So what does it take to transport nine wiggly puppies safely in the car to a veterinary office?
- One full-size passenger van
- Three puppy crates
- One large child's wagon with sides removed
- Three humans: one to pull the wagon; one to stabilize the crates and take pictures; one to handle the mommy dog. :)
1. Load 'em up in the van:
2. Try to comfort whimpering puppies (without making yourself carsick while turning around in the seat to speak soothingly). Then try to comfort crying, howling puppies, still trying not to make yourself carsick.
3. Arrive at vet's, unload the crates, and stack them on the wagon. Try to calm quiet-but-scared puppies. Pull said wagon from car to vet's office. Make sure mommy dog is on lead, too (this is the second time we've taken Kenya to the vet's without her collar... ooops). Oh, and try to calm increasingly-more-nervous puppies.
4. Sit in waiting room away from other canines, and keep human-types from touching the pups (ack!). Keep trying to sooth nervous, whimpering pups (DH is behind wagon with crates; DTS is holding Kenya's lead and soothing puppies; Kenya is just calmly and happily taking it all in).
5. When called, wheel pups from waiting room to tiny exam room and squeeze nine puppies, three puppy-related humans, and one veterinarian human (plus a veterinary-assistant human) in around exam table so that door can be closed. Then, while continuing to speak soothingly, watch puppies grow hot and sleepy. Then watch puppies pant. Then sweat.
6. Watch vet tech come in and weigh puppies (Miss Sky).
7. Put puppies back in crates to wait for the doctor to come in (Miss Sky):
8. Open second door in exam room to get cool air in stuffy room.
9. Comfort puppies.
10. Greet amazing vet (we love our vet). Watch puppies have their whole bodies checked (eyes, ears, palettes, occlusions, joints, and ranges of motion are all fine) and hearts listened to to check for murmurs (this is Miss Sky; all are fine):
11. Watch puppies have their, ahhh...., privates examined (the boys have all their parts -- one has a testicle yet to descend but it's well on its way---; a couple of the girls have very mildly recessed vulvas -- so mild they're almost not worth noting and shouldn't present future problems) (Miss White, in photo, is just fine):
12. Watch puppies get shots, and try not to wince (Mr. Green):
13. Watch puppies get their micro-chip (IDs) inserted, and really try not to wince (Miss White gets hers below) (only one of the pups bled; Miss Orange, I think):
14. Watch puppies get their inserted micro-chips wanded to make sure they work (Miss Yellow):
15. Watch puppies get their routine de-worming "treat" -- yum! (Miss Pink):
16. Comfort puppies after their trauma! (Miss Pink with DTS Aunt Jeanie):
17. Reload pups in crates and onto wagon, haul out of office, reload in car, pay bill, and head home! Oh.. and enjoy quiet, sleeping pups for the car ride home (no howling!).
18. Expect pups to show some kind of lethargy or other reaction to their vaccine. But, yay, none came! All of the pups were ready-to-romp when the woke up from the car ride, like nothing ever happened. :)
19. Protect the pups and try not to worry for the next two weeks (when they're most susceptible to viruses).
20. Pray the pups stay healthy for the days, weeks, months, and years to come. :)
FYI, here's the summary of their weight checks (smallest to largest):
- Miss White: 10.3 pounds
- Miss Yellow: 10.7 pounds
- Miss Pink: 12.1 pounds
- Mr. Blue: 12.2 pounds
- Miss Lime: 12.3 pounds
- Miss Sky: 12.6 pounds
- Miss Orange: 12.7 pounds
- Mr. Green: 14.2 pounds
- Mr. Red: 15.0 pounds
That's it; we all survived. And now we're focusing on learning some manners! :)
Still more to come!
'Til next time,
Joan
6 comments:
Wow - you probably create more havoc at the vet then when The Herd goes.
And here I was feeling bad when I have to take 1 puppy to the vet! :)
What are your tips for 'comforting' puppies in the back of the car, while you are driving? My pack all loves the car, but one gets excited and vocalizes when we near our destination. Amazingly, he always knows it, even though there are many places we go in the car together. So smart!
Thanks for all the pictures. I marvel at how you took them all at the same time to the vet. I guess that's why I'm not the breeder and you are. They are so cute - I know eventually you will get forever homes for all of them.
Oh, Herd... how could you think such sweet puppies would create havoc? (hehe). Nah... not really havoc, but tons of interest. :) And everybody loves puppies, of course. :) So we generate a lot of "ahhs" and smiles. :)
JackDaddy: See...now don't you feel better?! Just think how much more challenging it would be with more than one. :)
Carrie, the only thing I can think of is distraction (and tons of exposure to it). Pinot hated the car rides, but this spring she was part of a clinical study at our vet's, so I had to take her 1x a week for about 6 weeks (with few other appts in there, too). But the end of the study she'd stopped whimpering in the car, and was even able just to sit on a seat (instead of having to be crated). That came from lots of treats held in my hand to lick (distraction) and taking multiple trips (more exposure). We'll see how she is this summer when we go to the lake (a much longer ride).
And, yes, somehow every one of our crew "knows" when we're getting close to a destination, no matter what the destination is. Beats me how they know. But they do!
Thanks for commenting!
It is such fun taking babies to the vet - am so glad I can tote mine this time in one crate. A very heavy crate to be sure, Alvin is 11 # 12 oz at 6 weeks! EEEK! The little guy Simon is 10# 7oz - and Theo/Teddy is 11# 2! Can't wait to see what 8 weeks brings!
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