Is there EVER a situation where a vet would advise that a bitch have a litter?

[TheFantasticMrsFox]

I have never heard of such a thing (within recent times) and just cannot fathom why a vet would give out such advice

I can't think of one and have never heard such advice.

Has this advice been dished out to someone you know? And what's the explanation for it?

There is no medical reason for a bitch to have a litter.

It's a friend of mine who was given this particular gem of wisdom. Her GSP bitch suffered a prolapse during her first season which required surgery to repair. The vet is unwilling to spay her at the moment and wants to see if her hormones settle down with a couple more seasons. He then suggested that allowing her to have a litter would be beneficial too

FWIW he is an older man and had never experienced a prolapse in this situation

Having a litter is very likely to make a prolapse worse.

Yes, we thought that too lonecat

It just seems such random advice all round (not to mention potentially dangerous for somebody who trusted what their vet said implicitly)

Nope, I'd be recommending speying asap as prolapse likely to recur with subsequent seasons, and is likely to be worsened by a litter x

She needs a new vet. That's really bad advice.

Do you think that's the truth, or did your friend want to breed from her and reluctant to give up the plan

People make things up to justify decision to breed from their dog. They know you can't check with the vet.

She's really unhappy with the idea of breeding from her, given the trauma of the first season (she was also given the jab to suppress her which was ineffective- the dog continued in season for nearly six weeks)

She mentioned it to me in the context of seeking a second opinion so no, I don't believe this to be a thinly veiled justification to have a litter.

Normally hear it from folk using it as an excuse to breed their dogs. Normally uneducated and selfish/stupid individuals wanting to use their poor dogs to earn them money.

the only time i heard it used was with my moms dog, and we're talking 25-30 years ago, she was unspayed and kept having phantom pregnancies, moms sheepskin gloves were 'adopted' and the vet did tell us that letting her have an actual litter might stop them.

But i have never heard it since!