LizT

Yes looks like they were although it was all over for Crystal by 4.30pm. Your bubs are beautiful. Kesari did really well. Last year my Bonnie (Cav) had 6 between 5.00am and 7.00 am. Did you give Raspberry Leaf as a Uterine tonic? I do and I think it helped Crystal to deliver without any dramas. It certainly helped me with my three kids. Seriously if you need any supplementing or have a tiny one who needs an extra hand I'd be happy to help out. Only thing is I cannot guarantee you would get it back ;) as we are big fans of Shepherds, Austrian, German or Swiss. It's the same to us!

It sounds like you have been given good advice and information, I hope it all works out for you and your pup. Some people choose not to put animals through the surgery and its recovery when faced with serious conditions. It is very much an individual choice. Financially many people would have to think very hard before committing to the cost. I don't consider your choice wrong, but it may not by the one I would make. There are those that will pay anything to try to save their pets. There are those that would if they could but simply cannot afford it and really have no choice. They look at their family and expenses and cannot justify spending thousands on a pet. There are also those that feel an animal is simply not worth spending that much money on when another pet can be obtained. Yes, they are sad about it but they are pragmatic people who don't stand on heroics. Then there are those that simply feel spending that much on an animal is not justified. None are wrong. Everyone must do what feels right for them.

Congratulations!! 11 a big litter. Congratulations!! She looks so sweet! Are you going to call her Solitaire? Hmmm...maybe? Use it somehow! Long road before she gets a name though. But she's here and that was a major concern and a huge first obstacle. Ive been giving it some thought but I am not very good at thinking of good names but (your prefix) "My Solitaire" or "On her Own", for her call name as her mum is Crystal I was trying to think of some precious stone as it sort of all fits together. My daughter wants to call her Emma-lee, I like Em or Emmy. My husband gave me an Emerald Solitaire when we got engaged, so....."Wandalier Emerald Solitaire" ?? Maybe. Plenty of time yet. Naming is hard isn't it.

Yeah they looked nice and chunky in their early photos. so cuddly you just wanna squish 'em. (not really I'm sure you know what I mean ) But Weiz4eva thought my girl was huge at 206 gms. She is certainly bigger than the 6 I had last year. Any way she put on 20 gms today.

It's very intersting hearing peoples opinion on this topic. It does however, make me wonder why then that we hear so many teeth grinding when a Minor or Puppy is awarded the CC? ;)

That is very sad news. Please believe that the breeder will also be hit very hard by that news. She must be deteriorating rapidly compared to birth and this must be why it has not been picked up until now. How else could TWO vets both miss it earlier? 70% are reasonably good odds if you can get her healthy enough for surgery.

Thats great! I haven't advertised yet Ive had a couple of emails from my website they are interstate and I don't want to send them interstate unless I know the person. Iam going to put a ad on DOL soon and maybe through the Cav Club. My pups were 4 weeks yesterday and they are all over 1 kilo. I cam home from work today and all 4 had escaped the whelping box! They are wrestling and playing it's so much fun watching them. What were their birth weights Belljari?

Here's mine! If all the boxes tick of course! :D

Well she is larger than any of the pups I had from last years litter. There were six that ranged from 135 to 150 grams. A singleton will grow large because they don't have to share the space or nutrients with anyone. Kind of like a Goldfish in a bowl, it will use the space! That is why they are so often C-sections. I had to be careful not to overdo Crystals food, given that she wasn't eating for 6! We also kept up her gentle daily walks. We were very fortunate and Crystal did have a bit of an "Owww..ooh..ouch" moment in the middle of it all there so I'm glad she's not hurt but it probably would have been born easier if it weren't breeched. But I think the 200 gms mark isn't that uncommon? BB? Belljari? Your Mini Mo's are lovely!

This is the kind of thing I am worried about. Plus being an Amstaff he does not ever tell me when he is in pain or anything. The not wagging his tail is concerning me a lot. It's not even a case of carrying it low, it's stuck to his leg almost constantly like when he's done something naughty and knows he's about to get in trouble Add to that, he has been exceptionally naughty for the last week or so. Bizzaro. I wonder if he is depressed, but nothing has changed recently to make him feel this way. Poor fellow might have a tummy ache.

Also something that needs to be understood is that if one dog presents with a heart murmur in a line that has thus far been free of this condition all that really can and should be done in terms of what the breeder does re her lines is to ensure the affected dog is not breed from and that siblings, other pups from previous litters and those that are closely related be monitored. The breeder may perhaps choose not to combine that particular dog and bitch for a breeding again. But there is a saying "Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater". When I have bought a puppy in the past I have been given two weeks by the breeder in which to take the puppy to their vet to be health checked. I have always done this and I'm sure you did too by taking her to be vaccinated at 10-12 weeks and checked over. This is something I now put in my buyers contract. The fact that neither vet had picked up a murmur would suggest it was not present at the time and has been a recent onset. The puppy was sold in good faith and was believed to be in a good state of health. This has all come about 4 months later. The breeder may choose to discount the puppy since you plan to keep it but as it was not sold as a show prospect or breeding animal she has not failed in her agreement to you as such. Truly you have been very unlucky and these are the cards we are delt sometimes. My childrens stepbrother has recently been diagnosed with a heart murmur at age 21 and has recently undergone surgery meanwhile he has been an active , sporty boy with no health problems until recently. It had never been picked up despite seeing GP's during his childhood for various coughs, colds, broken leg etc. during those younger years. I hope that you get some good news from the cardiologist today.

Just got back from the Vets and Mum and pup are both fit and well.

Hey Guys I'm the last one but Saffioraire posted in the December thread. Her White Shepherd Kesari had 11 pups in 6 hours on the 28th! Great effort for a maiden. Now I believe we are "all aboard who are coming aboard". Meanwhile we have had a great night with Crissy being an awesome 1st time mum and pup feeding and cuddling up well all warm and cosy.

Well done Kesari! Congratulations to you both.

Congratulations!! 11 a big litter. Congratulations!! She looks so sweet! Are you going to call her Solitaire? Hmmm...maybe? Use it somehow! Long road before she gets a name though. But she's here and that was a major concern and a huge first obstacle.

Here are some pictures of my precious solitaire! :D

Also, prog test was 2. "Not today" - famous last words indeed. (Reweighed, not on carpet, at 206g)

Crystal had her puppy today at 4:30pm. Breach delivery, one bitch, weighs 206g. All good so far... still busy. :D

CONGRATULATIONS AND WELL DONE WEIZ4EVA !! Eleven. I really am beginning to think Crystal does think she's a person!!! (one bub )

SO sorry to hear this has happen to you and your puppy. Did the Vet rate the Murmur? (they are graded from 1-6) 1-3 being low to moderate an not usually requiring any medication and the dog has a reasonably good chance at a normal life with care of it's health, a good diet and weight control. 4-6 usually will require some medicating, particular 5, and 6 at the later stage of life. It is unusual that this wasn't detected earlier and as suggested it could well be an aquired condition. The Heart specialist will be able to help you understand the condition and it's possible origin. I think it's a great idea asking the breeder to come along with you to help understand what's happening etc. It would be of benefit to her also. Sadly, even with the best of selection no living thing is guaranteed against illness and you may have been very unlucky. Find out what you can from the cardiologist and discuss this with the Breeder.

Well today is day 63 of Crystals first mating. 61 of the second and 60 of the third. So hopefully by the end of the week. We had a Prog test this morning and another scan. Still only one pup, a "good size" as expected. I will get the results and talk to the Vet this afternoon, after 5pm. It wa so nice to see it's little heart beating. I'm getting a little tense now. last night we had lots of nesting and bed destruction and paper shredding going on. I have been monitoring her temperature and it holds between 37.4 and 37.8 but this morning at 8.00am it was 37.1. However the scan shows that the pup is still up under the rib cage and hasn't come down yet, so no iminent birth today (ha I bet those are famous last words). Well it's not likely today anyway, nevertheless she is under constant observation now that the older kids are finished at Uni. So in the words of "Con, the fruiterer"...."waiting, waiting, couple of days!". ;)

My daughter read it last year when aged 10. I read it after her and now I understand the tears. It is a beautifully written story and has some very lovely and touching moments. I'd say the Author does have some insight into dogs and this is displayed in his writing...however, I don't think he knows squat about breeding dogs as, in the "Puppy Farm" segment of the story a litter is removed from the Dam so that a Male could be crated with her in hope that the male could play the "jumping game" again. She'd just had pups, she won't be coming back into season just because they have removed the pups. Dogs don't have a "foal season" like horses. Or come straight back into season like a cat does! He should have researched that better. Nevertheless the story is delightful and tugs at the heart strings.

Lots in there by the look of it! Good luck not long now Due around the same time as my singleton!

I had this happen with my litter last year and we just made mum lay done for a bit of light relief while one of them 'oblidged" for a few minutes if one of the teats looked a bit too full. We did this every second or third day for the sixth week and she dried up naturally without any problems. Sometimes when they were out playing on the lawn and one got thirsty they'd go 'bump' her underneath and she'd let them have a very quick drink but usually she ran off while they were still attached and they scattered and tumbled. It was quite cute watching them standing there and then off she'd zoom and they tubled over and run off after her. Quite the game.

That's a Newbie..done! It's very exciting to 'know' someone with an exotic breed. Lucky us!