Midwifery on Friday the 13th

If I was drunk from sleeplessness the other day, I've got the hangover to prove it today. I was sure Rhythm was going into labor last night as we were headed to bed and anyone knows you don't let a first-time mom alone if you can help it. I sat up with her All. Night. Long. As in I didn't even lay down on the couch to rest for 2.3 minutes when she wasn't looking.

At 5 in the AM she finally decided to get some action going. At 10:30ish she delivered a healthy little boy. It took a while but she was a good mom to him, took care of herself, and I had every confidence that things would progress normally from that point on.

That's where I went wrong.

I was weak. I cannot survive without sleep for very long. I napped.

When I woke up she had birthed another puppy but decided that she only wanted one child and let that one die. I was furious with both her and myself. I knew better.

Grace's puppies had an appointment with the vet today so I crated Rhythm and her precious only child and took them along. I love that my vet rolls with things like this. (I did call ahead to give them a heads' up.)

X-rays showed that she had 4 more puppies to deliver, and a shot of Oxytocin produced one rather quickly. She wanted nothing to do with helping it survive either and it would have died had a technician not been on hand. After someone else did the dirty work for her, she decided that having two children was really twice as nice as having one.

I was sent home with three more doses of Oxytocin. She's had two administered with very little results. I'm about to give the last dose and if nothing happens by 8:00 she'll be headed in for a c-section. We're hoping the remaining puppies are alive, of course.

Uterine Inertia. After 8 years of breeding dogs it was bound to come up sooner or later. Litters like Grace had make everyone wish they could raise puppies. Rhythm is what separates the enthusiastic from the enthusiast.

For those who are wondering, I'm an enthusiast. That's someone who's so dedicated to their field that they're insanely fanatic.

Pass the coffee, I want to be awake when I drive the dog in for surgery.

18 comments:

imbeingheldhostage said...

Oh K, let the hubby drive. please.
Is this what it's going to be like when our kids are having babies?
I'll check in on you tomorrow morning (it's already tomorrow here, do you want me to just stay up too?).

Lost said...

Fingers crossed that Rhythm and the pups are ok.

Bluepaintred said...

poor rhythm! Poor you! is there no one else who can drive you down?

good luck tonight, I hope you are able to welcome the remaining pups into this world!

Wineplz said...

Oh no! I'm sure both of you are so exhausted at this point. I hope everything goes alright...those emergency doggy c-sections are about as scary and the humankind, I heard. Our breeder said the first time they had to do a c-section she cried because she felt like she failed her mama-dog (in her dog's case the pups' heads were too big to deliver, common in Bostons, but not with Rhonda's dogs).
{{holding your hand and Rhythm's paw}} cuz {{hugs}} just don't seem like quite enough right now.

Pam said...

I'm so sorry about the puppy that didn't make it. I hope the other babies come quickly and you don't need to take the doggy momma back to the vet. Good luck!!

Tootsie Farklepants said...

I don't know why but I didn't realize that dogs had difficulty delivering their offspring. I've seen cats give birth and those kittens just fly right out of there.

I'm sorry.

Leanne said...

I'm learning things.

I'm so sorry about the puppy and I'm hoping that all the other little ones are okay.

Keep us posted!

Debbie @ Three Weddings said...

I'm so sorry to hear about the puppy and difficult delivery. When I was a kid, we had a dog that had one puppy and it died. We didn't even know she was pregnant. She had it outside. We had cats that had several litters of kittens growing up and most survived (even the runts) so I always thought it was strange she had just the one. I never realized there could be so much difficulty or just how difficult it can be to breed puppies. It gives me a whole new respect for your kennel. (Not that I didn't have it before.)

Good luck.

Debbie @ Three Weddings said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Michelle said...

Only a mom can go without sleep and plan for no sleep the next night. Rhythm, get those puppies OUT! Good luck with the puppies and her and your sleep, Karen!

CanadianMama said...

Rhythm is lucky to have you! Good for you for being such a dedicated puppy mommy.
Good luck to Rhythm, labour is hard, I know!
ps. I still continue to wonder when you sleep what with four children, dogs and a store!

Flea said...

I'm so sorry about the little one lost. Hoping everything goes really well for you and the remaining two. Get some sleep soon.

Kellan said...

Oh, I hope she had them all okay - WOW. My dad is a verterinarian, so I have helped birth many pups. I helped our dog, Ginger, give birth to her 12 Golden Retriever - she refused to help - she made me do all the work. She ended up being a good mom, though - just the delivery, eating the yucky stuff, etc - she had not interest in. Hope it works out with your pups and you get some rest. Take care - Kellan

Karen said...

I hope it all goes well. I be looking for the update. Love new puppies!!! I give you credit b/c I couldn't do it.

Maria (also Bia) said...

I've been catching up on my blogging, and I loved reading your post on Micah. It must have been a very difficult time for you, but I can see how blessed Micah is to have been born into such a loving and caring family.

God bless, and good luck with the puppies.

Burgh Baby said...

I'm not surprised you went a night without sleep since I'm pretty sure you NEVER sleep. There aren't enough hours in the day.

Hope all is well!

just jamie said...

YOU.ARE.A.GREAT.MOM!

Cecily R said...

Sorry I am so behind...again. I'm glad things going better and that you've gotten sleep. You rock Karen, you really do!!