This whelping experience...

[selzer]

So, yesterday perched beside the whelping box and Babs within, lying upon the newly shredded papers I thought to myself, "Bitch, if you are putting me on, I will disown you." (No, chance at that ever happening folks, Babs is my sweetie, my bed warmer, the bane of subcontractors, and pre-washer of my dinner plate.)

But, the day before I woke and looked at her day 62 from the first breeding, and thought, "I better get the whelping box ready." Instead of opening the shop, spent the morning scrubbing every inch of the whelping area and box, setting supplies in order, and putting down new papers. As soon as all was ready, she had surveyed her new domain, and set to shredding the deep bed of papers I had made in the box.

I then went and fed and took care of the mangies. And went to the store to put in provisions and my meds. I picked up a heat lamp as my old one was no longer functional. Rushing back home, I set up the heater and the heat lamp and stared at her for a few hours took her temp, 98.6, and then brought her to bed. In the night she woke me, and I put her in the area and spent a few hours staring at her, and went back to bed.

The next day, after checking her out, and she was panting and lying on the papers, I gave her a chicken leg quarter and she scarfed it. I watched and I waited. Finally after a few hours, I passed out chicken leg quarters to the rest of my lot, not sure when I would give them their kibble. She of course went through the doggy door and lined up for hers, even though she ate one already that morning. No loss of appetite. I gave her another drumstick.

The day wore on, and on, and on. I took her temperature again, 98.5. Definitely low enough. I pull out one of my many whelping books, not that we have not been through this before. Finally at 4PM, this was yesterday, she broke water. Awesome. I have never heard of a false pregnancy breaking water. Now the clock starts.

In an hour labor starts in earnest, but no puppy. I am her cheerleader, "push, push girl, push the baby out." Nothing. She lays down and seems to give up. I get her up and have her walk around. That seems to start it again, then she lays down. I run in the other room and get a can of carnation evaporated milk and mix it with water and she drinks most of it. That seems to start it again, then nothing.

Now Babsy has had a litter before, three years ago. I bred her in between to a dog that has not yet produced puppies. This time, I went with a different dog. But she just turned six, and I am worried because it is harder for older females that have had several years between litters.

I check the time, it is almost seven. My vet is closed. I would have to put her in the car and go for hours to get her to the vet. Then I see that her private area looks odd. I look closer. A mouth is born. Just the mouth. She moves and grunts and tries and lies down again. there is no sack. This baby will die. It is breathing, it needs out. Now.

I get her up, and walk her and encourage, she tries. Doesn't work. I put my fingers around the head, it recedes! I get her up again. The poor girl is tired now, but she tries to push again and licks at herself. The mouth is born again. It is moving. I put my finger around the head and get it a little further out, a muzzle and then the head. She gets up again, and pushes, and soon the rest of the first pup is born. It is a boy, born at 6:50. The pup weighs just 1 pound 1 ounce, a good weight, but not gigantic. He finds his way to a nozzle and goes to.

Babs and I clean the puppy and dry it, then I clean my hands, and expect others to come in the normal interval.

Eh!

[selzer]

By eleven PM, thoughts are running through my head. Is it a singleton. She is big enough for six puppies that size. I should have gotten a shot of oxytocin. I fight with the vet's answering service. Ok, well, I could raise another singleton. I pass out kibble to the other girls. Odessa is inside listening to the boy and frantic. If there are more in there, Babs could die. They are alive now. She spewed more water, again, and again. Are the placentas separating? A c-now might save them. I can't get there for at least an hour if I go to the place I have little faith in, 2 for the better place. She is turning, nesting, she is down again. I give her yogurt, which she scarfs. I give her chicken and rice, peas and carrots, no problem with the appetite. A calcium pill. I get dressed. There, she is starting again. No, she is down. I leave the room to see if she will do it with me out of there. No. Uhg, uhg, uhg.

Finally, at 1AM, there are a couple of legs born, no sack, it is moving. I help, and the BIG girl is born. Babs and I clean her up, and she weighs 1 pound 6 ounces! Two. Two is so much better than one. She is healthy, lively, and LOUD. She finds her way to a nozzle, and all is well.

An hour later, a few contractions, and number three is born, in the sack, he is slow moving, a little grey, there is poop on him. I clean him quickly and vigorously try to get him going, breathing better, is color is not so good, grey. I suck the fluid out with my ear wash bulb. I dry him, I massage him, he seems to be doing a bit better. He is 1 pound 5 ounces. I put him on his mother near a nozzle. He is not too concerned with his. I wash up, and look again, and put him on her. I try to put the nozzle in his mouth. I keep him close to her, and rub him a bit. He seems ok. Finally he eats. I crash for a few hours next to the box.

Babs doesn't move. she lies under the heat lamp with the puppies. I clean the box around her. I remove the pups and send her outside. Are there more? Can't tell. I call the vet, and get an appointment for 10:00AM, and take care of the mangies, and go in and get dressed, and go out and start the car and get it ready. The little guy had gained weight, the other two lost a little.

I notice that she has really stopped bleeding. That is odd. I figure she must not have any more. But decide to do a picture to be sure. And there are no more. All three are very lively. I weighed them tonight. They have all gained weight since this morning, the little one gained about an ounce since birth. The other two nearly gained back what they had lost. just .1 and .2 ounces shy of their birth weight and not 24 hours old.

Babsy is an awesome mother, keeping them warm and fed and clean. Only three, but all of them alive.

This isn't for whimps.

[ksotto333]

So glad everything turned out ok.. that would be hard to do..the waiting and hoping all goes well...k

[robinhuerta]

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Good gosh Sue.....you need a "slip n' slide" litter!! LOL!
Girlfriend...you are over due for an easy whelp!

[Zisso]

Congrats on the precious babies Selzer!!

[GSD84]

I loved reading that! congrats

[Whiteshepherds]

I don't know how you do it, I think I stopped breathing just reading your posts waiting to see what was going to happen next!

Congrats, I'm glad all is well!! Don't forget we need pictures!!

[onyx'girl]

Seriously, I could never be a dog breeder!
Parrot hatching/handfeeding was hard enough, but the mother was never in danger...unless she couldn't pass an egg, which was very seldom.
Congrats on the Trifecta....can't wait to see pics.

Who is the sire?

[DharmasMom]

Congratulations!!! That was a nail biter to be sure. I am SOOOO happy for you that they are all healthy and it went well. Now, we need pictures!!

[Emoore]

Ha! I was sitting here reading that, literally biting my nails. You're definitely due for an easy litter soon. Glad Mom and babies are all ok.