So, I've been gone from the blogging scene for a while and I've missed you guys!
I'm a little rusty, so bear with me...
Last week, I got a call from a rescue I've fostered for in the past. We've always kept in touch and they have been very supportive of my independent rescue efforts.
The dog they called me about had been attacked by coyotes or wolves or some other wild animals. The shelter called them to see if they could get her the medical attention she needed. They quickly obliged and off to the vet hospital she went where she stayed for almost two months. She had lost 1/3 of the skin on her legs, needed surgery and intensive care. She had to be sedated every day for almost two months when they cleaned her wounds and changed her bandages.
A week and a half ago, they discovered Hazel was pregnant with 5 puppies! The worries began.
Would she be deliver still born puppies? Birth defected puppies? Healthy puppies? The odds were slim on the latter.
And she wasn't out of the woods yet as far as her wounds were concerned. She still needed 4 more weeks of daily bandage changes before she would be recovered from her wounds.
But she needed to have her puppies in a foster home.
Enter my family.
Taking Hazel in was a very easy decision for our family. She had gone through so much. There was no way we wouldn't help her.
We embarked on our Hazel journey scared and hopeful.
When Hazel got to our house we were amazed at how well she did with our dogs. She didn't even mind the cat! She was sweet, house trained and obviously happy to be in a home.
She took a quick liking to our daughter.
As the first few days passed, she became more attached to me. After all, I was the one taking her to the vet every other day to have her wounds cared for. I was with her all day.
As the days passed, her attachment to me grew.
Hazel followed me everywhere. Going to the bathroom without her no longer existed. It was now me, Hazel and my three dogs - two of whom are big dogs. That bathroom was crowded.
Her attachment was now a full blown obsession.
As she grew closer to delivering her puppies, those "Momma" hormones kicked in and she was less tolerant of other dogs, especially the big ones. Fur was flying.
We all survived and I became an astute juggler. It was important to keep my dogs and Hazel pretty much out of reach of each other - for everyone's safety.
Sunday night, March 3rd...
Labor began. And poor Hazel had the labor of a lifetime. She labored - along with us - from late Sunday night and continued into Monday.It was not an easy couple of days for Hazel.
Finally, on Monday, March 4 at 3:44pm, her first puppy was born.
A girl. There was no sac in sight. She was skinnier than any newborn puppy I'd seen.
But she was alive.
Alive and beautiful.
4:19pm. A boy. In his sac.
Alive and beautiful.
5:37pm. Another boy. No sac.
Alive and beautiful.
6:42pm Another boy. No sac, came out back legs first.
Alive and beautiful.
Four puppies. Four alive and beautiful puppies.
But wait, there are supposed to be 5. The 5th one will come soon, I'm sure.
7pm, 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm. On and on her labor went. No 5th puppy.
Finally, at 2:37am, the 5th puppy was born.
Tiny. Skinny. No sac. A girl.
Alive and beautiful.
All 5 puppies were alive! No birth defects as far as well can tell. Five days later, these miracles are thriving and gaining weight.
For now, we are so grateful all 5 are
Alive and Beautiful.
Please join me on their journey in the days and weeks to come.
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