Of Kenya and Eating Crow

Call me a holdout. Or blind. Or stubbornly marooned in Denial Land.

I'm just not convinced Kenya is pregnant.

Let me qualify: I'm definitely not convinced she's a lot pregnant.  She might be a little pregnant, but she's definitely not a lot pregnant.

I'll bet Regular Reader didn't realize one could be a little pregnant.

Okay, maybe just in LabTails Land. :)

What I mean is that I really don't think Kenya is carrying several puppies if she's pregnant at all (her last litter, after one tie, had nine puppies).  She's just not that big.

Her size, however, could be deceiving, and size isn't the only indicator of pregnancy in canines.

Kenya is also losing hair, and not like a normal shed; she's losing hair (ack!) around her nipples (a natural process preparing Kenya's body for puppy suckles).

I think I can see visible teats now, too (something we haven't seen since several weeks after we weaned her last litter). I'm not sure, though. What do you think?

Do you see teats above (picture was taken about an hour ago)? Maybe I'm just noticing something that's always there, but not shouting for my attention the way they do now because I'm not normally wondering about her condition. Maybe I'm seeing what I expect to see instead of what's real.

Here are a few other shots from this evening (what do you think?):

Kenya's behavior is changing, too: she sits sidesaddle; she's more snuggly again; she likes sleeping on the couch, she feisty with the rest of the canine crew -- all characteristics of a pregnant Kenya that aren't usually present when her hormones aren't raging.

In any case, Denial Land can only exist until tomorrow evening. Today is Day 49 from the day she tied with Tuc, so if she's got puppies in the oven their skulls and spines should be solidified enough now to show up on an x-ray (they usually recommend any time after 48 days). Tomorrow night, Day 50, is her scheduled x-ray to verify her pregnancy and, if confirmed, to count puppies in utero.

And the craziest part: if she is preggers, we'll be looking at puppies in about 10 days, give or take a couple days either way. Normal gestation is 60 days. (*Gasp* - where did November go?)

Oh, and did I mention that I'm scheduled for oral surgery on December 15th (tooth extraction, bone graft in my jaw, and a post implant)? Kenya could be whelping that day. Ack!

Well, I may as well be doing something while my mouth is full of gauze (hehe...oh my!).

I'm still not convinced, though. Kenya was an absolute hippo last time; she's wide now, but she's not huge and her belly isn't dropping.

She's certainly no hippo.

So maybe she's just a little pregnant. :)  That would be absolutely fine with me.

One way or t'other, we'll know in 24 hours.

And if we find out she is "with puppy," I'm completely prepared to *cough* eat crow.

Stay tuned. :)

Until tomorrow night (yes, I will post tomorrow night),
Joan