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That's excellent news! Her milk is obviously starting to come in properly!! I tried to take individual shots of my grubs today but they won't stay still so I gave up!

A blue or green dishwashing liquid. Dove was best but I don't think you can get that any more. Palmolive would probably do the trick. Oh and always handy to have a bar of Sards soap handy too but make sure you condition well because it can be very drying.

They're looking lovely Leanne! I'm actually quite stunned at how well Koda is coping. She's really only a baby herself so it is a big ask but she has risen to the occasion beautifully. I'm watching her (and the puppies) like a hawk though and the minute anybody starts to go backwards, I'll be supplementing. But so far, Koda has heaps of milk and the bubs seem to nurse in shifts. With the exception of a couple that are almost constantly plugged in and funnily enough, they are the two smallest. They're both gaining well now on Day 2 though so I'm not concerned, they obviously know they need to catch up! Just amazes me that with the exception of a couple of the pups, ALL were bigger at birth than the two American Cocker puppies were and there were so many more as well!

She is, isn't she? I'm happy with her so far. Now just have to hope that teeth come in ok. Don't have to worry about testicles and temperament should be fine!

And doesn't she know it!! I think I've created a monster!!

Thanks jerojath! Alice is 4 weeks old today and is officially a puppy and not an animated black blob!

Gang of 9 are going great guns! Day 2 and they've regained their birth weights (and some). Koda's doing a sensational job....I can't believe how clean these bubbas are!

Medications to NOT give your dog: Ibuprofen works to block the chemicals in the body that cause pain, fever and inflammation. This drug is found in many anti-inflammatory products on the market and it can be potentially toxic to dogs, especially smaller breeds. Giving even one tablet of Ibuprofen to pets can cause gastric ulceration. Paracetamol causes extreme breathlessness by dangerously altering the red blood cells. It changes the red pigment of the blood (haemoglobin) into a compound known as methaemoglobin. This substance does not carry oxygen and results in the animal's gums and lips turning blue. Fluid-like swelling occurs around the face and the pet begins gasping for breath. Aspirin is also a danger. It causes intense irritation of the intestines and a loss of appetite. Vomiting and depression also occur. Other human medications that you should keep away from your dog include any containing phenylbutazone, indomethacin, naproxen, acetaminophen and codeine.

I'm so sorry. I had this happen in my 2008 Yank litter and it is heartbreaking. Don't beat yourself up over it.

Very interesting. I'll add to my comment that had the vet tried to do a flank incision on Koda yesterday, he would have probably encountered a world of trouble. Even flat on her back, spreadeagled like a great big hairy frog, he had a dreadful time pulling out the uterus which was all doubled back in underneath itself and snaked in and around her belly and probably helped to account for the inaccuracy of the head count xray. It was fascinating and horrifying all at the same time!

I'm interested in the replies to this too. I've only ever had midlines done. And that is in two different States in Australia and courtesy of about 5 different vets over the years. Have to say though that I've never had a problem with the incision healing and I find it easier and less risky with puppy toenails as they get bigger and start climbing more.

I know this isn't the subject at hand, but could I suggest something with your handling on the move that may help his topline as well? Instead of having the lead up high in the air, try training him to bait from your lead hand held lower and more in front of him if you can....so that he's actually running with his head held slightly higher, even if he runs looking slightly at you...whilst he is a baby it won't matter much and should help the optical illusion that is being created at the moment that he is running downhill away from the tight, long lead. In fact, a short, loose lead with him moving more slowly and probably more willingly along beside you will probably help whatever may be hurting him enough to be throwing his topline that badly in the first place and could aid in any recovery that is going to happen.

Oops and congratulations to you too Angelsun!!

Congratulations Leanne and Storm and welcome to the world little girls!! So sorry about the ones who crossed the bridge. Doesn't get any easier no matter how young they are or what the circumstances are. All I can say is that I'm very glad we don't all live in the same locations we Stafford people......can you imagine trying to show all of our precious babies against each other all the time? Koda's gang had a rather uneventful first night. I ALWAYS dread the first night but we breezed through. I am really amazed at how well Koda is doing. She's still a bit sore (of course) but managed to rustle up a tail wag and she tried to jump up to give me her usual good morning kiss this morning until she realised that the stitches in her belly made that a little difficult. I'm sure Koda is wearing the doggy version of a shit-eating grin and if she could talk she'd be saying "MAN I'm good!!!" ;) I'll do weights again later today to see what is going on, but they're looking good anyway. All strong and plump and sleek. Just what I like to see at this age!

Considering TWO of the other vets counted 6 definites on xray, I'm probably very lucky there aren't a darned sight more! But no, definitely no stragglers....I woz there and saw her entire innards laid bare on the table beside her! Koda and her gang are doing very nicely at the moment. She has been out for a piddle, had a long drink and something to eat and is now back in bed snoring with her kidlets. They're all rotating nicely amongst her 8.5 functional boobs and there has barely been a noise out of them since we got home. Good bubbas and surprisingly for Koda, a very sane first-time mummy!

Would also be checking for corona virus which can quite often be mistaken for, or be accompanied by parvo in young puppies.

Alright smarty pants! I'm just so glad I acted when I did. The vet was really good. He's one at the practice who I had never actually seen and he was fantastic about being woken up this morning. When I described what had been going on, he complimented me on my record keeping and said he'd see me at the surgery. It was very interesting just chatting to him while he set up to prep Koda. He says that he has various degrees of animal related "incident" that he classes as necessary to disturb his sleep. A whelping in the hands of an obviously experienced owner/breeder is one of them. He said he doesn't even count snakebite as being "essential" unless the snake was in the house because any self-respecting dog owner would have the dog in the house with them.....same as road accidents. Unless it was an escapee, anything happening at night is the fault of the owner. Very straight down the line he was. I don't know who was more thrilled with my puppies, myself or him (or for that matter the nurse who got called in). The three of us made a really effective team. The nurse was lovely, a little gay Asian guy who obviously lives for his job. He was so sweet with the puppies and Koda. I felt like kissing him! Good luck with Storm. Will be watching with great interest!!!!!

Well that was fun!! After a night of nesting and panting and grunting and groaning, Koda finally started contracting in the wee small hours. Unfortunately, by about 6-ish I really wasn't happy with her progress. She wasn't settling into any kind of pattern and I really felt she should have been further along. I left it until around 6.30 and then rang the vet who told me to come in and he'd meet me at the surgery. When we got there, there hadn't been ANY contractions whatsoever in the car and when he examined her, her cervix was open but not thinning and although he could feel the puppies lined up, there was nothing presenting so we decided to go in and take them. Because it wasn't an emergency as such, we had time to set up properly and he called a nurse in early so the three of us were on hand when he went in. He said it was a VERY good thing that I trusted my instincts because had I left it a day, I probably wouldn't have had any puppies at all. Placentas had separated and a couple of them were just starting to show meconium staining in their sacs. They were well and truly ready to be born. So.......with the exception of one tiddler at 198gr, the others are all between 204 and 263gr. 2 brindle dogs 2 black dogs 2 brindle girls 3 black girls Yep.........Koda's little secret was NINE puppies!!!

Heading off to the vet, will check in when we get home!

Definitely have whelping action going on. Unless she shows a little more progress in the next 15 - 20 minutes, it'll be off to the vets for us!

We have some panting and nesting going on now.

Koda is VERY quiet. Has just refused her third meal today. Doing a fair bit of heavy breathing, although not quite "panting" as yet. Had a gooey, gluey, sticky, thick mucuous discharge this afternoon. I'm inclined to think it was the mucuous plug starting to break down. She's resting comfortably at the moment so I'm going to head off to bed soon just in case she has me up in the middle of the night.

Hmmmmmmmmmm.......36.7

How exciting magicmine! Good luck!!! Koda has just gone to a great deal of trouble and buried her breakfast (untouched) in the newspaper in the pen. She has changed shape in the last 24 hours....the belly isn't drooping underneath as much, it is now back further between her back legs so she has FINALLY started to develop a real waddle. We were cuddling on my bed watching a DVD last night and she heard the Yank puppy squeak and she sat up....all ears and wrinkles (and Stafford people can relate to that expression) and went rigid. I had to grab her or she would have gone flying off the bed to investigate. Her puppy noise instincts are obviously starting to be tuned in...she couldn't have cared less about the Yank pups until now!