I blogged about Orchid not all that long ago. She earned her AKC championship as well as completed another performance title. She passed her health clearances for hip, elbow, heart and eyes and her genetic testing was done. So, Orchid was bred for a litter of chocolate babies to a champion in Virginia. My baby was going to have babies.

As the weeks went by, I thought she was pregnant, but she didn’t seem to be getting very big. Prenatal testing revealed two puppies. So the date she was due came and went. No big deal, sometimes they need an extra day or two. Last Sunday morning she finally started her labor.

The first stage of labor went on much of the day until she final started the contractions. It took her a while until she had her first baby, a chocolate female. She knew immediately that it was her baby. For a first time mom, she was amazing. The second baby was still in there.

Several hours went by. Nothing was happening. I grew more concerned each minute. She needed a C-section. So Sunday night, Orchid, the new baby and I packed up and headed for surgery. All went well, another baby girl was produced and we all went home for a long night. Orchid recovered well and continued to love and care for her babies.

Every day, bedding is changed regularly, the puppies are weighed and checked, mom is supported with lots of quality food and fresh water. The babies start a procedure called Early Neurological Stimulation on day three. They are a very active pair, getting around the whelping box easily.

The fourth night was challenging. While neonatal puppies do cry and can make an amazing amount of noise, in the middle of the night one of the puppies was screaming and clearly distressed. Orchid was very upset. I intervened to check the puppy. Her belly was distended, she was clearly in a lot of pain. I massaged her to stimulate defecation and urination. It worked, but she was still in pain. I tried warming her up and then cooling her down, nothing was helping. After three hours, I knew she had not nursed, so rubbed her gums with Karo syrup to make sure her blood sugar did not drop too low. After four hours, she settled down a bit; I’m not sure if her belly pain was subsiding or whether she was just exhausted.

In the morning, all seemed well and content, thank goodness. It was a rough night. Orchid was tired, I was tired, but the puppies were warm and comfy. I am keeping my fingers crossed it doesn’t happen again.