Kus Sarkisi Kenyon at 6 months...What a beauty

Cricket and her puppies...DOB 1.02.2013

Taken just two days before delivery

I had tried to breed Cricket a couple years ago and she did not take, so you can imagine my surprise when she started showing signs of pregnancy around the same time Dilara did. I had not intended to breed her but guess the Big Guy had other plans.

She had been OFA'd after she turned two and it was Good. So when she showed signs of pregnancy I was surprised! She did have a slow progression on labor so decided to take her to my Vet and c-section her. Three healthy puppies!

At the Vet waiting...

She did great and didn't struggle at all. I would have struggled.

Our girl Cricket blessed us with three pups, 2 girls/1 boy (Dutch). 1 girl is reallllly big (center). This is her first litter.

Placenta and diarrhea after the birth

When diarrhea affects a canine that recently gave birth to puppies, owners may be worried about the effects on the overall health of the mother and her litter.

Considerations

o   Giving birth to and nursing a litter of puppies puts a normal strain on the dog's body. That’s why you should be feeding the expectant bitch as much as she wants to eat of an excellent quality puppy food. We feed Diamond and have since 1999. It may take a few days for body systems to recover after delivery of her litter.

Significance

o   Mild diarrhea in a dog that just gave birth can be normal due to stress or because mother dog ate the puppies' placentas. You’ll also notice that in some new mothers their appetite tends to be pretty bad shortly after the birth. To encourage more calorie consumption we add people food such as fresh eggs, cottage cheese and yoghurt, fish or other meats. The soft stools or diarrhea should subside after a few days.

Motives

o   The placenta is a sac that is typically expelled after each puppy. The bitch may instinctively eat the placentas to hide evidence of birth from predators, and there are theories that placentas provide a form of nourishment at a time when the she may not want to leave her litter alone to search for food.

Time Frame

o   Diarrhea lasting more than a few days or accompanied by other symptoms should be checked by a veterinarian. We will add some activated charcoal to her meal to help with regulating her system.

Prevention/Solution

o   Some breeders try to prevent diarrhea by removing the placentas as they are expelled or allow their bitch to just eat one. Should diarrhea still develop, one to two teaspoonfuls of pure canned pumpkin can help firm up the stools. You may also notice that when outside after having a litter of pup that she’ll look for and eat grass. This is normal and help with the gut.

Conclusion

o   Have the mother and puppies seen by a veterinarian within 24 hours after whelping for a general wellness exam.

Delivery and what to expect

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In a normal delivery, a pup emerges headfirst. When a pup comes out feet first, it is a breech delivery. We had several presented in that position. (Breech deliveries are not at all uncommon.) Each pup is born encased in a transparent sac or membrane. This sac or membrane will be the first thing you see as the pup is expelled. It will be bulgy and transparent and you will see the pup inside. The sac will be attached by a cord to the placenta, which should come out after the pup. Be sure you have the litter born on something you don’t care about being stained. It won’t wash out. The placenta or afterbirth is the means by which the fetus is nourished within the uterus.

If the sac breaks on the way out, quickly bring the pup to the bitch's attention, if she hasn't already gone to work on it. Ordinarily, the bitch will break the sac with her teeth and gnaw off the navel cord to within one inch of the pup's navel. There are several breeders who feel they need to do this part but we just watch and only interfere if help is necessary. If the bitch doesn't break the sac or chew off the navel cord, you will have to take care of these. Pick up the sac with the pup inside (use a clean cloth) and break the sac near the pup's head. Do it by gently stretching the membrane or hooking a finger into it and carefully pulling it apart.

Next, put the pup down where the bitch can lick and clean it. This also stimulates continued birthing. It is imperative that the pup be cleaned. When the sac is broken, the pup should gasp for air. Breathing may be impeded because of mucous in the pup's nose, throat or lungs. This mucous must be removed. If the bitch will not clean the pup or it doesn't gasp for air, you will have to take over.

Quickly wipe any excess mucous from the pup's mouth. Open the pup's mouth, take a medicine dropper and suck out any mucous. Rub the pup vigorously with a clean, dry cloth, both with and against the lie of the hair. The rubbing will help to stimulate circulation.

If, after these administrations, the pup still doesn't gasp for air, you'll have to use more drastic measures. Wrap the pup in a clean cloth, hold it cupped in your two hands, with the head toward your fingers, and swing the pup downward in an arc in front of you. Stop the swing suddenly, but hold on to the pup. The centrifugal force plus the sudden stop usually clears out the mucous.

Another emergency measure to get the pup breathing is to use a rubber tube and syringe to withdraw the mucous. Insert the tube well into the pup's mouth and squeeze the syringe to aspirate the mucous. Keep working on the pup and don't let it get chilled. We fill up a rubber glove with hot tap water and tie it off. It’s a warm hand with warm fingers to wrap around the pup. Remember not too hot.

Artificial respiration is not always practical. But you can insert the rubber tube in the pup's mouth (take off the syringe) and try forcing your own breath down. When you try this, proceed as follows: breathe air into the tube, stop, then press gently on the pup's ribs in the region of the lungs. Be careful, you can easily break the pup's rib case. Keep working to make the pup breathe; don't give up too quickly.

Announcing the Birth of Puppies! 1.03.2013

We are pleased to announce the birth of our latest litter sired by our boy 

The Cedars' Rumpelstiltskin KS (Rummy), OFA-Good, 

bred to our AKC Major show winner/livestock guardian girl, 

Kus Sarkisi Suna Dilara, OFA-Good. 

This is Dilara's second litter and are they just stunning! 

Take a looksee...

This would be their sire, Rummy....I was hoping his dark shade of fawn would be passed onto his offspring. This is Dilara's first breeding to him.

This would be Dilara, very pregnant, enjoying a back scratch two weeks before delivery

Dilara resting in our bedroom the night before delivery. Just roll me over and call me done!