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