This is a short, but hopefully useful story regarding puppy birthing. May you be wisened from it. Sweety's babies arrived today, but the nightmare of preparation which proceeded it, far outweighed any birth pangs.
As her time drew near, I was sweating and looking up info on the internet like a programmer who's deleted a years-worth of work. I must have checked, in detail, 25 websites and sifted through twice that amount.
Finally I found one that sounded useful. I immediately printed out a list of all the "materials" they said I'd need for the delivery: Thermometer for measuring her temperature (famous repeated quote was "If it drops to 37 centigrade, she'll have the babies in two hours"). My thought, "Okay, gotta get a thermometer today! -- Next." "you'll need towels. If you think you've got enough, get more." Towels were piled high.
Another website warned me of all the terrors that might await me. Blood, gore, guts and possibly a dead baby or at least a cesearean. On and on and on it went till I was so unsure of myself that I leapt at the telephone and dialed an intern vet at the university. A kind voice coached me and told me that I didn't need to worry, "just be calm, keep the mother calm." I felt more reassured as I hung up the phone.
I checked on Sweety and the "special" box I'd created for her. The only problem was that she kept getting up on my bed. I became nervous again and called the vet back. In his kind voice he said, "She probably feels more at home there." I said, "Yeah, that's where she has slept since she was 3 months old." He then affirmed that that was where she was going to give birth. I thanked him, hung up and headed for the plastic trash bags.
I cut them up and put them anywhere I thought Sweety my thrash around, then covered it with another sheet, put a thick blanket over that and waited, raw nerves extended. (I could actually FEEL the clock ticking. Sweety just lay there licking herself so I got nervous again and went back to the phone.
The same intern answered, so I begged his forgiveness that I was calling again and asked him, "Now, if she goes into labour, how long should I wait till I panic?" He again reminded me to be calm. "The dog needs a calm surrounding. Just be upbeat around her." I pasted on a smile (for my own benefit) and nervously read off my list I'd downloaded from the internet and he, catagorically, advised me to trash it.
I profusely thanked him, hung up and went back to check on Sweety. She seemed to be acting funny, so I called him again. He reassured me, "It's all normal. Just call me if it seems she's in labour and the babies won't come."
Back to the internet. One website had given dire warnings. It was awful to read. "You may have to assist the puppy getting out, but what will you do if you pull off it's leg? It's happened!"
Ahhhhhhh! I went back to the phone and called the poor guy again. This time he gave me more specific instructions, reasured me. I mean, it was as if I were giving birth and not the dog.
Feeling a little more confident and trying not to picture that severed puppy leg, I cautiously went back in my "calmest" spirit and checked on Sweety. "I still hadn't gotten that %ß*#% thermometer yet OR the paper towels OR the suction thingy to drain the puppies nose!"
To my absolute astonished amazement, when I went back to check on Sweety, in the box with her was one, entire and complete PUPPY!! I was stunned! I didn't even have to use a lot of towels! I hollered for my son in my "calmest" voice. He didn't hear due to headphones, so I shouted as softly as I could, "PHIIIIILLLIPPPPPPP!!! SWEETY HAD A PUPPPYYYYYY!!!!!!!"
He ran in and we danced around the room hugging and high-fiving, it was great. I had to remind us both to tone it down and keep her calm while we grinned at each other like idiots. I called the vet again to congratulate us all and he had a good laugh.
The story should have ended there, but there was still more sweat to come as I knew another baby was in there. I felt horrible about it, but I called the vet again. The poor guy. He must have given me his entire university studies in a two-hour period. Not to mention exercising all of his psychology training in handling humans.
He told me that MAXIMUM I should only wait two hours for the next one and that at one and a half hours I should already be thinking "Vet visit." After 45 minutes I was already thinking that, but I tremblingly waited and I must have prayed every prayer in the Catholic catachism and I don't even KNOW 'em!! Finally, an hour and 20 minutes later, out popped number two!!!!!
The first was a boy and the second is a girl. Aimee and Teddy. I called the intern to thank him and tell him the good news and let him know he was a saint.
All in all it was a great experience in endurance of all descriptions. Not to mention that my faith in the love of my fellow humans was increased several fold. What a wonderful world.
