These are the only pics I could get of her tonight.

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ooh..tough choice, I don't blame you feeking conflicted. So close to birth, is an abortion even safe for Mom? Do you think you might be successful at finding homes for the puppies..?

My friend Rebecca once fostered a very preggers husky girl in the same condition, who was picked up as a stray. She gave birth to 6 lovely pups (3 of which were blue merle - made us wonder about the dad(s) involved). We played and went on walks with them all summer, Pudden was their first "auntie". At the end of summer, Rebecca was able to find homes for all of them. So all in all it was a lovely experience.

 

I'm sure with the rehoming period being close to or soon after christmas that we could find homes for all of them... and of course we'd do home checks, etc. Plus she looks like a pit in the pics I posted but she really has a bulldog body, and if the pups are cute and bulldog-y people will snatch them up fast. I'm more worried about the time and effort of taking care of the pups. It's a lot. But then I feel selfish about it all and think I should do it.

 

My first thought is will a vet due an abortion this far along? And when she is in labor? I've never heard of it, but I am not in the rescue world.

Part of me is blank no! and part of me is it's no different than the puppies euthanized at the shelters every day.

Thank you for helping her. Whatever you decide I will support.

 

If the pups are viable, I can't see aborting them especially if the rescue will be there for them. Wondering how a foster can just decide to abort--is there not a board for this rescue who has policies and guidelines?

As for your SO, I think it would be best to talk things out. If you sign on to do this, will this impact you guys financially? With the time requirement needed to properly socialize the pups, it would be tough to continue with board/training and will this cut short the number of sessions youmcan conduct outside the home?

Do youmhave enough space to give mom some privacy away from your 2 pups if she does stay?

 

Bless your heart Ashley… I can't add anything here, but I do want you to think about how you will feel about this adventure a few years down the road.... I don't know you other than this board, but from what I do know - I don't see you sending her to have puppies, um, aborted, at this late stage and ever being able to think about this chapter of your life without feeling sick. Talk to SO, figure out a scenario that you will be able to live with. I'm pulling for you. :--heart:

 

I wouldn't abort the litter, sometimes You are in the right place at the right time. If you think you can home the pups, then I would go with this. Aborting a litter in the beginning is one thing, but she is close to giving birth. I just couldn't do it.

But Ash you are a wonderful gal with a huge heart and a great mind. I would back you in whatever decision you make.

 

I have no additional advice here, but just wanted to let you know that I think you're awesome; helping out those pups in need!
I will be forever grateful to you Ash, Skyler is getting me through a lot these days....Dawn

P.S. For any of you newbies, Ashley sent me Skyler after she saved her from an abuse situation!

 

Thanks for all of your thoughts, guys! The rescue is a small one person operation... So no board, etc. Melissa runs everything herself and is a woman with the soul of an angel. She has been rescuing dogs here in Austin for 20+ years and has some great contacts. Plus the city of Austin is really great and ripe with pet resources so between who she knows and city programming, she is able to pull dogs from shelter for foster or bring them in off of the streets and get free spays, neuters, and vaccines.

The woman who would be fostering is actually a higher up at one of the shelters here so she has the option of spaying her this late. The potential foster actually started a program years ago in Austin where she would go through neighborhoods with a lot of loose dogs, pick up the dogs, take them home, and offer the owners a) to take a 500$ loose dog fine and get their dog back b) to take their dog to the shelter if they couldn't care for it or c) to spay or neuter the dog and bring it back for free. The program was backed by the city and grossly cut down on the amount of loose dogs and puppies being picked up by Animal control. So, needless to say, she is highly convinced that no more puppies need to be born in this world right now due to the amount that die in shelters each day. I hope my rambling makes sense.

Momma is so so sweet and so so trusting. She has come from a bad situation but she is something else. I am typically good at this rescue thing because I am not one to get easily attached or overly emotional, but there is something about this sweet momma that gets me.

I could keep everyone separate, but yes, it could impact business. However, with holidays we are very slow and we do have some boarders coming to stay over the next two months but we actually don't have any board and train dogs coming. Business suffers this time of year and it sucks financially, but I have a lot of spare time so it is nice in that sense.

Melissa would cover anything financial, down to paying for dog food, etc. She has also graciously offered for me to keep half of the puppies adoption fees because she doesn't want to see the puppies aborted either.. but that other foster is her only option.

Now it is down to my SO. I have promised him in this dog world roller coaster that I live in that I would never do anything without consulting him first and without him being fine with it. He is so tolerant and often just smiles and nods, but he is kind of shaking his head no on this one. I understand his view, it is a lot of time and effort. But once again, my morality pains me....

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Start taking her temperature rectally twice a day. She might have them sooner than Monday.

Kudos to you for thinking about the 8 wk commitment. My friend seriously went thru the same moral dilemma. Stray dumped at her kennel, about to have puppies. She opted to let her birth them and raise them and then have rescue involved in placement of everyone.


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First off, thank you for taking this poor girl in. This is a difficult situation. I don't envy you about trying to figure this out.

But, OMG, I am so appalled at the prospect of these babies being killed. If this dog is as pregnant as you say, these are viable babies.
Years ago, worked in a vet clinic where I heard this story about one of the vets spaying a female with pups about to be delivered. The technician heard the pups crying in the womb. I am so glad I was not working there at the time, I would have had a s...fit.
Needless to say, I always disliked that particular vet and he was also my boss, ugh. I did not work there for long before I resigned, I just could not deal with him, he did other questionable things.

Anyway, good luck, I hope you can find a solution that benefits everybody. Are there any other rescue groups in the area, that might be able to help?

 

What a tough situation to be put in.. I feel bad for you. At my work we would never ever abort pups on a dog that is that close to being due. It already is risky doing a c-section/spay when we do it for an emergency. We were going to abort a pregnant cat and didnt realise how far along she was until we were in there. She only had 3 so that is why we were fooled. Well we saw the babies moving and we just couldnt put them to sleep. So we told the owner we would help get homes for them. One went to an ex-coworkers ex-husband and one went to a coworker and another to a friend. I worked out well. I could not do it that far along.

I know it is alot to take on but just think it is only for 8 weeks, I am sure with your friends and others you know you could find them homes. I would say have a sit down with your SO... The first few weeks it is mainly cleaning, momma does most of the work.. Socialization is important but I know you can do it. The last few weeks will be more work..but sounds like you can make it work.

I hope you can figure out what to do..another option.,try to network and see if there is anyone else out there to help. Go to pitbull or bully rescues..

 

Well, we may not have an issue at all... Her temp has dropped a bit and is at 100.1 and she is producing colostrum. Best case scenario she gives birth before tomorrow afternoon and I "have no choice"... Then I don't have to be the bad guy to my SO

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You are an angel! Xxoo

 

You will keep us posted, I hope? She has a very sweet face.

 

Temperature was at 99.2 about 30 minutes ago. She is very sleepy but when she isn't sleeping she is pacing. I've prepare the whelping area, bleached the floor, laid some padding and sheets down (I don't have anything prepared for this! :uhoh and reinforcements are coming when she reaches 98 degrees. She got a little snippy when I tried to take her temp earlier.

What should I be really watching for? I've only assisted on the birth of one litter... I'm not clueless but I'm not a pro by ANY means.

 

Sounds like puppies are on the way. Hope everything works out well! You are a wonderful soul.

 

I wish I had some knowledge on to to help....I do not. I'm praying that all goes well. Xxoo

 

Temp just went back up to 100.5. Is that normal??

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I hope all goes well for mom, pups and you.
Maybe open another thread about 'help with puppy birthing' to get the breeders on the forum to see and give input.

 

Is she doing any panting or nesting?

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I know that dogs and cats have the ability to stop their labor for periods of time. Just how long, I don't know. Since this dog really doesn't know you, there is the possibility that she may not be comfortable having her pups right now even though her body is telling her to. Where do you have her whelping area set up? If at all possible, try to make it as "den like" as possible. Keep her surroundings very quiet. Let her rest as much as she wants. Start to gather some of the things that you will need. If you are nervous or anxious, she will be too and she will not want you around when she is having them. Just remember that dogs have been doing this for years without any help from us. I once rescued a stray and her pups from under a house. She had them all by herself with no help and all were very healthy. There is nothing to be nervous about. Deep breaths, stay calm.
Also, if she doesn't have them by tomorrow, I personally don't think it is a good idea to move her at this time. She is way too close to delivery to be uprooted again. Curses to the man that dumped her in this condition. Thank you for taking her in.

 

How did Trudy do last night? Hope all is well with you guys.