Hello puppy people. While I've grown to know each of you through conversations as well as most of you in person it's just so much easier to address you as "puppy people". I'm a puppy people too. I started writing this post last night but ran in to some difficulty completing it. We'll see, if tonight I'm able to finish things up. With less than a week to go, it probably seems I've all but deserted you. I've not... I've thought of you often and figured I better get on here and at least assure you your pups are doing great and have grown leaps and bounds since you last saw them. And they're so eager to play it's becoming apparent they want more time than I as one can give them... even on the best of days. It's apparent they're anxious for lots of one on one or several to their one attention. Seems there's a good reason the magical time of transition is set at 8 weeks. They're eight weeks old today and they're ready! Dallas had a short trip to the vet for a parasite check on Thursday. Since he's scheduled to fly I wanted no surprises when it comes time to obtaining health certificates. I'm happy but not surprised he's clear and therefore I have no doubt certificates will be issued along with the crops for each pup. Blue found his home and will be heading to Louisiana to join his very own uncle and Steven. Steven owns a dog who is littermate to the pups' sire, my Boy Serious. That's about it for news in the land of pups as far as the pups go anyway. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get another set of photos and another set of weights to add to their pages this week. Honestly it seems meeting their daytime needs and talking to them at bedtime and in the morning was about all I could muster. I missed my opportunity to spend my final week with them in play.
Instead, I found myself faced once again trying to deal with and heal from yet another tragedy. Lexi, who as many of you know was due to have her pups in mid November lost her litter. And with that I lost Lexi. I was and remain devastated though each day is slightly easier. Staying busy helps and for a change I've been happy to go to work in order to keep my mind busy. My life basically came to a standstill for a few days with the exception of doing that which had to be done... Honestly, I wasn't sure if I should share my heartbreak or not. I'm still not sure sharing is the right step to take but in the end, and keeping with transparency, I decided each of you should probably know. While I and her Vet aren't sure exactly what what happened, it is known that her death was a result of both acute kidney and liver failure. Why her organs failed is not known but is assumed, due to the rapid course, to have been related to some sort of toxin. Unfortunately I have no idea what it could have been. My other dogs who travel the same circles are perfectly fine. There was some concern due to her symptoms and the course of her illness that it could have been Leptospirosis. For that reason alone, as well as the obvious, I found it difficult to blog. Unfortunately, Dr McBride isn't in the office on Wednesdays... when I noticed Lex spotting Wednesday morning after a non specific but "off" day Tuesday I immediately called the office. I was referred to Dr McDaniels, another reproductive specialist, in Lake Alfred. Unfortunately I had to wait until the afternoon to be seen and once there, it was obvious Lex had declined dramatically through the course of our trip. She passed quietly as I stroked her head and gently massaged her ear just a few short hours later. At the end of the day I was left to wonder and to suffer the loss of a very much loved member of my family who's life at just 4 and a half was cut way to short. I was also left to question whether or not the cause of Lexi's death could in any way have implications that would impact my current litter. Regarding the Leptospirosis, the original lab work at the clinic was positive. Having been vaccinated against the disease though, a positive would be the expected result. Considering all other animals in the home, a decision was made to send a sample for differentiation. Fortunately that report came back negative for the actual disease and as I write tonight, I've been advised and assured by both Doctors McBride and McDaniels that I can feel confident in releasing the litter. I'm sorry I've had to post this news. When adding a pup to ones home, the last thing people want to think about is death and now we've had two. If anyone has any concerns, I feel ready now to talk and would be happy to address any questions you may have. Just know, I would never release a pup for another to grow to love if I had any concern regarding it's health.
Instead, I found myself faced once again trying to deal with and heal from yet another tragedy. Lexi, who as many of you know was due to have her pups in mid November lost her litter. And with that I lost Lexi. I was and remain devastated though each day is slightly easier. Staying busy helps and for a change I've been happy to go to work in order to keep my mind busy. My life basically came to a standstill for a few days with the exception of doing that which had to be done... Honestly, I wasn't sure if I should share my heartbreak or not. I'm still not sure sharing is the right step to take but in the end, and keeping with transparency, I decided each of you should probably know. While I and her Vet aren't sure exactly what what happened, it is known that her death was a result of both acute kidney and liver failure. Why her organs failed is not known but is assumed, due to the rapid course, to have been related to some sort of toxin. Unfortunately I have no idea what it could have been. My other dogs who travel the same circles are perfectly fine. There was some concern due to her symptoms and the course of her illness that it could have been Leptospirosis. For that reason alone, as well as the obvious, I found it difficult to blog. Unfortunately, Dr McBride isn't in the office on Wednesdays... when I noticed Lex spotting Wednesday morning after a non specific but "off" day Tuesday I immediately called the office. I was referred to Dr McDaniels, another reproductive specialist, in Lake Alfred. Unfortunately I had to wait until the afternoon to be seen and once there, it was obvious Lex had declined dramatically through the course of our trip. She passed quietly as I stroked her head and gently massaged her ear just a few short hours later. At the end of the day I was left to wonder and to suffer the loss of a very much loved member of my family who's life at just 4 and a half was cut way to short. I was also left to question whether or not the cause of Lexi's death could in any way have implications that would impact my current litter. Regarding the Leptospirosis, the original lab work at the clinic was positive. Having been vaccinated against the disease though, a positive would be the expected result. Considering all other animals in the home, a decision was made to send a sample for differentiation. Fortunately that report came back negative for the actual disease and as I write tonight, I've been advised and assured by both Doctors McBride and McDaniels that I can feel confident in releasing the litter. I'm sorry I've had to post this news. When adding a pup to ones home, the last thing people want to think about is death and now we've had two. If anyone has any concerns, I feel ready now to talk and would be happy to address any questions you may have. Just know, I would never release a pup for another to grow to love if I had any concern regarding it's health.
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