The beginning…

Mercedes

Last March 18th, Mercedes, my mother, was preparing for her very first litter. Several days before, x-rays taken showed 3 puppies. The vet was predicting that the puppies would be small…her belly hadn’t swelled much either. Everything looked good at this point.

In the wee hours the morning of March 19th, Mercedes gave birth to the first puppy. After 30 minutes, contractions started again; she gave just one push…stopped…and turned around to check herself. Curious, Mama Sara peered in and called to Paul (my Papa): “Come take a look, Mercedes just had a tiny baby!”

It was ME! I weighed just 1.77 oz. (50 g.), measuring only 3 inches. I was breathing well on my own and was a healthy pink, but I wasn’t moving around much. They put me into an incubator* because another puppy was about to be born and it was a better bet to focus on the larger puppies. My brother was born, and just after my second sister. They each weighed at least double what I weighed. So here we were: 4 puppies…and I hadn’t even showed up the x-rays!!

After we were all born, they palpated me, tried to make me nurse – I didn’t have the sucking reflex, but I was breathing normally…so they had to ask the question…”Are we going to take a chance at saving her or not???” It was obvious that if I was going to survive, a lot of sacrifices would be made…many nights interrupted and cut short.

WELL, THEY DECIDED TO GO FOR IT – TO GIVE ME A SHOT!!

So here I was, starting to get hungry…but I didn’t have the sucking reflex…so there’s no way I could be fed by syringe, and forget about using a bottle; the only possibility left is the tube, though Mamie Sara really doesn’t like “tube feeding”…but, we’ll do whatever we have to do…Thank goodness she had all the necessary equipment and that she knows how to use it!

Mmm – it was warm and tasty. Once my belly was full, I was put into my little incubator in Sara’s study. Sara checked on Mercedes and confirmed what a great mother she was.

Once calmed down, she started to read up on how to best ensure my survival. Luckily, we had a copy of Myra Savant-Harris’ “Puppy Intensive Care: A breeder’s guide to the care of newborn puppies” at home. Even though it was still the middle of the night, Mama Sara would read…then feed me…then think…then feed me again…then read more…and feed…By morning, she’d come up with a great plan to keep me kicking. The only thing left to do was to check with the veterinarian.

At 10 am, she put me onto my mother again, since it’s critical that I receive Colostrum. And voila! … I suckled voraciously for an interminable 5 seconds . I was totally exhausted after that feat and Mama Sara teared up with joy!! It was at this moment that Mommy Mercedes took an interest in me too. I was so happy.

The first week… Every 2 hours we’d go through the drill. I would have liked to stay close to Mommy Mercedes the whole time, she’s so soft and warm. But because she would shift positions, I was too small to follow her, and I’d find myself all alone getting cold. As often as she can, Mamie Sara was sitting next to the welping box, reading or answering her messages... giving me time to stay with mom and my littermates .She was watching over me better that way and was helping me to move when I needed it…then she’d return me to my incubator with my plush friend.

I really progressed that week: I was gaining weight consistently as we fought for each gram. My veterinarian followed my progress intently and was frequently updated.

At 6 days, I was much heavier (2.9 oz.) and much stronger. Now I was able to move around in the box with everyone else. So Mamie Sara decided to let me stay with my siblings during the day, but she continued to feed me every 2 hours. On my own, I still wasn’t nursing enough to gain weight. Sara observed me non-stop. Never once would she pass by our room without checking in on me. Papie Paul did the same. I had become their obsession!!!

My sisters and brother had doubled their weight at day 8, AND SO HAD I at an impressive 3.6 oz. Sara and Paul were ecstatic!!

On the 9th day, I’d proved that I could sleep with Mercedes and my brother and sisters all night and could feed myself without the tube. I was so happy!!! AND Mama SARA WAS TOO!!! The tube was now used only between 6 am and 11 pm.

On day 15, my brother and sisters opened their eyes, but not me. Mama Sara was gripped with an anxiety attack…she was so worried that something wasn’t going right, that I wasn’t developing properly…So it was with great relief that on the 17th day, I gave her a good wink. OUF!!

Be assured, I was under constant monitoring to be certain that I was alright, that I was nursing, gaining weight regularly … You have no idea how many times I had to get on that scale!! And how many times my temperature was taken!!!

At 3 weeks ( 8.8 onces), I stopped gaining…TOTAL PANIC MODE! What was wrong?? Well, Mommy Mercedes decided that she was now going to nurse her puppies while standing and I simply wasn’t tall enough to reach the nipples. Mama Sara had thought my troubles were over…but no! So again, I was the subject of constant surveillance…and every time Mercedes would get into position to feed us, Sara would put her hand out like a ramp under Mommy’s belly for me to climb so that I could reach the milk. It was perfect!

A 6 weeks, I got to visit my veterinarian for a health exam and first vaccines. WHAT A RECEPTION!! Everyone had heard so much about me so they had to come see for themselves how small and beautiful I am…I was so excited!

At 7 weeks, I weighed 1.3 pounds. I played with everyone and I got so much attention…my best friend was Deesse, she’s just a day younger than I am, but naturally, through my eyes, she was huge. She would roll over onto her back and then we’d play…What fun!

Of course, I want to do what all the other cottons can do…For example, Sara bought a lot of agility equipment and is training us to jump. Raffia and Cayenne are the grand champions, but me, I’m really good too. I jump the jumps very well and I’m not even scared of the tunnel! Soon I’ll be learning to jump through the tire. I’ve got speed!

Here an update photo of me at 1 year old.. I am getting more and more beautiful each month.. ;o)) My coat is long and very soft and I can look at you right in your eyes and you will know what I want ;o)

***Thanks to Miss Hiskes for the good work in translation Mimi's story***