important to remember you are not alone. When we share our knowledge and passion with each other, we can all be on the winning team.
Want help solving tough pet health problems? Call one of our Pet Care Pros today at 800.786.4751.
Written by: Shelley Hexom
Content Manager
Shelley Hexom is Revival's Content Manager and helps develop educational pet health resources. A three-time Emmy® Award-winning news anchor, Shelley works with Revival's Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Marty Greer, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, to help create useful and easy-to-understand articles, videos, and webinars. Shelley received her bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from Winona State University in 2002. As a pet owner, Shelley enjoys time with her Boxer mix, Sally. Shelley has been part of the Revival Paw Squad since 2016.
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