Sonata's New Baby Pekingese

 

The first one born was a girl, which I thought was gray but I see is now sable..... 8 oz at 10:30 pm ,,, It was stuck with its butt halfway out and I finally helped turn the baby so it could come out. I had to quickly remove the placenta so it could breathe. 

Then next came a boy, sable, same weight,  at 11:18 pm.

Then a long wait, is that all?  Sonata was having just slight contractions and preoccupied with her two that were nursing.

I was watching her close by with soft music playing, resting and marveling at the newborn babies.  I was watching her so to be able to help, but then I sensed something wrong and checked her, lifted her tail, underneath there was a puppy still in its placenta motionless, a girl.  I tried to revive it but couldn’t, not breathing and no heartbeat. I think it was too long in the birth canal and Sonata’s minimal contractions were not strong enough to deliver the puppy normally before nature and time took its life away.

Then another hour wait .... is she going to have more, I wonder ....

She pushes with strong contractions, and there is a big newborn boy at 1:27 pm .... that’s all, its over, I am now sure.

 

Sonata is pleased with the 3 puppies that are alive, and we both focus on that happiness and not the ill fated loss.

 

I am happy Mother and the 3 sable puppies are doing fine, very sad that I lost one.... was it stillborn and that is why she didn’t tend to it?  While I was trying to revive it by massaging and even breathing oxygen in to its tiny mouth, Sonata was tearful ... and so was I .... This was one of those times, you realize you didn’t do enough, and you can’t undo and do over. That’s life, one time through is all you get. It is also one of those times you will always remember the sad loss and the finality of death with no recall. There should have been 4 puppies but there is now only 3.

 

I hear Pekingese breeders tell me how their large litters of 5 and more were born in the middle of night while they were asleep or during the day while they were away at work... other breeders tell me of their losses, sometimes losing the Mother and all the babies.

 

I will take my losses, but also learn more keenly that life is not to be taken for granted as a certainty or even a knowable outcome .