Our Miracle Angel

Michael J. Pesare

Our most recent litter (March, 2024) was born via C-section at 3:45 pm on Friday, March 1, 2024. Once the pups were removed from Cami’s uterus, the entire veterinarian team of 4 started working vigorously on the 5 pups, rubbing them and pinching their skin to stimulate them to breathe. They also used a syringe to clear the puppy lungs of fluid. They passed the pups around the padded exam table with each focusing on a specific action. For example, one tech was giving heart compressions and pinching the skin while our vet was giving a couple of the most struggling pups mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. The pups also got oxygen, especially one little girl.

According to our vet, the first pup to be removed was a little girl and she was already in the birth canal feet first. She was the slowest starting of the 5 and before long, we became concerned for her viability. One vet tech worked on her for over an hour, never giving up, as word came back that the final two appointments of the day had arrived. The tech put the pup in an oxygen mask so that the pup could get a higher concentration of oxygen.

The tech noted that the pup had a heartbeat and the pup was taking faint breaths but we could see that this pup was like a “glove without a hand in it” borrowing a term from Muriel Lee’s essential book, The Whelping and Rearing of Puppies. We have had that book on hand for every litter since 2001.

After close to two hours of constant stimulation and oxygen, our vet and the tech determined that the little girl might not make it. Our vet noted that most likely there was something else going on with this pup. It seemed certain that this little pup was slipping away.

So, sadly, Maida and I started putting Cami and the 4 remaining pups in the car for the drive home. I loaded Cami in her crate first while Maida sat on the passenger side front seat. Then I gave Maida the small crate with the 4 pups. Just as Maida was closing the car door, the tech came running out of the clinic carrying the little girl puppy and she knocked on the window. Apparently the little miracle girl started crying and moving on the table after we left. The tech said “OMG - she is alive!”

Little miracle girl was placed in the small crate with her littermates for the drive home. At home, about 4 hours into their young lives, all 5 pups were thriving. They nursed on Cami and they were squeaking as they devoured the nutrition.

March, 2024