at about 2pm i got a call from a frantic furbaby-papa saying the waters had broke and a puppy was on the way! within about 5 minutes i was standing outside his door whelping kit in hand...
callie had delivered the 1st puppy
and her people-momma had managed to tear the sack for her (callie was pretty clueless), but there was another pup
half out- i got there just in time for him. he took a bit of convincing but we got him breathing and cuddled up with his sister.
puppy 3
came 15 minutes later and 4
came 20 mins after that- both had ruptured sacks so loads of fluid that needed removed and we were left minus one placenta. puppy 5
came 30 mins later with no problems- the same with number 6
.
puppy 7
was another ruptured sack with a severed chord leaving another retained placenta; after 7-8minutes the bleeding stopped and he was breathing perfectly normally.
puppy 8
, YES !8!, came 40 mins later- just after i hung up from the vet asking about the retained placentas, i know they say it can be reabsorbed, but i've heard soo many times of it causing fatal infections i wasnt keen on risking it!. as puppy 8 came out he was quickly followed by an extra placenta, so only one left!
after a really good feel (and 45 mins) we concluded she must be done- how could she possibly have any more?
what callie; you still want to push?!? gahh!
this whole time callies momma and papa sat patiently in the next room, checking in on her between puppies- so when i saw some feet appear with no sack around them i didnt really want to call them. she wasnt moving and looked so fragile, but a few minutes of rubbing and a cleared out throat did the trick! i dont think i've ever been so close to losing a pup at whelp- it was a worse feeling than i ever imagined- if i didnt have plans to keep another pup (of kukis 2nd litter) i would have snapped her up there and then- just to thank her for breathing for me! so, a round of a
z for the last baby.
we now have nine healthy rottiex puppies; 6boys and 3girls! remembering that callie was soo thin- and at 7 1/2 weeks pregnant weighed 35kg even though her normal nonpregnant weight should be about 45kg- i think thats quite an achievment for her! her tiniest puppy weighs 13.9oz and the biggest 14.9oz... not numbers we usually have to deal with at birth! and at about 9.30pm she passed the retained placenta, so thats a big weight off my mind!
so, sorry for the long story, but i think it goes without say; callie did good!
and thankyou all for your advice and encouragement- it is greatly appreciated by us all!