total upheaval but final settling in the last 72 hours - new pics at end of long post...
With the vet's orders to begin doxy antibiotic treatment for momma Sweet Pea and to simultaneously remove the pups to protect them from ingesting the meds through her milk and begin bottle feeding, on Jan. 19th we were fortunate to get help for the bottle feeding of 6 of the 10 pups: Brownie (now named Ruby Sue), Siouxie Sioux, Black Eye Pea, Crane, Spot and Whiney (new name for this sweet guy is coming soon). Since we've taken to calling all the people who have come forward to help us 'angels', these 6 pups are now in the experienced and capable hands of Boni and Marie who have years of puppy bottle feeding experience and work with Animal Humane New Mexico. (This org. does great work in New Mexico - more about them in a future post.) Patty Mugan, the dedicated rescuer and transporter we've been working with since day 1, connected all of us.
In our inexperience, we didn't realize that we were going to need to remove the pups from momma Sweet Pea's sight (rather than just remove them from accessing her milk) so this was going to be her last time with them. All six pups were now safely with Boni and Marie and although their take to the bottle wasn't easy, they're all doing better with the bottle each day since then. At almost 3 weeks, we all found out that they were less willing to take a bottle than newborn to 1 week old pups.
Now we had the remaining 4 pups (our 2 runt pups, Kink and Pinky, which after 2 weeks of around the clock teet time management are smaller in size but have doubled in weight; along with Bruiser our super chunky female who has become quite the snuggler; and Kaiser, our super mini version of a Holstein cow. The next morning we gave momma Sweet Pea her meds hidden in some yummy cream cheese and one of us took her for a walk while the other moved the pups to the playpen in the next room. When momma Sweet Pea returned she was stressed but we seemed to be able to keep her calm by showering her with affection. The pups had just nursed so we were preparing for a loud alarm when they were ready for their first bottle feeding. It was a difficult next 24 hours as some seemed to mind the bottle more than others and some needed syringe type feeding through the side of their mouths. They really liked the formula recipe we were given as long as the temp was just right - Goldilocks all the way. Marie came by to help us get a better handle on the bottle feeding and we changed out bottles, nipples, etc to find the most successful combos for them. By the next morning we we making progress and little Kink was the first to take a whole 2 oz. without much fuss.
All seemed to be progressing when all of a sudden momma Sweet Pea began to hear more than the occasional puppy cry and began howling like we've never heard before. We don't have a functioning layout here that gives us the option of moving the pups out of earshot. This was never an original concern since all 11 were going to spend the next 6 - 8 weeks together in the place we had made here for them. Within the next couple of hours, the howls escalated to the puppies responding to her and vice versa. It was heart wrenching and way too stressful for the pups and momma Sweet Pea. She wouldn't eat and the pups wouldn't take the bottle. If we were going to be successful in saving all of their lives, we needed to further separate them. Boni made arrangements for a temp. foster for us for the next 2 weeks for all four pups with another experienced angel named Jami. If all goes well with momma Sweet Pea's treatment progress and post weaning, all 4 will be back here after they are able to eat on their own. It sounds easier than it really is and its going to take some careful planning. The other 6 pups will remain with Boni and Marie through the completion of their weaning.
All will be sending us pics so we can post updates on everyone's progress here. We said it was going to take a village but little did we know how literally.
~ The Animal Foster Newbies
In our inexperience, we didn't realize that we were going to need to remove the pups from momma Sweet Pea's sight (rather than just remove them from accessing her milk) so this was going to be her last time with them. All six pups were now safely with Boni and Marie and although their take to the bottle wasn't easy, they're all doing better with the bottle each day since then. At almost 3 weeks, we all found out that they were less willing to take a bottle than newborn to 1 week old pups.
Now we had the remaining 4 pups (our 2 runt pups, Kink and Pinky, which after 2 weeks of around the clock teet time management are smaller in size but have doubled in weight; along with Bruiser our super chunky female who has become quite the snuggler; and Kaiser, our super mini version of a Holstein cow. The next morning we gave momma Sweet Pea her meds hidden in some yummy cream cheese and one of us took her for a walk while the other moved the pups to the playpen in the next room. When momma Sweet Pea returned she was stressed but we seemed to be able to keep her calm by showering her with affection. The pups had just nursed so we were preparing for a loud alarm when they were ready for their first bottle feeding. It was a difficult next 24 hours as some seemed to mind the bottle more than others and some needed syringe type feeding through the side of their mouths. They really liked the formula recipe we were given as long as the temp was just right - Goldilocks all the way. Marie came by to help us get a better handle on the bottle feeding and we changed out bottles, nipples, etc to find the most successful combos for them. By the next morning we we making progress and little Kink was the first to take a whole 2 oz. without much fuss.
All seemed to be progressing when all of a sudden momma Sweet Pea began to hear more than the occasional puppy cry and began howling like we've never heard before. We don't have a functioning layout here that gives us the option of moving the pups out of earshot. This was never an original concern since all 11 were going to spend the next 6 - 8 weeks together in the place we had made here for them. Within the next couple of hours, the howls escalated to the puppies responding to her and vice versa. It was heart wrenching and way too stressful for the pups and momma Sweet Pea. She wouldn't eat and the pups wouldn't take the bottle. If we were going to be successful in saving all of their lives, we needed to further separate them. Boni made arrangements for a temp. foster for us for the next 2 weeks for all four pups with another experienced angel named Jami. If all goes well with momma Sweet Pea's treatment progress and post weaning, all 4 will be back here after they are able to eat on their own. It sounds easier than it really is and its going to take some careful planning. The other 6 pups will remain with Boni and Marie through the completion of their weaning.
All will be sending us pics so we can post updates on everyone's progress here. We said it was going to take a village but little did we know how literally.
~ The Animal Foster Newbies
posted by Animal Foster Newbies at
5:18 AM
4 Comments:
They are all taking the bottle like it is manna from heaven. I am grateful for that!!
And we are grateful for you, Hailey and Ted!
These little ones wouldn't be where they are right now without the help of you guys and Boni.
How is sweet pea handling being away from her puppies entirely?
The first 2 days away from them was the most difficult on her but within an hour after she could no longer hear them, she began to focus on us for some healing. She literally whimpered and crawled into our laps (she's 50 lbs) and we fell asleep holding onto her that way for 2 nights straight. We suspect that the pups have gone through a similar difficult transition but with vets orders, there really was no alternative to saving all of their lives. Sweet Pea needs her meds and the babies cannot be exposed to those same meds in her milk. She went for a few walks today, has eaten well and has willingly taken all her meds (now 4 days successfully with 24 to 36 days more to go depending on what the vet says during our next visit). She is still crawling into our laps but now with a wagging tail so things are changing slowly, thankfully. Thanks for asking about her.
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