Babies will be in my house again SOON!

[aly]

I was going to wait and tell you guys on Tuesday so I could post pictures, but I couldn't hold in the news any longer! I'm taking in a new foster who will be with me for 2.5 months. She's a little terrier mix who happens to be very pregnant. I will keep her until the babies are weaned and all ready for adoption. Since she's a small dog, it should be a small litter of pups. I'm hoping just 2-3, but we'll see.

She was in a kill shelter and her time was up last Wednesday. Our shelter wanted to save her but couldn't unless they had a committed foster. No one else volunteered, so I said I would do it. I'm excited but very scared about the whole birthing process :eek: I've had TONS of experience with orphaned newborns, but I've never had a mom and gone through that birth part, eeeeeeep!

[QueenChyna]

well good luck, actually, just about 4 weeks ago, i delt with the same thing!Lulu, abandoned in our local city, was saved by my mom and I! and she is the sweetest thing ever!!! and she had 5 pup's but sadly 2 died, she had them at night, and she had enough strength to get the firdt 3 out but that lat 2 were sadly dead, inside her for too long but the other 3 are healthy and lovle as can be! so cute,we think lulu is a shih tzu terrier cross!


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/KTVET/petpics002.jpg

^^^^^those are her puppies!

[LorraineO]

Awww... good for you,, taking her in at her last chance... youre a great lady!!!!!

I am sure the birthing will be fine,.. maybe get some pointers from your vet?

[pitc9]

Oh Aly... you are such a wonderful person!!

I can't wait for pictures!

I'm sure you'll be fine! But I would be afraid also!!

[CountryWolf07]

Aww Aly!

I'm sure you will do just fine! :)

[cloverfdx]

Aly you ARE an angel for taking in that poor dog and her babies to be. I am sure you will do just fine and hopefully you wont have any trouble with the birth.

I will be waiting for news on the little one and when the time comes for the pups aswell.

:)

[primabella]

I'm so happy you were able to save her. :D

Eeee I'm so excited to here updates on the mom and her pups. I'm sure you'll do fine with her. Please keep us updated. :)

[My Peanuts]

Aly, I'm so happy you save her. If anyone is up to raising so puppies it's you! :D

[Kfamr]

How neat!
It may be too much to ask,, and other may not want to see.. but is it possible to get a few pics of the birth?

[aly]

Sure Kay! I might not post them so I'll just pm them to you. Or I can post them as attachments with a warning :) Video might be a possibility too.

I am so scared that I might not be with her when she goes into labor. I'm getting a new job soon, but my boyfriend and I will be working opposite schedules so she'll almost always have someone with her. I don't know if I can get my boyfriend to take pics if he's with her at the time, but I'll ask!

I'm going in to talk to a vet tech on Tuesday and a vet on Wednesday about things to watch for. I also have a few friends on call who have had experience with a dog giving birth.

I'm soooo exctied about it though. I pick her up tomorrow after obedience class!

[molucass]

I can't wait to see pics of her and her upcoming babies!

I've delivered 3 litters of pups (1 foster dog, Annie & my neighbors stray dog they found), and helped a momma cat when I volunteered at the Humane Society... It's definitely not an experience you will forget.

I had planned on taking pictures of the birth when Annie had her puppies, but I was so worried about her being so young and etc., that I didn't even worry with the camera until the pups were out, and I made sure they were cleaned off and breathing. 3 of her puppies were breech, so I had to help get them out, and then one of them wasn't breathing so I had to breath air in to him to get him breathing again....

With the other dog I helped, she would actually stop herself from giving birth if I left the room.. She wanted me right by her side every second. She was in labor for a little over 9 hrs. but all 11 pups were happy and healthy!

If you just PM people pictures of the birth, I would love to see them, please. :)

[Tollers-n-Dobes]

I can't wait to see pictures of the babies and mom:)

If you do PM people the pictures at birth can you send them to me, I'd love to see them:D i planned on taking pictures of RB Jesse when she had her pups but I was too worried about her that i forgot about taking pictures.

[lute]

that's sounds like lots of fun! i'm thinkin there will have to be pics when the babies come.:D

[jazzcat]

Aly, how exciting! That is great news for that sweet momma and her babies. You're just the best!

Congrats on your new job too!

[ramanth]

How exciting!! I'm sure you'll make a great midwife. And I'd like to see pics of the pups being born too. :D

[CamCamPup33]

Oh yay!

Aly your such a wonderful person for doing this. :)

Sound's exciting! I can't wait for pictures!

[micki76]

Oh, I can't wait for pics! Once again, I wish I lived closer, since I know you'll need breaks. :(

[DogLover9501]

How exciting! Im sure you'll do fine!

[aly]

Originally posted by micki76
Oh, I can't wait for pics! Once again, I wish I lived closer, since I know you'll need breaks. :(

You do live close enough to adopt one though! Hehe, jk!

Maybe we'll do another meeting sometime and you can meet puppies & mama!

[micki76]

Originally posted by aly
You do live close enough to adopt one though! Hehe, jk!

Maybe we'll do another meeting sometime and you can meet puppies & mama!

I know!!! :D Hmmm....

Yes, I'll HAVE to meet mama & pups! :D

I've never helped birth puppies, but I've helped a mama with her kittens before. It was a little scary, but not too bad. She got tired after the 6th one and I had to break open the sac on the last one, cut the umbilical cord & clean the kitten. Quite an experience. :)

[aly]

Just a couple hours until I go to the shelter for obedience classes, then I'll be on my way home with her and pictures will be soon to follow :D

I've been reading some info on birthing puppies and I am even more scared than ever :eek:

[K9soul]

Can't wait to see the pics Aly! I know you're nervous but I feel really confident you'll do the best you can and everything will probably go just fine :). I don't think she could be in any better hands than yours.

[aly]

She's HERE!!! :D

She is the SWEETEST thing ever! She reminds me of a mini-sized Millie (Micki you HAVE to meet her!). Of course, she is wider than Millie right now! :eek:

She loves to be in my lap and keeps crawling up on me. She's being very quiet and good in her crate right now though. I put her in there because I didn't want her too overwhelmed checking out everything all at once. She is slightly scared of my cats and dogs, but she checks them out when their backs are turned (hehe).

She's just a year old so she's a puppy herself. Her tummy is pretty big and I'm SCARED :eek: :eek: :eek: I'm ready to buy one of you guys a plane ticket out here so someone can help me be brave when puppy time comes. I'm starting to worry about everything under the sun now. On the way home in the car, she got really restless and kept spinning in circles.. Then she squatted and I PANICKED because I thought she was going to start popping out babies right there. Turns out she had some pretty bad diarrhea. I had to pull over and clean it up. Then she spit up twice in the car before we got home. I think the poor thing was either carsick or just stressed. She's doing okay now though. I'm watching her like a hawk.

Ok, I've got 3 emergency vets on speed dial and phone is ready if there's ANY sign of anything popping out!

Pictures soon. I gotta grab something to eat and try to calm my nerves a bit!

[Jamieejo85]

Congrats..sounds like a sweet pup and I cannot wait to see pictures! Don't worry, I am sure you will do fine:D :D

[micki76]

Originally posted by aly
She is the SWEETEST thing ever! She reminds me of a mini-sized Millie (Micki you HAVE to meet her!). Of course, she is wider than Millie right now! :eek:

Hmmm... I'm on vacation ALL next week! :D Might have to pop in on you one day! :)

LOL, wider than Millie? She must be VERY preggie! :eek:

[molucass]

A good way to tell when labor is coming soon is to check her temperature... If it drops below 98, then you know!

[wolf_Q]

AWWW Aly we need pics, she sounds so cute!! Hope she's feeling better now, sounds like she was feeling sick. I know you will take the best care of her Aly! :)

[aly]

I'm going to attach 2 pictures. I can't upload any right now because she's on my lap and its hard to even type!

Sweet girl!

[aly]

The pictures aren't good because she won't stay still! She just wants to be ON me all the time!

Belly pic

[wolf_Q]

She's cute!! Her belly *is* huge! :eek:

[DogLover9501]

What a sweetie! And what a big belly :eek:

[micki76]

OMG!!! Mine, mine, mine, mine! :D

*faints*

[aly]

I've been "sleeping" for 3 hours now and woke up about 5 times from puppy nightmares :eek: :eek: :eek: Keep thinking something is going wrong. If she makes the slightest sound, I fly out of bed from a deep sleep right to her crate in sheer panic. She's supposedly not even due until the end of next week (don't know how accurate that is). This is going to be a long, scary week and a half :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: (She's sleeping peacefully by the way, blissfully unaware of my nerves).

I knew you'd like her, Micki :D Hopefully I can get a good pic soon. The pictures don't do her justice though and her personality makes her even cuter!

I'll attach another bad picture of her. She looks like a fawn in this pic. You can see a bald patch by her eye. She has demodex (not contagious) mange.

I'm off to try to get more than 30 minutes of sleep at a time.

[Kater]

What a DOLL BABY! She has a face to die for!

I know what you mean about the nightmares....when I was caring for the over 75 residents at Three Ring Ranch I had nightmares CONSTANTLY! It's just so stressful. :( I hope that your nerves settle down some because it can be so draining.

{{{BIGS HUGS}}} to the rescuer with the mostest! ;)

[jazzcat]

OMG, she so cute but looks like a little pup herself. Poor girl.

Aly, I know you will do great.

[ramanth]

What a cutie!! I know you'll just do great during the birthing. :)

[LorraineO]

Oh,, she has such a young face on her,,, a mere baby herself from the looks lf her!!!

[Miranda_Rae]

Oh!!! DO post pictures! You MUST....it will be SO fun to see little puppy faces. :D :D :D :D Mommy's tummy is big and shes cute....love her little nosie! :D

[aly]

I am posting this message with a very heavy heart :( I know many of you will probably disagree with what is going to happen, but I really have no say in it.

I was called into the shelter this afternoon and told to bring Cindy. When I got there, I found out they wanted to evaluate her further and check again to see how far along she is in her pregnancy. Apparently someone was left out of the loop on her and got mad so thats why they called me in. I don't really want to give too many details about that on a public forum. Anyway, the shelter vet and clinic staff determined that it would be best to spay her. They said that it won't be any riskier to her than giving birth would be. I was really upset of course, but they talked to me about it for awhile. I don't want them to abort her babies :( But I want them to do whatever is best for CINDY, not me.

I am having a really tough time going from baby watch to realizing there will be no babies :( As I was leaving the shelter, I passed by all of our other homeless dogs though. Some of them have been there 6 months or more. I realized that maybe this is the most responsible thing to do. If it is safe to spay her right now and if her babies aren't too far developed, who are we to bring in more lives when there are so many unwanted ones on the streets and dying in shelters.

I will still foster Cindy though. They have her scheduled for surgery on Friday :( I will drop her off at 7am and pick her up that evening.

I'm really sorry that I got everyone excited about the babies. I really thought they were going to let her have them. Ugh :(

I welcome all comments about this, even if you 100% disagree, especially from those with experiences with spaying pregnant dogs :(

[PJ's Mom]

This is awful. I'm so sorry. :(

[sabies]

Wow Aly, a lot has happened to you since the beginning of this thread. I suppose aborting and spaying is better than having to put to sleep a dog that is already born. There are too many homeless dogs and that's a sad fact. I admire you for all you do and I hope the support you get here gives you extra strength to deal with these difficult situations.

[lute]

oh no! i know it's exciting to have puppies,but when you think about it they are really doing the right thing. the last thing we need are more pupies in the world. i hope she gets through the surgery safely and finds a wonderfu new home.

how far along is she?

[aly]

Thank you so much guys :( I've had such a rollercoaster ride of emotions with this whole thing. You all help me emotionally so much.

I'm not exactly sure how far along she is. I think they are doing an ultrasound before the spay to be sure and I might take her to the vet for a second opinion tomorrow

[lute]

i think you should take her to the vet for their opinion. vet knows best!:D

[PJ's Mom]

Originally posted by aly
and I might take her to the vet for a second opinion tomorrow

I think that's the best idea I've heard all day. ;) :D

[micki76]

I hope to GOD those puppies aren't viable, and that she's not very far along. :(

I know there are millions of animals in the shelters, but killing nearly born puppies just isn't right. Now, if she's not very far along, it may be for the best.

I'm just sad about the whole thing. :(

[K9soul]

First of all, I know your control in this situation is pretty much nil, and that it is just heartbreaking for you, I truly sympathize with how you must be feeling about all this.

My own feelings on it are similar to Micki's. I do know there are thousands of homeless and unwanted pups, but I just can't be comfortable with the idea of killing them, especially if they are close to being born. Looking at how big her belly is, it really looks like she is far along, but I don't have any real experience in observing pregnant dogs. Even if the pups ended up in a shelter and possibly euthanized, I'd still prefer they at least had a chance to become someone's special baby.. If she isn't far along, I still don't really like the idea, but I could probably tolerate the thought better.

Aly I know this has to be an awful tormenting situation to have to watch, but whatever happens you are doing everything you can for her to give her a chance, and a pup couldn't ask for a better guardian angel on earth to look over her. {{hugs}}

[aly]

I just wanted to let you all that even though I really don't have say, I'm still doing everything I can to figure out what is best for Cindy. If it were my call, I would let her have them. I do need to think about the other homeless animals and her health as well. I'm going to see my own vet tomorrow behind the shelter's back for a second opinion.

By the way, it was a qualified vet who made the decision that it was safe to spay her. She has her own practice and donates some time to the shelter. I am still going to my own vet though.

I just don't want anyone to think I'm taking this lightly, because I'm not. There is a pit in my stomach and I've been a cry baby all day. I just want to do what is right and I'm really really upset about it.

[jazzcat]

Geez Aly, does your emotional roller coaster ever stop??:eek:

I'm so sorry that you are having to deal with this. I pray the best thing for Cindy is what happens and that you can find peace with it.

((((HUGS))))

[Jamieejo85]

Aly~
First of all, I am so sorry to read about this. How awful, being excited and nervous at the same time about new pups and now there won't be any. I do agree with you though when you were thinking of all the homeless dogs already out there. But I have a question. Couldn't she still have them? Her due date is next week and her surgery is Friday, but isn't it still possible for her to have them tonight or tomorrow? Just wondering, I don't know ANYTHING about pregnancy among dogs, so sorry if the answer is obvious. Thinking of you and Cindy............Prayers for you both...
~Jamie

[aly]

If she goes into labor tonight or tomorrow, then we will DEFINATELY keep the puppies, no question about that. Once they're here, I will NOT take them to be euthanized or anything. I think the only way they will spay her is if the puppies aren't too far developed. Don't ask me how they're not totally developed if she was supposed to be due next week :confused: I don't know very much about it either.

They were telling me that labor could be pretty hard on her because she's so small and frail. Very petite girl. She'd be really skinny if she wasn't pregnant. I just really fell in love with her so quickly and I want to do what is least risky for her. I also want to look out for the puppies though. :( :( :( This is so hard. I wouldn't wish this situation on anyone.

[molucass]

Annie is really small and petite as well, and she had 6 puppies just fine... A couple of them were breech, but I only had to help her a little... She had 6 healthy beautiful puppies.

The only thing I would worry about is if a huge dog got her pregnant, then she might not be able to have them naturally..

The vet can do an x-ray to determine the size of the puppies heads, in relation to the size of her pelvis and see if she would be able to have them.

We had that done with the dog I fostered, because even though the woman she came from said she saw her breeding with a small male boston terrier, we weren't sure that was true and wanted to make sure that they were indeed small enough for her to have them. The shelter I fostered her for wanted to abort the puppies and she to was a week away from giving birth. So I took her in myself and paid to have her x-rayed to see if everything would go alright.

If it were me, that's what I would do... Because I'm thinking that if the puppies are only a week away from being born that they are almost fully formed puppies and they are indeed viable.. You can bring a pregnant dog in for an ultrasound and an x-ray as early as 25-26 days and they can see the heartbeats and can already see the skulls and spines of the puppies to count them.

Sorry this is so long... But I just don't think its right to spay her when shes this far along... Even though there are a lot of homeless dogs.

[aly]

I am going to my vet tomorrow. I don't necessarily agree with her being spayed either, but its not my decision and I have no influence. If my vet says that she shouldn't be spayed, I will go up and try to argue with them at the shelter. If my vet says its okay, then I have really no ground to stand on. As I said before, if I were personally responsible for this dog, she would have her puppies.

:(

[molucass]

Any updates???

[cloverfdx]

Oh Aly what sad news :(. I will keep you and the little one in my thoughts and prayers what ever the outcome.

{{Hugs}}

[LorraineO]

Oh Lord... What a mess to be in Aly,,, You have got to be beside yourself,,, *I* am and i am not even there!!!!!!!

All I want is whats best for Mommy and whats best in the long run for her pups....

will be thinking of you...

[aly]

She was spayed yesterday :( I've had an upside down stomach since Wednesday and especially yesterday I felt like I was going to throw up all day long. I've got a surge of emotions. Most of all I feel grief and depression. I am also really angry at being put in this position. Its caused a pretty big controversy at the shelter. I did take Cindy to my vet for a second opinion. They talked to me for a long time about it all. And it turned out that she had pretty large puppies and they were saying she would most likely need a C-section if she had them. I feel like throwing up again just talking about this :( I didn't want to make you guys sad or upset so that is why I didn't give the update earlier.

Cindy is doing very well though. I picked her up yesterday evening after surgery, wrapped her in a blanket and held her all night. She's quite perky for just getting out of surgery. She doesn't seem depressed or anything. I thought maybe her hormones might be out of whack, but I'm not noticing any strange behavior. She just loves to cuddle with me ALL the time. She is leaking a ton of discharge or something though. I imagine it might be normal for the procedure she had done, but I'm taking her to the vet later today anyway.

I have some new pictures of her, but they were from before surgery :( I think I'll take some new ones today so you guys can see what a doll she is. I just love her so much. I don't think I'll be able to take her back to the shelter when she is ready for adoption :o :(

[chrissycat21]

I'm so sorry about the situation that you were put in! I'm glad that Cindy is ok and her surgery went ok.

[Karen]

Oh, Aly, you know our prayers are with you and Cindy, too. If the puppies were going to be too big to be born naturally, I am glad you had the check done, and the courage to do what's right for Cindy.

Cindy is still a baby herself, and is very lucky to have landed a fostermom who cares so much. Thanks for alll you do Aly, and give Cindy a gentle snuggle for me.

[lute]

Aly, i feel so bad. this is such a terrible situation and shouldn't have been put on yur shulders.:( i'm glad she's doing well.

[jazzcat]

Aly I'm sorry. (((HUGS))) Sounds like she is very lucky to have you taking care of her. Please keep us posted.

[Kfamr]

Oh please Aly don't think as if anyone here would be mad at you.. if they are they just need a slap in the face.

We all know it was not YOUR choice but whatever is best for Cindy is what is needed.


{Hugs to both of you girls.}

[Cookiebaker]

{{Aly}} I'm so sorry for your grief, and for the position that you were put into. I'm glad that Cindy made it thru the operation well, and found such a wonderful fostermom! :)

[aly]

Thank you all so much. Your support really means the world to me. I've been so torn up about this. I wanted to do what was best for Cindy and I hope this was it. I am just trying to find peace with it now that it is done. I really can't thank you enough for all the kind words. Thank you all so much! I will start a new happy thread soon with Cindy pictures.

[LorraineO]

Try not to feel badly,,, what was done was best for her health in the long run,,, and its a loss for the puppies of course,,,,, Life can be cruel.....

[aly]

I just got some good news from one of the clinic nurses at the shelter. She called me (on her day off) to tell me some stuff about Cindy's surgery. I hadn't wanted to hear anything about the puppies from anyone but her. Anyway, she told me that she was not nearly as far along as they had guessed. Her puppies weren't really that developed at all. They were very large though and there were a lot. So she would have had complications (bad ones) during labor or even before. That is basically as far into it as she went because I didn't want to know specific details.

I knew they were large from when I went to my vet, but I hadn't know that she wasn't as far along as they thought.

*edit* The only reason I called this good news was because it finally put me at peace that I did the right thing for Cindy.

[kingrattus]

Poor momma is gonna have problems. I wish her well & hope her & ALL the healthy puppies survive & that the C-section goes well for her.

Poor thing.

[Kfamr]

Aly, I'm gladd you've got some new to put you at peace. :)



Originally posted by kingrattus
Poor momma is gonna have problems. I wish her well & hope her & ALL the healthy puppies survive & that the C-section goes well for her.

Poor thing.

Cindy is not going to have her puppies and she has been spayed.