Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1  We all loose babies when we breed. It happens sooner or later. The only recourse we have, is that we prepared ourselves for every eventuality that we could think of....must have every single instrument needed to help mom deliver if necessary....must have a vet on standby to do any necessary c-sections....must have incubators set up to keep orphaned babies warm and safe....must have every single ingredient required to prepare the life sustaining formulas for babies, right there on hand.....must have a thorough working knowledge of HOW TO TUBE FEED A PUPPY, this will pull babies back from the jaws of death at least 8 times out of 10.....have to be knowledgable about giving sub-q fluids to prevent dehydration in these little babies.....you must have the IV fluyids and the syringes and needles to do this......and you MUST be comfortable with good working knowledge required to perform emergent measures, and you must have the financial means to pay for procedures YOU can not do without a license in vet medicine.... with doing whatever it takes to help these struggling babies live. You MUST be able to recognize when the situation is beginning to go from bad to emergent, and you have to be able to kick it up from "0" to 150 mph in 2.2 seconds.....you have to realize that when you have a situation with a failure to thrive baby or an orphaned litter, this is a job that requires 24/7 attention...cant take time off for school or work or tea time with the Ladies Club......you have to realize you are in a fight with DEATH, trying to keep him away from your babies, and that means probably very little or no sleep for you....breeding is exhaustive, and heart breaking....and you must be more than willing and prepared to do WHATEVER it takes, for as long as it takes, to resolve the situation...prayerfully, with a wonderful outcome and all survive. I actually talked a lady thru trying to save her baby....she was over in Saudi Arabia, ....this lady sent friends and begged people all over the Middle East and Europe, to get the supplies I told her she needed....she had incorporated at least 3 other people to help her try to save this baby, working in shifts...she learned to give sub-q fluide and she learned tube feeding from my instructions to her over the internet....she tube fed her baby and was so nervous she was shaking, but she did it and she cried joyfully when she completed the procedure...that lady almost killed herself, and several vets that saw her determination and they pulled out all the stops to help her however they could, trying to save that baby's life, and she would have pulled it off except the baby had an intestinal malformation, so that little soul was destined to return to Heaven....but this girl left NO stone unturned, going all over Europe and the Middle East, gathering required supplies....I have NEVER seen such effort and complete devotion and iron willed determinarion to save her baby.....but this is what you do when you are responsible for bringing babies into this world. I am prayerful that ANYONE that is thinking about breeding and having babies, READ everything you can get your hands on about whelping a litter...get every single instrument you need and set your area up....get everything you MUST have to feed and supplement both momma and baby after the baby is born. This is NOT something that you can go into lighthearted and unprepared, all excited and wearing rose colored glasses.....it is gut wrenching and heart breaking and it often times does not turn out well for babies or momma....THIS is breeding....for God's sake do not go into it lightly and blinded by fairy tale endings....you MUST be prepared for the worst situation...and if it all goes well, congtatulations, you get the brass ring! I am sorry about the length of this post...but these things really do affect me badly, especially when I think a baby of mine may have died because I didnt have the knowledge or the supplies I should have had, JUST BECAUSE I CALL MYSELF A BREEDER.....and every single breeder that posted on this thread over the last few days, feels the very same way, I can promise you.. |