It's time for some good news.....I haven't blogged about the latest additions to our family because it's been so hard. Bailey (our Bassett) and Buster (our Boston Terrier) gave us 14 precious babies on July 27. One didn't survive delivery. Bailey had a really difficult life before we adopted her last October, we can only imagine what she indured. So because of her past she wanted nothing to do with her little ones. She gave birth and that was that....thankfully I had two extra hands with my mom! Between the two of us we took the majority of the pups out of the sac and cut the cord and tied it off....and then went to feeding every two hours! Plus hubby helped with the feedings. When I fed by myself it took almost 2 hours to get all 13 fed...I'd get done just to start all over again. A lot of sleepless nights. Well.....it appears that the Good Lord has some Angels who really needed some precious puppies. Over 5 weeks we lost all but one puppy, Shasta. I went through so many pairs of contacts with all the tears....the puppies started developing hip issues and I feel that many were underdeveloped. So when only Shasta was left I took her to the vet that day...mom and I couldn't figure out what was wrong...neither of us are inexperienced with raising puppies and we knew we were doing everything right...but there had to be something we were missing. Thankfully we took Shasta in when we did...because she had so many issues she wouldn't have survived..but it was also comforting to find out that we had done everything we could to save the other 13...it was simply a no win situation from the beginning due to the fact of such a large litter and no immune system from their mother. The pain is still there from loosing all my little babies. When I took Shasta in Dr. Robbie was not very positive on our chances of even saving Shasta. She is most deffinitely a special needs baby or 'baby in a bubble'. She has absolutely NO immune system. Plus mommy passed on worms and a really horrible parasite to her through the womb. Her stool sample was horrible 10 days ago. Robbie gave her a 50/50 chance of survival and that was very generous. Well, today she went to see Dr. Robbie and she has gone from 1.8 pds to 2.3 pds!!!!!! in just 10 days and her stool sample was perfect!!!! So we have made it through a week and a half with flying colors!!! We take it one day at a time and then celebrate each week! She won't go back for 3 weeks (unless I feel she needs to) and then we'll evaluate and she'll possibly be ready for her first shots. She's going to be approximately 2 months behind other puppies on getting shots and such. Dr. Robbie was very impressed with 'mommies' meal concoctions for her!!! Only the best for my baby! So above is a picture of Shasta several weeks ago....and above that one is a picture of Liberty born about 2.5 weeks before Shasta and her siblings. Liberty is Shasta's best friend....and Shasta likes nothing more than beating the crap out of her! Liberty isn't much bigger than Shasta so their relationship works out good and Dr. Robbie said it was fine....she needs the stimulation and activity. Shasta also has a skull problem...when she first saw the Dr. he was real apprehensive about this issue. It's the same as newborns having a soft spot on their head..only Shasta's will probably never grow together completely. So that means that parasites can get in through her skin into her skull and also we have to be careful with blows to her head because there's no protection. But Dr. Robbie was surprised that the split has gotten smaller in the past 10 days...something he didn't expect! So we're hopeful....but careful. Shasta has her play crib in the family room and loves to play with her mama Bailey and Aunt Sadie through the mesh....Liberty has also figured it's safer to play with Shasta through the mesh also..I thinks he gets tired of being beat up by a 7 week old puppy!!! I thought my days of mixing formula and buying baby food was past....well, I guess not! But if it keeps our Shasta healthy then it's worth it. Shasta has such a sweet spirit, even when she's growling and barking! Each time she's gone to the vet she's made new friends and made an impression on the other patients and their human parents....and her Dr. thinks she's adorable!!!! And as a special needs puppy mom...it's great to have a vet who you've gone to school with from kindergarten and can renew a friendship with! Thank you Dr. Robbie....who would have thought that bratty boy would turn into my hero!
