Pup Surgeries

I just got back from Edmonton, left Thursday so that 3 pups could have their surgeries done. Dr Todd Scott of Crestwood Vet clinic did them all on Friday. He actually likes to do cleft surgeries! He says they are interesting and not nearly as difficult as some might make them out to be. The mouth has lots of veins and 2 arteries and that causes some concern. I liked his comment which was pretty much know the anatomy and don't slice the arteries! He showed us photos of the surgery he did and some other examples as well. He was very informative about the aftercare and pointed out that if you think they are ready for hard food and the mouth bleeds....stop feeding the hard food. Some folks just don't get that

The whole staff was pleasant, one receptionist says her next dog will be a Whippet, the pups were great Ambassadors. I left the pups overnight as I was staying quite a distance away and the clinic was on my way home. They came out this morning clean, fed and looking pretty happy.

They are now settled down, the boys didn't think they should be crated again esp. after only getting hand walked. Ricky, their cousin, wanted them to come out to play which didn't help! Dyna, being sensible, is quite happy to curl up in the crate and go to sleep. She did want to pounce on bushes, good sign.

It has been a long couple of days, 8+ hours driving each way. Alexis and Jeremy let us all stay at their lovely home, Alexis led me to the clinic this morning, I think she knew my stress level was up! Sue came over yesterday and took us all to the clinic. Then we got some photos of Rick and his siblings. We also went to a couple of pet places so that made a nice break. Thank you all for your help!!!!

I will publish photos of their mouths after they have a day or two to relax.

Rescue Charlie, Albie and Dyna with Suni, Spicy and Please and Ricky

Is 5 a crowd?

Bryce reunion in Calgary

Excessive Greeting Disorder!!

Nathan and Angela took photos of the puppies and Suni

size of puppies

I got to see some more puppies and I am impressed by the fact that these critters are pretty much where they should be. A bit thinner than I would like but they never did get to go thro the fat puppy stage!

How to repair a cleft

Sheri sent this, very interesting, not at all what my vet had said she would do and this is from a specialist.

Shakira Fontaine

Does she look suspicious or what!!!

Alby and Dyna with Breaker and Suni.

Come see us at Picasa

Palates

Palates

Easy

I have been to Sheri Bakes blog, she has Easy's writeup about his surgery posted and information about her art show as well. Easy is doing well!

The puppies are going to miss her

Here are Marc and Tanya with Shakira, Icatcher Shakes Her Hair
She is residing in Kamloops and has a boy Whippet, Trip, to boss!

Training Dyna and LB

Everyone has smart pups so I am playing catch up. Dug out the clicker and second session LB sits almost every time. Dyna caught on at the end. She gets so excited! Tonight we also did feet on the barrel and come. They both came really well to the clicker, good thing, can't catch the little buggers! LB shall probably be Icatcher ILB Hare Straight Back. I like Hare's Lookin At You but then I would want to change his call name to Kiddo or Bogey
It is a good thing they are little because they are so intense. They will miss my granddaughter, she loved to cuddle with them, they actually stayed quiet! I call them my Pocket rockets!

photos on facebook

Well the pups are settling into their new homes wonderfully. Easy is gaining quickly and so is Bryce. I wouldn't be surprised if they did not mature pretty much normal size. Wyatt is not far behind. The other three are slower but starting to shoot up as well. My two were sneaking adult food and they had a couple of days of the runs but all is well now.
Tonight I did a bit of clicker work and all I was clicking was standing with 4 on the floor but LB upgraded to sitting very quickly. Gotta love that! Dyna was too excited but she quit jumping up so that was a good start. I figure considering how smart everyone says their pups are I had better get started on something.

Pups and new folks

I have a couple of shots of Patch (Easy) and Blaze (Shakira) when they met their new families. I have 2 wild things left here! Those names are better than the temp names and that is a fact! Teensy is now Dyna for Hare O Dynamic and I haven't decided on LB yet. I like Hare Raisin' (or Racing) Experience and believe me, he is! Also rather like Hare's Lookin At You, he is not quite a Bogey type but he has the ego. There are a couple of LB with my Granddaughter, pretty good lookin' pair!

Weekend in the Valley

Lots of news but will have to write it all up later. Blaze is now Shakira and living in Kamloops. She will be taking over presently Patch is now Easy and in Vancouver and he has already taken over his person Ed, working on the older women.

Pups ourside part two

Pups outside

paulettespuppies

tattoo

Puppies are bearing new tats! Helen is more used to doing Akitas, these were wild and wriggly. Tats are very visible!

Baldy is at his new home.

Baldy has gone to live with Don and Natalie Beck, their two girls, a Whippet, a Chi, and Queen Molly who is a little white fluffy. He is Don's dog and shall be known as Wyatt. Mr Earp was a rather disreputable sort so Wyatt has a reputation to live down to. I gather he got off to a good start by howling and crying most of the first night. Obviously nobody went to cover him up. Bad 2 legs!

Spots is homeward bound

Spots is on his way to Calgary with Dan and Christine. They were torn as to which pup to take but he pretty much picked them. He is a nice big pup with a sweet disposition so I think they will get along just fine! The puddy tats may not be thrilled tho!
I hope to get photos up tonight.

4 pups

They were not very cooperative, they would have rather been chasing the Dobe. Spots does not have a topline like that but you can see that they are growing. They are green from tattoo ink and the tattoos do not look like they took!

Greenies

Pups are most annoyed, we were outside but not for nearly long enough. It should be warm enough today, and I am home, so that they can go in a pen outside! They are colourful enough, Spicy is wearing some green too since playing with them. Don is coming over later and we will do some leash training. They are quite good about coming so I think that should go well.

tattoo session

The 'green crew' just left. Pups are in varying degrees of green. It was really funny how they reacted. Dyna (aka Teensy) the tuff girl got all wimpy, the biggest boys were so so but the little girl Blaze and little Fawn boy went beserk. They played and played and beat up the siblings and the stuffies, had us in stitches. Pups just ate a big supper and are now wondering where the company went! The big boys who mostly laid around are standing at the bars whining to come out. Of course, not a camera amongst us, I forgot to get batteries for the loaner.

Outside this morning!

I took the pups outside for a few minutes this morning, two at a time. they thought it was wonderful. Funny how the bravest ones at one thing are not the boldest at something else. Blaze, who is usually a bit cautious and rather the 'sucky' one of the group charged right out there. Patch thought about things for a bit; Baldy, of course, went off into the deep grass and on the rocks. Everyone else looked around a bit cautiously for a few seconds and then hauled on after me. They loved it but couldn't be out long as the wind is chilly and the grass is wet.
It was nice to be able to see them move, not a pitty patter amongst them! All nice long reach and most seem to drive pretty well too. It will be nice to get someone to walk with them so I can see them move. Maybe even get someone with a camera to come over! I am putting up the tall pen today as a couple are almost over the top. Rather a different ambiance in the living room! Oh well, they don't miss anything this way.
Deuce and Virginia went racing yesterday. The pretty dog didn't do too badly, he was only last once They are back today and I am sure that Virginia will post about the fun they had.

Bear in the 'hood

Breaker just treed a little bear, it was up there crying and crying. Lucky for Break no mama but the little one may be an orphan. I have heard it bawling yesterday and a few nights ago and have not seen a mama come for it. they do not leave their babies crying like that. I called the CO's I hope they do not shoot it, there is a place in Smithers which will take orphans. It will not survive on its own, it is lucky the coyotes haven't been thro here for awhile.

Whippet pups are gaining well, littlest one put on a pound in a week. Yahoo.

and no camera!

I went to gather puppies now that they are all finished running around and little Blaze is curled up by, and draped over, Oscar who, of course, is right next to the heater.
I don't remember if I mentioned it, but if you click on the first photo it will take you to the rest of the pics.

pups

I forgot to say that they are eating dry now and drinking from the waterer (except when they are really in a hurry) and I have very little snuffling or sneezing! Yahoo. They are on Orijen puppy food now. Thought I would give it a try.

sunday morning helpers

Well, my work crew must have thought they had neglected me, I had just too much help this morning. One hanging off the broom, one off my slipper, one rearranging the paper I put down for accidents, one rearranging the pile and 2 hanging off my robe. I gave up.
Now they are having a blast! One was packing a platic bottle (used to contain a Breezer, what can I say), one with a ball almost as big as she is, 2 have Spicy's Skinee, they have been just sort of indulging in mayhem, killing each other it sounds like; they are so wild that Spicy isn't even going in there! The cat had a chat with a couple of them, I think they got the message! Oh, oh, I am not safe, Blaze just climbed over the barricade! She is helping me type, not going so well. Another cup of coffee, watch the hellions demolish the living room and then get something useful done. Well, that is the plan.

paulette photos

 
 
 
 

More puppy stuff

They roared around here like little maniacs and are now sacked out so I can clean their pen.....again. They were playing in the litter for some reason this morning, scattered it everywhere! Four are now curled up with Uncle Oscar, he was right p.oed with them earlier, they thought cat molestation would be a good thing! NOT! two are sleeping in the crate which doubles as a viewing stand, they haul a bunch of stuff in there and then go to sleep. Blaze is just fine this a.m. I told the vet she would be but better safe than sorry I guess. they quite like the drip waterer now, when they are really thirsty they go to the bucket but they do not get water up their noses so much this way.



Sunny day, I am off to get water for the barn.

Cheers.

Pup visit

Angela and Nathan came over with their girls and Suni. The pups had a grand time, Blaze mostly rested and then when everyone else was tired she kicked in! There will be more photos later.

vet visit

It is amazing how the cost keeps going up but the price of vaccines stays about the same. There isn't much difference in the clefts, some just manage better than others. I think my vet really wants to do some surgeries! I dunno, they seem to get along alright, not something which has to be decided anytime soon; they would like them to weigh more although she did a 3 month old Pom. One boy has 2 testicles, one has 1 down and the other 2 are thinking about it. Other than that, hearts and lungs sound good, didn't do girl Blaze as she had a bit of a snotty nose, will take her in a few days from now.
The pups played hard before we went out and they behaved very well. No cry babies in this bunch! The little ones are now all over 3.5 pounds and the bigger boys are over 4.5. It seems so strange to have such little ones! Oh well, they are happy and active, they look more like rare and expensive MiniWhips all the time

puppies today

Well, they lost weight, I put them on dry and mostly dry food and some are not eating well but it is something they need to do. I am giving them chicken breasts with vitamins added, they seem to like that well enough. Since they are in the bigger pen they are not sleeping as well, more room so they run around and get each other up I guess. They also get a bit chilly I think because the heat is at the bed end. It is hard, on one hand they do have to get toughened up and they have to eat and drink without help and on the other hand, one wants to see them fatter. They are lively though, killing a plastic bag at this moment. I had just swept up the pen (which is in the living room) and went to get the dustpan when Baldy decided to run through it, spin back and slide through it. It was funny to watch!
It was cold enough last night that I fired up the woodstove, they really liked that, it got nice and toasty so they really didn't want to go to bed, too much fun fighting with each other and mom and sis. There are a couple who also think that if I am in sight I should be playing with htem. I feel guilty because I have to leave them when I go to work so I can be manipulated!
Patch and Baldy are in one of the crates right now with Spicy's favorite toy, one of those skinees things. I just tried to walk across the kitchen but I had 3 creatures hanging off my legs. Little and scrawny right now but pretty tough I reckon. When they trot they look like little windup toys but they run pretty fast!

the big world!

Today they ran from their bedroom pen, which Teensy, who I think will be Dyna for Dyna Mite or Hare O Dynamic, climbed out of; they went thro the big world of the kitchen to their pen in the living room. Very interesting! Quite a challenge getting there with mom and sis rooting them along and Spicy thought they might like to play! Breaker headed for high ground. They swarmed the old cat so he decided going out was a really good idea.It was great to see them motoring along, they all reach, they are bold and adventurous, up, under and around everything. Most are pretty long pups too, small but pretty correct. Spots has big ears, gotta be one! They really know how to wag their tails too. It is funny how much more I notice happening on a day to day basis with these guys.

Ham bones

I gave the pups a couple of ham bones to gnaw on and Teensy took off with the biggest one. Patch is bold enuff so he has the other end, The other 4 are working on the small piece. There isn't much for them to actually chew on but their sharp little fangs need some blunting! I wish I could find may camera piece!

Pups today

I was taking them in for vaccinations but the vet who saw them before is home sick. I guess it will be next Thursday if I want to see her. I want to maintain some consistency so when she checks the clefts she may notice changes more.
I found them a treat tonight! I had cooked some carrots and I chopped some up for them, I thought they are not a clingy or gooey thing and nutritious to boot. They loved them!
The little fawn water marked male is up to 3 pounds, 2# 14 oz for Blaze and 3# 4 oz for Teensy, they may be a rare breed, Min Whips!
Spots is 4 pounds, Patch 3# 10 oz, and Baldy is 3#9oz. Everyone is eating well, this is pre late supper weight. If I give them a final meal and a snuffle flush about 10 they sleep through until I get them up at 6 or 6:30 and they are not overly hungry or thirsty or snuffley. Now that they are running around and playing they drink more but seem to stay clearer in the sinuses. Some still haven't figured out the best drinking method and a couple like to play in the water.

Pup update May 27

The pups are doing quite well, one female doesn't eat properly free choice when I am at work. I give them all a syringe of water when they are finished eating when I am home, I think it has helped keep their sinuses clear and if anyone hasn't had enough to drink I give them as much as they want by syringe. Most of them seem to like it!
They are gaining a lot now, I must weigh them today. They are playing with toys and fighting like typical Whippet puppies! They take turns coming on the couch and mom and/or big sis are there to play one on one too. The little guys really get rough!
Their personalities are really developing as are the attitudes. Teensy is not so litle anymore, she is really tough. Blaze, the other girl, is much quieter and seldom gets into the battles. Fawn Boy has really blossomed in the last week, he likes to play with toys now too. The other day he was shaking the rope and then he pounced on the big stuffy and was shaking it and then he went into 'hump' mode. We laughed so hard at the expression change on his little face. They do start early!!
Patch and Spots are the tough guys, they were stomping aroung each other this morning with their heads and tails up, they took on each other and then decided that Baldy could be a victim, he just took out Patch and Spots left!
Patch and Blaze are packing a toy right now, oh, they decided to go get Teensy who was in the litter pan. Spicy went to the wire so they are all licking her now. They sure can take up a day!

Susan and Carla's litter is looking good! Very colourful, fat and happy. Mom has rubber babies too!

Pup photos

I think this link will work. Today I went to work without the babies. I worried about them but they seemed to be fine! They had company tonight and after everyone left they hung on the x pen like a bunch of prisoners and wailed and whined. Baldy didn't get played with as much as the others did so he got to come out and play with me and his mom. He had great fun with her.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2068072&id=1255081042&l=bbec241417

Choices

I wouldn't normally write this but I feel that if I do not explain a couple of
things some people will start pointing fingers and screaming 'Genetics' and that
could adversly affect other people. I do not believe in hiding problems as
nobody learns anything either. So I will start at the beginning. I had not
planned to breed but I had company and while I was outside a little girl opened
a crate, a dog hit a bedroom door hard enough to get in and things happened. So
I thought oh well, this is a repeat of a breeding I did a year and half ago and
there were pretty nice pups in there so things are not so bad.

Well, very early in the pregnancy I had to take the bitch into the vet at 1:30
a.m. The vet and I think she ingested something, it affected her quite hard but
she appeared fine the next day. She is not a thief or garbage dog but who knows
what she may have found, we have ATV people driving by and she hunts when we go
out. Then I took her in again as I was afraid she was anaemic which is not
uncommon. She was just above it in spite of the fact that I had been feeding her
iron rich meat etc.

Then 58 days into the pregnancy she went into labour. I have never had preemies
before and at first things progressed nicely, a couple of pups 45 minutes apart
and all is well. Then out came #3 and the bitch grabbed the placenta and the
cord tore by the abdomen, I clamped it and then 10 min. later up she stands out
comes another pup. This one landed before I could grab it and it's umbilicus
tore. There I am at 3:30 on the phone asking a friend to come help while holding
clamps on 2 cords. Friend arrives, pups # 5 and 6 come out pretty normally and
then #7 is stuck. Luckily my friend has long thin fingers and she is able to get
a grip on the head while I hold the bitch up and press on her abdomen with the
contractions. We get everything settled down and are talking about how small
some of the pups are and not nursing and we think it is because they are
preemies, mom doesn't have milk and they are weak. I get ready to tube them.

Now you are all wondering what the heck is this all about. Well, not only are
the pups preemies but I find out later that they are also clefts. Yup, all of
them to one degree or other. I am totally shocked, never had one of those
either; the vet suggested euthanizing them all but I had to think this over.
Euthanizing a puppy who is ill is one thing, when they are fighting for life and
not necessarily going to have a bad life is another. Culling and putting down
just do not sound the same when you put it in plain English and call it killing.
The last couple of years I have had more than enough deaths to deal with. I have
worked in clinics and putting a puppy down is not as painless as regular
euthanasia. Anyway, this is where the choices come in. One pup didn't do well at
all and I chose to end her life. When one is feeding pups every 2 or 3 hours you
have a lot of time to think. I read about the issue and there are a lot of
people who feel that clefts deserve to live. I cried a lot over this but I am
lachrymose anyway.

I contacted my people who wanted puppies and told them that the pups would get
every chance at life possible and as long as they gained and were having a good
life I would help them. My criteria was going to be that they would have to
learn to eat dry kibble and drink water. I also told them that if they still
wanted a puppy they had to educate themselves and decide what degree of cleft
they could live with. I would not sell them a pup but they could use the
purchase money to do surgery if they wanted to. I told them that the pups would
be treated like any other pup, they would be registered, vaccinated, socialized
etc. They would also go with my contract which states that I take back any dog
during its life. I did tell them that I could not give my usual health gurantee
because I do not know how badly they will be affected. If the clefts close or
the pups do well and they want to send me some money later that will be their
choice.

Every pet puppy person said they still want a pup!!! One person said that since
I got them that far they were meant to live. Pneumonia does in a lot of them,
that and the fact that they take a lot of care esp when the mom has very little
milk so that even the ones who can suck well aren't getting a lot. I also had a
couple who have had 2 whippets from me say that if nobody wanted a couple of
them and if they needed surgery they wanted to pay for one. Then I could ask for
money for that one and fix the next one. I could then pay them back if I wanted
to! They said they give money to save the animal type things all the time. How
about that for friends!

Anyway, as I said at the start, it is all about choices, this was my choice and
6 lively, friendly, growing puppies are making it look pretty worthwhile. I am
expecting you to make the choice to not point fingers and blame anyones' dogs.
Read up on clefts and you will be amazed at the things which can cause it. You
might also want to give one a chance at life should you face this difficult
choice. I do not expect everyone to agree with my choice but I really don't care
because the people who mean a lot to me have supported me and are cheering the
little ones on.
I have started a Blog with photos as lots of people are following them.
I have a video too but need help getting it online so that could be awhile.

Paulette

Drop Box

Puppies with Spicy, Clea and Sandy

 
 
 
 

Check out these new puppy pics

2010-05-22 puppypics