This is only sorta off topic.  

As I do not believe in breeding dogs, but also enjoyed the litters my parents had with their shelties, and the one litter my sheltie had when I was 17 (many years ago), I decided to offer myself up to a rescue organization to foster a pregnant dog.  Almost two weeks ago I got a call that a pregnant dog was about to be put to sleep out at the Riverside shelter... So I went and got her.  We named her Luna and was she ever pregnant.  A visit to the vet Friday night indicated at least 7 if not 8 puppies.  She had a very difficult labor and delivery.  I played midwife, and doula, and helped three babies to breath.  She had three babies, then went 8 hours without a baby... so we went to the vet, to check things out.  They verified five more babies, and gave her oxytocin to help move her along... nothing happened for another few hours so they sent us to the emergency vet for a c-section.  Luna obviously was not in agreement, the next puppy was born in the 7-11 parking lot at the corner of Sulpulvada and Venice blvd... the next in Long Beach at the corner of Cherry and Wardlow, the 6th at home... Oh, the first two were birthed on my bed... only the last one was birthed in the whelping box.  We did loose the 7th baby, but the eighth was born and he was the largest, and had a hard time, I breathed into his little mouth and did cpr and he is now the largest, a week later. 

My children obviously have picked up on such LC knowledge, my 15 year old has been watching Luna's breasts, she's (the dog, not the 15 year old human child) had a few issues of swollen and painful breasts, one actually, and Alexx will pick up one of the smaller puppies and hold it so it can nurse on that one breast.. It's just been very interesting and very wonderful experience, and while loosing one baby was hard, I try to remember that the seven babies and Luna herself would be dead now if I hadn't of rescued her... Now, we'll just need to find homes for these, though the rescue organization, and make sure that Luna has no more babies... this last pregnancy was difficult on her... she was emaciated and just now is starting to feel good again.  

It was also pretty amazing to watch how lactation in dogs is not so different than lactation in humans... except this dog has 10 breasts and 8 that are producing a lot of milk!  

Joylyn Souter
(you can see photos of the puppies and their mom on my facebook page, including--gasp--one of mama nursing her babies (without covering them up!) and also a birth photo of Ares, the first baby, coming out feet first... just two little feet....)


You must be the change you wish to see in the world--Ghandi

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome