I'm so sad to report that our little girl puppy passed away last night. She was a fighter - but the odds were against her. The vet gave us the tubing materials and we tube fed her every two hours. Previously she had been sucking and nursing but yesterday she became very lethargic. Her breathing became very labored and heavy. I was praying she would go quickly because I could not stand to see her suffer. We fed her at 10:00 last nite, 1cc of puppy replacer with pedialyte. I also gave her 3 drops of the beef liver broth as posted in the breeder forum. She actually gained a little strength and lifted her head a few times. At 10:30 I checked on her and she was snuggled next to mama with her two tiny little front legs wrapped around her mama's right front paw. It was a precious sight. I got up at 12:30 to feed her and she had passed away. Our hearts are very heavy today but we have the peace of knowing we did everything possible for her. She just wasn't meant to make it.
We are blessed to have three others who are thriving. I will now turn my full attention to them and enjoy watching them grow. Dog breeding isn't for sissies. These experiences hurt to a depth that is surprising. I have been breeding for 8 years and I have been very blessed to not experience this very often. This is only the second time I have lost a living puppy and I have had one stillborn. I love doing it - it brings me much joy as well. But times like this make me sit back and wonder how much longer. . .
I want to thank all of you who shared advice and encouragment. This forum has so much good information and support - I appreciate it all from the bottom of my heart. |