My dog just had a puppy, but I can't find it. What happened?

It isn't unusual for a dead puppy to be born long after a healthy litter is born. It is likely that the puppy was stuck in the birth canal and took longer to deliver and died while being stuck, or it could have been dead in utero and was later expelled with the last placenta. Usually there is no problem with the mother provided she eats, drinks and takes care of her puppies. If she gets lethargic, or if she has smelly discharge from the vulva (greenish non-smelly discharge is normal) then she should be seen by a vet .

Cannibalism rarely occurs in dogs, but Missy could have attacked her puppies because of pain from mastitis (suckling provokes aggression) or because the puppies are unhealthy and she sensed that. I would not reintroduce that puppy back to Missy, and I would have her seen by a vet immediately for a health check to make sure she doesn't have a medical illness causing this aggression. You may have to bottle feed this puppy. At seven years old, Missy is actually too old to be having puppies (it's never recommended to breed a dog over the age of five or six), so I would have her spayed asap if she won't be nursing her remaining puppy.

The puppy may generally be weak, have a birth defect or did not develop properly. This is actually why dogs have many puppies, as there may always be one that will not do well and possibly die. I suggest you take the whole litter and mother to your veterinarian for an exam. There are so many possible causes for this that is not possible to determine the cause from your description and without a hands-on exam.

Yes it is very possible. If the mom is killing puppies, or aggressive to other dogs, I would recommend having her spayed and not having any more puppies to prevent any more being killed and prevent a lot of stress on Spike. It would also be a good idea to seek out a dog trainer or behaviorist in your area that can work with you on the aggression issues.

That is not an uncommon situation and may be observed quite frequently in clinical practice. There is no specific reason for it, but usually less experienced mums do it more often. Close monitoring is always recommended to avoid these situations. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Yes, if Belle at one of her puppies, I would separate the rest. It could be that puppy was sick and that's why she ate it, or she could be a poor mother. Given the chance that she could be a poor mother, I would not mate her again and have her spayed as soon as her milk has dried up. You may need to bottle feed the puppies, and I can give you a link to the website that details how to do it. Keep in mind that raising them yourself is very labor intensive, just like having a newborn, and is a lot of hard work but that may be their best chance for survival if she has eaten one. http://www.2ndchance.info/orphanpuppy.htm

I would not leave the puppy with her unattended. You will need to let the puppy suckle every two hours under supervision. If she eats her puppies, it may be a good idea not to breed her again, as "bad" mother instincts can be hereditary.