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2015 NEWBORN
Updates & pictures are also posted on our Facebook page "Whispering Pines Labradors WV".
Well, after 2 extra days of waiting, Morgan finally had her puppies on April 20th - by C-section at Lavale Veterinary Hospital. Thanks to Drs Cosgrove and MacFawn as well as all the techs that helped us with Morgan's surgery. Morgan never went into labor, no nesting or contractions that we usually see. The delivery date is pretty accurate but can be 2 days early or late. We were getting concerned at 1 day late and no signs. We took Morgan to our vet's on April 20th and after conferring with Dr. Cosgrove and the stud's owner (also a vet), we decided to have the C-section. It is always risky since the puppies are born under anesthesia too, but there really was not any other option. Morgan was a little groggy from the surgery the next day and although she allowed the puppies to nurse, she was not otherwise interested in them and did not lick or clean them. That is fairly common with C-Sections, especially first-time mothers. Can you imagine just going to sleep and when you wake up, suddenly you are a mother? Anyway, we would let the puppies nurse every 2 hours, show them to her and then we would do the clean-up duties (newborn puppies must be stimulated to go potty). Thankfully, Tuesday night Morgan's maternal instincts kicked in and we knew she accepted them when she started licking and cleaning them. Morgan is now the loving, caring mother we always knew she would be. In fact, she does not like to be separated from them at all now! Momma and pups are doing great now, both puppies weighed about 1 lb. at birth and are now 1 lb, 9 oz.
2015 WEEK 1
Morgan is doing a great job feeding and caring for her puppies. Since this is a small litter, they are getting plenty of milk and growing fast! Both puppies are about 2 1/2 lbs now and getting bigger every day. Their eyes and ears will remain closed until they are about 10 days old, but they know how to find momma by their sense of smell, and crawl right over to her. When Morgan is out of the box, we turn on a lamp to keep the box warm. Puppies need the extra heat, as they are unable to regulate their body temperature until they are several weeks old. The pups mostly eat, sleep and poop right now. Their muscles are growing as they crawl around their box. Puppies normally twitch and jerk while sleeping. This helps with the development of their nerves and muscles. We started the Early Neurological Stimulation exercises on Day 3 which will continue until Day 16. See the our page Litter News 2010 Litter News 2010), 2nd video for more info & a demo about these exercises.
2015 WEEK 2
We weigh the puppies every day to be sure they are healthy and gaining weight. Well, there is no doubt these puppies are healthy! On Day 13, they each weighed about 4 lbs - that is they quadrupled their birth weight in 2 weeks - they are BIG! The puppies eyes and ears started to open on Day 12, and they are now looking at a big new world. They are exposed to all the normal sights and sounds of our house, including the vacuum cleaner, so they will be used to household noises when they go to their new homes. They are still crawling around their box and trying to get up on their feet. They can sure make a lot of noise when they want to, grunting, barking, it's pretty funny to hear their little puppy howls too.</p>
2015 WEEK 3
This is such a cute time for the puppies! They are walking much better now and learning they can bark, play and wrestle with each other. They can be quite noisy when they want to be fed! They have been out in the living room with Morgan and exploring a little. Morgan still feeds them about every 3 hours, but she will wean them soon because they're teeth are starting to come in! They are gaining weight steadily and both puppies weigh over 6 lbs now. We clipped their toenails this week so they don't scratch Morgan. Morgan is still doing most of the work, so we are enjoying playing with the puppies and watching them grow.
2015 WEEK 4
New puppy owners, here are some ESSENTIAL PUPPY ITEMS to look for: tip-proof stainless steel water and food bowls, a crate and blanket, correct collar and leash for their size, toys (rubber kong-type toys, ropes, stuffed toys with supervision - please no rawhide or "greenies" - they are indigestable and can cause stomach problems), gates for "off-limits" areas.
2015 WEEK 5
Please visit our Facebook page for the most up-to-date photos and additional videos (Whispering Pines Labradors WV).
2015 WEEK 6
2015 WEEK 7
2015 WEEK 8
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