Sometimes We Understand, Sometimes We Never Will

Note:  This is a modified note which we have emailed to those confirmed for a puppy from Wilson x Pippin.

Finding myself at a loss for words... but want to share about Pippin and her pups.  I am writing to you after going about 2 days or so without much sleep so please forgive me if things sound a little funky. Pippin started to go into early stage 1 labor Friday/Saturday.  Because this is her second litter of pups I could consult her previous whelping in 2011 knowing what to expect and to expect a healthy and uneventful pregnancy.  This may be graphic but I so want to share this with you.

Dr. Jen Estle, repro specialist at Broadview Animal Hospital did an ultrasound which confirmed pregnancy and accurately pinpointed her due date as October 4 - 6 so we were very much prepared, ready, and of course excited!  Pippin did a lot of pushing, panting, nesting to show us that indeed her pups were presenting themselves in the uterine horn.  A quick lesson in canine biology teaches that the uterine horn is shaped like a Y.  Pups develop and grow on each side, each with their own placenta, and when it is time for whelping to begin the body contracts and pushes them down and out. In retrospect I thought Pips right side was larger than the other and wondered if perhaps there was one big puppy there.  Using a stethoscope I could detect fetal heartbeats yet the movement was not as strong as I would like.

John and I had our vet friends on call and it still seemed like everything was going all right and at 11:15 pm Sunday night she delivered her first puppy as we had anticipated.  Sadly, this little puppy was breech which is not a problem in itself, but the placenta had broken away plus I noticed the pup had a lot of meconium (poop) on it's body which told me that it probably had gotten some into it's lungs.  We were of course very sad but more aware of what had happened to Pip. 

After the first pup was delivered, Pippin just shut down.  This was not what is considered a whelping pause and we knew there had been at least 6 pups on her ultrasound when pregnancy was confirmed. We knew whatever was going on was a departure from what we were accustomed to and were not willing to ride it out or put Pippins life in jeopardy.  Immediately we began to make our phone calls and soon were rushing out to the nearest emergency animal care clinic.  We knew we were most likely facing a C-section for Pippin but for me the emergency clinic was not the ideal situation as I knew they would not let us come in with her and that can be a horror story for any breeder. As soon as we left the driveway our friends who have a practice just 10 minutes away said bring Pippin over, they had called their technician and were going to open their hospital up just for us.  Thank you, Lord. And thank you to vet tech Bill and of course especially our friends Todd Chrisman and Dr. Amanda Rizner of Ross Corner Animal Wellness Center in Shapleigh Maine. 

Everything else after this is a blur but I do remember Dr. Amanda turning to us as she was trying to remove the first puppy (we were present for everything) and explaining what she believed had happened.  Pippin's uterus was exhausted (uterine inertia) plus it had somehow twisted over, perhaps as a result of one side of the uterine horn being heavier than the other with embryos. (I know she could explain it better), the pups were extremely stressed and the placenta had separated.  There was no way we could have known this was going on, nor could we have prevented it if we had known.  In essence, we brought Pippin to the vet just in the nick of time.

Wilson and Pippin produced 8 beautiful pups, all girls, 4 white and liver, and 4 white and orange.
As much as my heart aches I am thankful to say that Pippin is at home recovering from surgery with 4 little girls by her side, 1 of which is white and liver, 3 of which are white and orange.  We are not out of the woods yet and have another vet friend who has come over today and will be back later. We covet your prayers for All Things Brittany.  In addition to the one which was born here at home as mentioned above, there were 3 others (white and liver) who we could not revive or save due to the placenta separation and other complications.

Our focus is on Pippin and her pups, making sure she bonds with them, we are weighing them, being sure they are getting the nutrition they need, and that she recovers without complication,  We were blessed again today when our friend Dr. John Flood DVM dropped by expecting to leave with John to go hunting but instead came in and made sure I knew how to do a tube feeding. I am also going to use the sponge method of feeding puppies. But Pip is taking over slowly but surely. Absolutely anything could happen from this point on but we remain hopeful. Our priority in the next few days and weeks will be upon Pip and pups.  This is all very difficult but believe me, we are so grateful for the 4 absolutely stunning and beautiful pups that we do have here.

These are the times when one feels that maybe it is time to stop breeding altogether. Even so I will lift my eyes up to the hills from where my my helps come from, my help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

UPDATE: Since I shared this the outpouring of support and love has been phenomenal.  Sadly we did lose the littlest angel of the 4 remaining puppies.  She went to sleep comfortably all on her own.  She just did not have the strength to hold on.  The remaining 3 puppies are thriving, strong, and incredible. We were informed that we are fortunate that we didn't lose Pippin. I didn't realize how close we came to that reality.  Evidently with placenta separation/uterine tortion that can happen quickly.  I also learned a few more details about the pups that we did lose.  They were all healthy and thriving, full term, beautiful but when the placenta separation occurred they did not stand a chance,  I will not understand what happened, I will accept it.  And I will cry and grieve for awhile.  Since 1990 we have only ever lost a total of 4 puppies at birth.  To lose 5 from a litter of 8 is devastating.  Everyone has assured us there is nothing that John or I did wrong.  Nothing in the breeding behind Pippin and Wilson.  Nothing in the genetics or health background. Faith, Hope, and Love and the greatest of these is love.