Pupdate 1:25 PM: Thank you all for the well wishes! And I’m no hero, just doing what I love. Little Green is SO much better! He’s refusing a bottle but is suckling from Lodi and hopefully getting some milk. He is much stronger and crawling around. He’s not in the clear yet, so we still have our fingers crossed.
Whew! What a night!! Around 2:00 AM our little Black Male with the Green collar began crying. After picking him up and holding him for a bit, I realized he was in the midst of Fading Puppy Syndrome. This is where puppies die within the first week or two with no clear cause. I knew he wasn’t the strongest suckler but I wasn’t prepared with the supplies I needed to bottle or tube feed! By 3:00 AM, the crying had stopped and he was limp. I was holding him hoping my body heat and blankets would keep him warm. By 3:30 AM he had what I call, the death gasp, or irregular and intermittent gasping for air. When he stopped breathing, I immediately started mouth to mouth. After a few seconds, he took a deep breath and I wrapped him in a 130° heating pad. I milked Lodi enough to get a few drops into a bulb (or snot sucker for human babies) and got that in him. The second time I tried, he aspirated. I focused on getting the fluid out and him cleaned up. Then, I just left him be in the heating pad and prepared myself for his eminent death. All of a sudden, he perked up. I woke A.j., and asked him to run and get a bottle and milk replacer. After two stores at 6:00 AM, he came home with the good stuff. I mixed Lodi’s milk with the replacer and little Green ate well. By 7:00 AM he was crawling, talking, and was no longer limp. He’s sleeping now, twitching and breathing regularly. He is definitely not out of the woods yet, but he’s got a full belly and a brunch date in a couple hours.
If little Green makes it through, one family will have a new miracle member. Keep sending us all that good juju!!
Spying on the babies through the kitchen window...
Oasis gave us quite a scare today, so I thought I’d update everyone on what’s been going on here at the Kennel.
As most of you know, Oasis had a c-section four weeks ago today and had 11 healthy babies. Two weeks ago she had her sutures removed and had healed very nicely! Last night she vomited, and this morning she didn’t eat. This is very unusual for her, especially when she’s nursing. She just laid in bed, panting heavily, and wouldn’t even check on her pups. She was running a fever and her pupils were huge! For those of you familiar with Oasis, she is a fantastic Momma. A true 10/10! She always has milk, and lots of it. Most pups begin to wean naturally at 3-4 weeks, and we begin supplementing their diet with Mush (puréed dog food into a runny paste consistency). A month in, she is still nursing full time, so we haven’t deemed it necessary to supplement. But today, she wouldn’t wag her tail and didn’t greet me at the door. Hence, to the Vet we went. Dr. Kurtz told us she has mastitis that went unnoticed (due to the amount of milk she produces) until today and was dehydrated. After a few hours on IV fluids and an antibiotic, bloodwork, and a couple cans of wet food, she is feeling (and looking) much less peaked. Oasis is home and resting now, with an oral antibiotic and probiotic. We will continue to put warm compresses on the teat and milk out the infection, but it doesn’t hurt the puppies.
In the last couple of weeks, we’ve had Barley come in and out of season too! This was her off cycle, so we can expect a litter late March or early April 2021!
Walnut went to see Dr. Kurtz yesterday for her pre-pregnancy check up! She is in perfect health. Before an anticipated pregnancy, we always do a blood panel, fecal, urinalysis, and yearly vaccines.
Things have been bonkers lately, so forgive me for not posting these sweet puppies for a couple weeks. They have learned to growl, bark, play and have all five senses! Last night they had their fir
Oasis is stable, and there are no changes as of 10:00PM! Despite the anticipation, we didn’t forget about our tribe on #nationaldogday! Cheers to you and your canine companion(s) today and everyday!
But... here’s a little peak... watch closely!
The puppies are experiencing grass for the first time!
Breakfast is served!
This is a long, but special video. As you can see, Red Collar girl, our “runt,” falls away from the teat. She struggles around for a bit, then finds her way back. Since the pups can’t hear or see, they rely on their noses to pick up scent. This is a major accomplishment!
Chalice’s pups are 5 weeks and experienced grass for the first time! We are currently accepting deposits on Yellow Females and Black Males. They will be ready for their new addresses April 18th!
The Milk Bar is open for business this morning! The bartender is less than thrilled.
5:10PM: 11 and counting! All are doing wonderfully!
3:50PM PUPDATE: We are a little more than 4 hours in, and Chalice is up to 9 healthy puppies so far! Here’s a sneak peek at the newest Black Male.
*Increase volume for additional cuteness.*
It’s all fun and games until it’s nap time! These littles are not excited about it either. It usually takes about 15 minutes for them to soothe themselves, and then they fall asleep. Hard to believe they are 37 days old!
Pups are 31 days old today, and enjoyed some outdoor adventures!
It’s 5:10 AM, and Arlo (Orange) was not up for playing with Red.
Madra Sonas Labrador Kennels LLC is an ethical and responsible breeder of Labrador Retrievers.
