- Jan 27, 2009
- 116
- 3
- 119
What an adventure we've had today! My second Great Pyr female had her litter starting about 2 a.m. this morning. It was about -25 or -30 C and despite the deep straw, hay bale barriers and heat lamp in her shed, the pups were having a rough time, and have continued to have trouble all day today.
Angel is a first time mom and had 12 pups. We lost 3 right off the batt -- two who were so tiny I doubt they would have survived even if she delivered them right into my hands. I have been checking on them hourly since 2 a.m. and ended up bringing at least one or two in at every check to get warmed up. This morning, DH went to do a check and brought me this limp, cold little body. There was no sign of movement, no reaction when I touched or pinched his tongue and, with an ear to his chest, no sound of a heartbeat. Broken hearted, I put him in the laundry room on the freezer.
I ended up spending the rest of the morning working on the runt of the litter and when he was finally stable, asked DH to dispose of the body on the freezer. He went into the laundry room and a few seconds later, hollered out that the pup was alive. He brought it to me and, sure enough, it was moving slightly and even managed a bit of a cry. I grabbed him and tucked him into the heating pad where a third pup was warming up and started rubbing him, etc. Within an hour, he was squirming like a puppy should and even took an eyedropper or two full of goat colostrum. He, and the other two, are now back out with the dam and the rest of the litter and, at last check, doing well. I swore I wouldn't name any of the pups, since that should be the privilege of the new owner, but this little pup will be known as Lazarus for as long as he is on this farm.
Angel is a first time mom and had 12 pups. We lost 3 right off the batt -- two who were so tiny I doubt they would have survived even if she delivered them right into my hands. I have been checking on them hourly since 2 a.m. and ended up bringing at least one or two in at every check to get warmed up. This morning, DH went to do a check and brought me this limp, cold little body. There was no sign of movement, no reaction when I touched or pinched his tongue and, with an ear to his chest, no sound of a heartbeat. Broken hearted, I put him in the laundry room on the freezer.
I ended up spending the rest of the morning working on the runt of the litter and when he was finally stable, asked DH to dispose of the body on the freezer. He went into the laundry room and a few seconds later, hollered out that the pup was alive. He brought it to me and, sure enough, it was moving slightly and even managed a bit of a cry. I grabbed him and tucked him into the heating pad where a third pup was warming up and started rubbing him, etc. Within an hour, he was squirming like a puppy should and even took an eyedropper or two full of goat colostrum. He, and the other two, are now back out with the dam and the rest of the litter and, at last check, doing well. I swore I wouldn't name any of the pups, since that should be the privilege of the new owner, but this little pup will be known as Lazarus for as long as he is on this farm.
