It
always happens here on the farm when we have pups, it’s late at night, usually
on a Friday or Saturday when the Vet’s office is closed and I have to go
through the answering service when something comes up or I feel there is a problem
and I will tell you, I am particular about my dogs and their wellbeing. I probably worry too much but I am a dad, and
these are my kids. I remember when my
oldest son was a toddler, it was me that called the nurse for advice and she even
knew me my voice and always answered my question and solved my problems, but I
was concerned. This was a trying time,
but then again, they all are when and hoping everything is
falling into place. I know dogs have
giving birth for thousands of years, but not my dogs and I want everything to
work like clockwork.
We
knew Annie was close when we had her x-rayed last Monday. She was carrying 8 pups and they looked full
grown so I knew we were on track for this week but Mother Nature always throws
a few kinks into the mix.
This next statement in not to discourage anyone, but if you think it is a piece of cake to have pups, you’re very mistaken…Here is the short list of the events this week.
Starting
3 weeks ago, Annie did not want to eat and we all know that it is essential
that they get good nutrition and exercise so I had to make special food for her
every meal because she needed to eat.
Plenty of exercise in the below zero outdoors and doing it frequently
and carefully because of the cargo she is carrying.
Vet
trip on Monday for the x-ray to measure and count pups and to make sure
everything is in place and ready to go.
Dogs
usually give birth in 63 days…but there are exceptions every time, such as,
when did she ovulate and when did they breed and hopefully you can come up with
a date, but not always…
On
Wednesday, she seemed antsy so I slept with her and had an open eye all
night. Thursday…the same thing…nothing
yet. Friday she went into 1st
stage labor and her temperature dropped to 97.4 and a normal temperature is
101. – 102…so birth is within 24 hours or less.
Friday night came and went and I watched TV or read all night with no
sleep…nothing. At 10:30 pm I called the Vet
and we discussed options, but he felt sure things would move by morning. At 7:30 am, I re-called the Vet and discussed the now very limited options. There was
discussions that action needed to take place by 11:30 am to protect the pups
and mother. It was now snowing outside and the last
thing I wanted or needed was a C-section on my Annie and driving her in the snow makes it worse.
Searches was made on the internet and I found
an article written be a Vet in Canada that had great suggestions and options for this,
but because I had more questions, I started to search for the Vet, via
Google. In ten minutes, I had her on the
phone and we discussed the options, but it was getting slim if I wanted total
protection for the pups and Annie and then I called my good friend and the Vet
that I once worked for and he gave me the best advise…”Don’t jump too
fast”
It
is a one hour drive to the Vet's surgery center where they would do the operation and
we would need to leave before 10:30, but at 10 am, Annie got more determined to
“nest” and at 10:10, she delivered her first pup and 7 more pups by 4 pm.
And just think, this is just the beginning of at least 8 weeks of due diligence for the little pups to make them the best they can be for the new owner.
I guess the moral of this story is there is
never an ending to the things that can, and do happen.
So as I write this blog on Saturday night after having nearly 3 hours of
sleep in 72 hours, I ask myself is it worth it? And just think, this is just the beginning of at least 8 weeks of due diligence for the little pups to make them the best they can be for the new owner.
Nothing great comes without great work...Ken
Note: Gabby did not become pregnant when she and Doc ran through the woods, but Annie did slip into the grasp of Doc in a very brief moment...which is another story
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