6.5 Week Old Vet Check - May 10th

Monday evening (May 10th), we hauled the whole gang to the vet's for their check-ups, vaccinations, routine de-worming, and (the worst part for the pups) their micro-chipping (that's a BIG needle).

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. :)

Here's what the process looks like (in 20 easy steps):

 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

Miss Lime has a very small umbilical hernia, one Dr. Wagner doesn't expect to be an issue, but something we'll be sure to let her forever family know about.  But other than that, the pups are doing very well.

That's it; we all survived. And now we're focusing on learning some manners! :)

Still more to come!

'Til next time,
Joan

First Time in the Grass (pics sorted by pup) -- Long Post

Today (Friday, May 7th) for the very first time, the six-week-old pups braved exploring the grass on their own.  Yup... alone (well... with their humans).  And all did fabulously.

Every pup seemed cautious, but curious. Some didn't seem to like the pricklies under their paws at first (you'll see some shots of pups picking up their feet quite high). A couple others took a minute or two to completely relax, while a few just jumped right in with no hesitation.

Pretty remarkable considering the neighbor was out cutting his lawn on his tractor -- a noise the pups have only heard once before.  Yet they all did fabulously.  They're becoming appropriately curious, cautious, and confident -- something we hope to foster in every pup we raise. Yay!

So here they are, a few photos of each pup (by color) so you can see how it went.


Mr. Red (a gentle giant, sweet boy, as yet not spoken for and still available):

Miss Pink (the sweet bear of a girl who's finding her forever home with us):

Miss Sky (who has a wonderful forever home waiting for her in NJ):
 

Miss Lime (a sweet, people-oriented girl who still needs a forever family):

Mister Blue (another gentle giant, sweet boy, still unspoken for):

 Mr. Green (who has a fabulous forever family waiting for him, and whose family has been looking forward to this puppy for 18 months):

 Miss Yellow (a spunky, sweet peanut of a girl, as yet unspoken for):

 Miss White (the pipsqueak of the litter, who had been placed but whose family experienced some sudden, unexpected changes necessitating their putting off taking a pup into their home at this time; she's still available):

Miss Orange (a fabulous all-around girl who will undoubtedly be much like her mom, Kenya; the family who'd reserved her also had some changes needing them to wait to adopt a puppy, too; so she still needs to find her forever home as well):

That's everybody, first time on the grass at six weeks old. Aren't they doing wonderfully?!



More to come!

'Til next time,
Joan