Day 58

This was taken the day before Tara's first litter was born (day 63). She had a total gain of 11 lbs (normal weight 28 lbs, full term weight 39 lbs).


Our first breeding ... 

Tara was due May 11th but that day came and went without any events other than a bit of bed rustling. On the 12th I took off work cuz she just seemed  to be different. At 7:30 am we went out to the yard to potty. While outside an ambilical sack ruptured, and I called my vet and he and I agreed (along with the stud owner and many others) that today would be the day. 

I kept a good eye on her as did her breeder/co mommy, Kenna. We went out and in and out and in... she was restless couldn't get comfy no matter what we did. At 11 am I called my vet to let them know I was coming in with her as we all thought that was more than enough time to start contractions, and as of yet we hadn't. 

We got there at 11:45, she had 2 good contractions while waiting for him, he checked her... # 1 pup was right there coming butt first but yet the contractions had not continued... Dr. Jones, my vet, gave her a calcium shot, and a pop (oxytocin) shot to "jump start" the uterus into working... itworked! Within 10 minutes SaeSi When Doves Cry was here at 12:20 pm (the runt) - a pretty fawn/sable and white parti weighing 6.5 oz... She had been the one that had her sack burst in the morning and had a dry birth... It took my vet a few minutes and he got her to squirmin' and she hasn't stopped since. After that at 12:30 we got a little white boy (10.5 oz) with a touch of brindle (both ears and a spot on the left side of his head)... and what a strong boy he is!!! At 12:40 another bitch that is white with dark brindle arrived squealin (10 oz)!!! Then a rest for the Princess Tara... 

Now so far all have come butt first.... but pup #4 came nose to the wind at 1:25! ;) Another bitch, brindle and white with a BUNNY on her right side!!!! (Maybe a sign of things to come, huh??), weighed in at 10.5 oz. Then at 1:52 ANOTHER girl ;-) of brindle and white #5 weighed a whopping 12 oz!!! Now a well deserved short break for momma again... At 2:35 #6 pup again a bitch, brindle and white and a very even face of color with a pretty blaze! Jacketed and ready to dance ;-). This little lass was a mere 8.5 oz., also this one came nose first... (only 2 that did that!). 

Now Tara seemed VERY tired!!!!!! She had worked so hard in that short amount of time!!! She appeared to have to potty so we took her out and sure enough she did her thing and back in we go... She expelled more water but appeared done. The vet said he could feel at least one more but thought probably 2-3 more left... Said to bring her home and let her rest up a tad and offer her food then if no contractions give one more pop shot... wait and see... if nothing wait for 2 hours and give the 2nd..... if nothing then, back to the vets! 

Well those hours seemed to take a life time..... first shot... nothing, wait wait wait... she was already feeding the pups and seemed happy to have them near her.... wait wait wait.. still nothing..... so again one last try... waited 1/2 hour nothing... so off to the emergency clinic!! (The people there are great!!! I have had to go there before.). Crying as I rode in back with my baby girl and all the pupsters... Kenna drove (there was no way I could have!!!!). Tara was just "there" not happy, not attentive, she wouldn't look at me at all..... (I was really petrified I was loosing my girl). We got there at 8:45 and they took us right in... They took her weight and temp. and then the vet came in to see her.... 

He told us that there was no way to get her to "jump start" again, she was in uterine inertia (when the uterus just doesn't try anymore), and then those words I didnt want to hear...... emergency c-section..... yup I lost it, as did Kenna... I didn't want my baby girl to have to be put under or cut open - but I knew otherwise I would loose her and that I could NOT bear! I sure did want this all over so she could be up and better! He told me about 1 hr and she would be out of surgery... Before they took her Kenna and I hugged her and each other, told her all would be well, that I love her, and gave her kisses galore! 

That hour seemed like 24!!!! I paced and paced and cried and paced and cried more... Kenna tried so hard to get me to focus on other things... All I could think about was Tara... Kenna and I were both scared to death! Finally, I could see that one of the girls was working on pup(s) and that was a relief!!! Then I seen one carry a pup away cuddled (ssssheew relief again!), then another girl with TWO MORE! UH OH!!! Well that is all I could see, so back to pacing and waiting and phone calls to my kids, my parents and Tara's fans of which all were worried too... About 1/2 hour and one of the girls that works there came out and told me the news... 

FIVE MORE TOTAL! 2 more boys and 3 more girls. ELEVEN pups! She also told me that Tara was being cleaned up and was going to be fine! My first thought was Thank you God!!!!! and my poor poor Tara! No wonder she had such a hard time and was not able to move around much the last week and had such a horrible time delivering! 

Pup #7 SaeSi's Seventh Heaven was a bitch that was mostly white with a few spots of brindle... when they got to her she was wedged was at the top of the birth canal where the horns split from the uterus. She had her head turned and folded against her chest ... this is what stopped all of Tara's progress... Pup #7, Heaven, was not doing well she was VERY weak. Pup 8# is another boy.... a white with 2 brindle spots one on each side and weighed 10.5 oz. Pup #9 (10.5 oz, all males weighed the same!) is the last male that is a dark brown color with lots of sabling and looks like he will have watermarks (kind of like milk chocolate) and white. #10 ANOTHER BITCH (10 oz) that is basically solid white with one tiny freckle on her left ear (looks black right now). Last but by no means least is pup #11 (9.5 oz)... white with brindle with a nice even face and a spot on her tush that looks like she sat in paint! 

Tara seemed to be happy to have them outta there and was resting quietly with them in her whelping box in my room after we got home around 11 pm. I just kept thinking and saying "THANK GOD my girl is ok!!!!!!!!!" and this was one heck of a FIRST WHIPPET LITTER! I don't know if any of them will ever leave my side! ;-). I never thought this litter would be so painful to bring every emotion to the extreme!!!! 

The next day... 

We went to our vet's the next day to have Tar's IV cathedar removed and to check her over. I took all the babes with us as I wanted him to check them over for me also and to see Heaven. Dr. Jones said Tara looked fine and sutures looked great. 

As he looked at Heaven he told me what I had felt to be true... There seemed either brain or spinal damage. The little lass knew not how to suckle even with a bottle of formula or glucose. She also trembled unless asleep. I had to make a decision that was bitter to the taste... I opted to let her go with no pain. I could not see letting her merely whither away from starvation and I am a firm believer that if a puppy cannot even show the basic instinct of survival (to suckle), that something is seriously wrong. Tara had pushed her away 2 times and only accepted her if I put her there. I will not ever do "heroic" measures to keep alive a pup that should be let go and set free to run at the Rainbow Bridge. I am at ease with my very difficult decision and she will be buried where she can watch the squirrels play and birds fly. (Thank you all who prayed for her, the prayers were answered just not the way that I had hoped.) 

Tara has done very well! All of the fabulous ten are doing very well and as is their mother. Tara has proven to be a terrific mother! 

photo is of Tara and Heaven.