Garnet had her x-ray last night. Skulls and spines of 5 puppies were clearly visible.
Her temperature was at 99.1 on Friday morning, which is a drop from the normal canine temperature of about 101 (F). Friday evening it was at 97.7. Temperatures below 99 degrees at two consecutive twelve-hour intervals are a sign that whelping is imminent - within the next 24 hours.
Since the morning temperature wasn't below 99 I wasn't sure if we'd see whelping Friday night/Saturday a.m. But seeing as it had dropped, we moved the whelping box into my bedroom just in case and the kids and I (and Amore) all had a sleepover.
Around 2 a.m. Mo jumped out of the bed and, I thought, began pacing. But no - my daughter woke too, and said "Mom, it's Garnet pacing - I think the puppies are coming, she's straining hard!"
So she and I moved the whelping box back into the kitchen, as quietly as possible, so as not to wake my son who was still asleep. It did, indeed, look like hard labour - Garnet was pushing and straining and pacing back and forth. I warned my daughter that it might be a while yet, but lo and behold, at around 3:15 a.m., the first head emerged and within a couple of minutes the first puppy was out! My son had awoken and come to the kitchen just moments before, so he was in there like a dirty shirt, being midwife (mid-husband?) to the puppies as they came.
Ten minutes later a second puppy came, after which Garnet took a break for almost an hour before delivering #3. The fourth arrived after another's hour's rest, and #5 followed shortly after.
Here is the final outcome:
#1 - black female, born at 3:17 a.m., weight 194g, "Cassiopeia"
#2 - black male with a white "beard," born at 3:28 a.m., weight 229g, "Antares"
#3 - black female with pale paws & under-tail markings, white "beard" and "tie," born at 4:25 a.m., weight 177g, "Corona Borealis"
#4 - caramel female, born at 5:35 a.m., weight 207g, "Lyra"
#5 - cream male with a white blaze on his forehead, born at 5:59 a.m., weight 204g, "Helios"
Mother is doing fine and puppies are suckling well.
(Garnet's chin looks white here just because it is in the sunshine!)
My daughter turns 11 today - she said this is the best birthday present ever!!
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