Mollys Puppys Born Today

Molly's Story

Molly's labour and delivery have not been a straight forward one, but like most breeders we were prepared for anything.
It started 2 days ago on Wednesday where molly was very sick, as a pregnant bitch at 57 days into gestation she was vomiting her stomach contents, not normally a sign of labour but it can be.
The following day (yesterday) she would not get up in the morning even for a wee! but was eating and drinking. Then at around 12noon she began to cry then an hour later we saw a little mucus discharge. Now we knew she was in labour. After a few more cry's of pain I thought delivery was imminent and prepared the birthing kit and warm bed for the puppies.
My friends were visiting from Hailsham a 272mile mile journey to us in Huddersfield, UK, so we was very much hoping she would delivery while they was there and could assist and see the birth. No such luck aye Katie!
Molly decided she didn't want to push and just went to sleep, i woke her to feed and drink, and she wet her bed several time, not uncommon in dogs in labour, but she had no more pain or contractions until today Friday 16th May 2014. 9am. She cry's and woke me sleeping beside her she had wet her bed a quick bed change and a wash down, some food and water, then back to sleep she went. I began to feel this wasn't going to happen, then at 10am we saw her waters break a small about of fluid on her mat. Absorbent mats a great for during labour for monitoring fluid loss. Then at about 12.30 she had the membrane sack of the puppy and was pushing. I was relieved to see some action but it didn't last she soon stopped and went back to sleep.
Molly didn't have any contractions, without the urge to push the puppy that was in the birth canal would die. I waited 2 hours and nothing, after 2 hours of no action and now over 24 hours since her first labour pains it was time to see the vet. I uses a gloved finger and lubrication to stimulate the contraction and t feel if the puppy was there, so i could gently pull it out but there was nothing to grab on to, and if I broke the sack pulling that the puppy would surly die or be open to serious infection.
I was torn about what to do, I wanted molly to have a natural birth, she was ok in her self but was obviously very tired I didn't think she had the strength, likely caused by her bout of sickness the day before. Going to the vet would be a costly caesarean section, would I wait and see if her contractions pick up or if I wait to long risk molly life and her puppies.
I called the vet hospital and told them we was on our way.
I carried her in a baby bath with a puppy sack still hanging out her behind! put her on the back seat and got there quick.
They gave us two choices, try a drug to stimulate contractions but first a scan to check the size if the puppy in the canal. the vet checked as I did and could feel the puppy high up in the canal. Second an emergency c section.
I decided to skip the scan and drugs and while I wanted a natural birth for molly she clearly didn't have the strength to do it so why try the drugs. She was whisked away after we was told the risks, I tried not to think about it, and sent home to wait for a call.
At a cost of £900 without a nights stay a c section is a very expensive end result of a dog pregnancy, not one we had hoped for but one we was prepared for, just in case!
The puppies were born at about 3.30pm 5 girls and 2 boys, all survived.
Molly is doing well back home and feeding her puppies she is growling at them when they get near her scar which is between her milk ducts so is obviously uncomfortable, we are giving her antibiotics and watching for her pain levels.
Crisis over!