# A harrowing whelp! That could have been MUCH worse!



## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

Pics from today:


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

OH MY! So glad Cayenne is OK! It looks like she's one of those girls who will throw large litters for sure! You got another beautiful bunch! What a great Mommy you are Cayenne! 

Sorry she lost those pups, and hope she's recuperating easily from the section....are you having to supplement her feeding them?


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Poor Cayenne! What a relief you did the C. That is a lot of puppies! Yay!!!


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

Oh, my goodness.....what a stressful time indeed.

Glad it all turned out as well as it did. It is always sad when some don't survive. Mommy and kids look great. Breathe easy and enjoy them. Hugs to all. It will be fun watching them grow.

Viking Queen


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## blueroan (Dec 28, 2015)

Wow...so many puppies! They are adorable! Glad Miss Cayenne is okay!

How many boys/girls?


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

That was hairy scary indeed. I am so glad you took the caution road and went to the vet. What a relief. I hope things are better with each passing hour.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Holy Mackerel Cherie! Good for you and C. 

Both of you have got your hands full now, eh?


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## aasteapots (Oct 6, 2013)

Im so glad she is ok. Poor little thing. I hope she is feeling back to herself quickly so she can take good care of her babies.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Oh wow! That does sound mighty harrowing! You were so wise to make that decision and quickly enough. How horrible that would have been to lose mama. I'm so sorry about the ones who didn't make it, but happy for those that did. And especially relieved that Ceyenne is doing fine. Great photos of some adorable puppies and one tuckered out mom.


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## poofs (Jan 6, 2016)

What a great story, tragedy and blessings, thank you for sharing.

Sooo, what kind of issues come along with shipping puppies internationally?


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

My MPS has been exacerbated severely by all those photos. I want one! Grace needs one!. Oh! the tyranny of distance. The pain of desire. Tis better to suffer the slings and arrows.

Eric and Gracie


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

Wow very stressful again for you! I'm so glad you were able to get her to the vet and avert that potential horrible outcome. Very sad about the pups who didn't make it. 

But wow! Those are some gorgeous little puppies! And poor Cayenne with that giant litter, she must have been so uncomfortable.


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## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

I'm so sorry about the puppies that were lost, but thank goodness Cayenne and the rest are okay! They are all absolutely beautiful


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## Nicofreako (Aug 19, 2013)

Whoo - I was following this on FB as you shared posts there. So glad everything worked to keep Cayenne healthy and save some of the last puppies!
Terrifying ordeal, no doubt, but a beautiful family in the end. Cayenne is an amazing mom :angel:


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## PhoebeAndMe (Dec 25, 2015)

So glad you got to the vet and decided to do the section. I'm happy that she and the surviving pups are okay. They are so adorable and she looks exhausted!


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

ericwd9 said:


> My MPS has been exacerbated severely by all those photos. I want one! Grace needs one!. Oh! the tyranny of distance. The pain of desire. Tis better to suffer the slings and arrows.
> 
> Eric and Gracie


I'm with you, Eric. Every time I think my MPS is under control, Arreau posts pictures of beautiful reds, and I'm thinking, "One more would be...good!"


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## AngelAviary (Aug 12, 2014)

How heartbreaking about the loss of some of the babies. Thank goodness you and your vets are so experienced and knew just what to do! What a blessing they all are. I hope Cayenne recovers very quickly from her surgery and the babies continue to thrive and grow! thank you for sharing such wonderful photos! An all red litter, Im just in love


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## Beaches (Jan 25, 2014)

Dear Cherie & Deb
My heart was in my boots as I followed Cayenne's ordeal on Facebook. Lord you must have been terrified! Thank goodness she is okay, I can't imagine that litter scrabbling about her tummy right now after a c section - been there, done that. Prayers for the next little while while she regains her strength.


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

It must have been a terrible roller coaster! Sorry to hear about the lost little ones, but what a blessing to have such a big, healthy puppy pile feeding happily at mama's belly! Can't wait to watch them grow.

--Q


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## Locket (Jun 21, 2009)

Glad to hear all is well, but sad to hear about the 3 who didn't make it. Cayenne sure knows how to grow a big litter!


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## Theo'sMom (Mar 23, 2011)

I'm so glad that she is okay! Thank goodness you acted and took her to the vet. I am so looking forward to seeing the puppies as they grow.


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## marialydia (Nov 23, 2013)

Cayenne is amazing...you've always said she's a great Mom and now we really see that, with her mothering her large litter so well. All best wishes for an easy recovery for her, and that she heals well and rapidly. And kudos to you and Deb for sussing out the situation and getting her to the vet in time to save the pups and keep Cayenne out of danger.

It's so sad about the lost babies but the main thing is that the others are well and their Mom is doing so well too.

Now it's time for Deb and you to take some deep breaths and rally your energies for the work of puppy raising!


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## peppersb (Jun 5, 2011)

Cherie -- Congratulations on a beautiful litter! So glad that you were able to do the C-section. 

It brings back memories of my Cammie's litter 2 years ago -- all 5 puppies delivered by C-section (no still-births). Cammie was nursing her puppies at the vet hospital within an hour of her surgery. When she got home, she was exhausted, but I was amazed at her ability to take care of her babies in spite of just having had major surgery. 

Sounds like everything is going very well. So glad that you had the experience and wisdom to manage the process in a way that was best for Cayenne and that saved some of those last babies. Not easy!

What a wonderful litter!


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## Caddy (Nov 23, 2014)

Hugs & kisses for Mom, what a great job you did for all your babies, so sorry you lost 3 of them sweetie. Cayenne is such a lucky girl to have you looking after her and her "little" family, experience saved lives here I think.


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

Roller coaster ride for sure. Poor Cay, poor everyone! I am glad she's recovering so well. 
(my daughter's favorite is the one with the purple flower ribbon, she now snoops on my FB page to see your puppies. lol)


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

Deb has phoned a few times today and everything is going great. Cay is smiling a big goofy, contented grin. The babies are settled and everyone is eating well. Cay's Mommy Betty-Jo is due tomorrow to have her litter, which is going to be quite small (we think 3-5) so we are going to have her take on some of her Grandbabies. She is an extraordinary Mother and we are confident she will accept them lovingly. When we bred the two girls at the same time, we questioned our sanity. Now? We are convinced it happened for a reason.


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## West U (Jul 30, 2014)

Oh my gosh! Forgive me for my obviously ignorant question, but are litters of this size common? Congratulations to you.


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## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

Oh poor Cayenne. Sorry for the lost pups, but thankful things are going better for her now. My goodness, that's a lot of pups! They are so cute!


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

West U said:


> Oh my gosh! Forgive me for my obviously ignorant question, but are litters of this size common? Congratulations to you.


Not common but certainly not unheard of. I have seen a number of litters lately that have been 12-14. She is a very dainty girl and it is hard to imagine where they all fit! Her Mom, who is somewhat sturdier generally has about five.


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

ArreauStandardPoodle said:


> Deb has phoned a few times today and everything is going great. Cay is smiling a big goofy, contented grin. The babies are settled and everyone is eating well. Cay's Mommy Betty-Jo is due tomorrow to have her litter, which is going to be quite small (we think 3-5) so we are going to have her take on some of her Grandbabies. She is an extraordinary Mother and we are confident she will accept them lovingly. When we bred the two girls at the same time, we questioned our sanity. Now? We are convinced it happened for a reason.


Wow, a little Divine Intervention at work here with a Grammy Spoo delivering within a couple of days and able to help with extra babies....how special is that? I was just adding up the pound and oz. weight of the babies and can not imagine carrying all that baby weight around. My goodness. Certainly you ladies have all my respect and admiration for what you do and how well you do this. 

Blessings to all. Viking Queen


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## LEUllman (Feb 1, 2010)

This is powerful stuff on so many levels. What you do is quite literally awesome. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures with us!


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## TeamPoodle (Aug 10, 2015)

I was following along on Facebook. I'm very sorry for the 3 you lost, and what a long, hard day that must have been for you and Cay! But wow, those are some beautiful puppies.


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## Charmed (Aug 4, 2014)

Arreau, I am so glad that you share your whelping story with us. I wish there was a way for the Admin. to flag this and to save it for owners who have one poodle girl and decide that they want to breed her (without making any effort to become educated, or to consider the consequences), just to experience the joy of having pups. When my daughter taught 4-H, the parents got very angry with her when she flat out told them that they should not be breeding their children's pets, so that they could witness the birth of pups. I think what angered them was when she dismissed the children, and asked the parents if they were ready for the possibility that their child might end up witnessing death. Lay people do not often stop and think about all the consequences when all they can see are cute little miniatures of their beloved pet. My wished for educational flagged section would also include those pathetic cries that Journey gave when she gave birth the first time. I appreciate you so very much, Arreau for both sharing all the wonderful puppy photos, but for also sharing the heartbreaking reality of breeding dogs. If you stop one person from breeding their pet and save one of those potential pups from being sent unloved to the pound, then you have done a world of good. Thank you.


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

Charmed said:


> Arreau, I am so glad that you share your whelping story with us. I wish there was a way for the Admin. to flag this and to save it for owners who have one poodle girl and decide that they want to breed her (without making any effort to become educated, or to consider the consequences), just to experience the joy of having pups. When my daughter taught 4-H, the parents got very angry with her when she flat out told them that they should not be breeding their children's pets, so that they could witness the birth of pups. I think what angered them was when she dismissed the children, and asked the parents if they were ready for the possibility that their child might end up witnessing death. Lay people do not often stop and think about all the consequences when all they can see are cute little miniatures of their beloved pet. My wished for educational flagged section would also include those pathetic cries that Journey gave when she gave birth the first time. I appreciate you so very much, Arreau for both sharing all the wonderful puppy photos, but for also sharing the heartbreaking reality of breeding dogs. If you stop one person from breeding their pet and save one of those potential pups from being sent unloved to the pound, then you have done a world of good. Thank you.


I could not agree more. This is reality- the good, the bad and the ugly (AND the very expensive). It is not all roses and sunshine. I get so angry on this forum when people come on talking about "breeding their girl" just once...they just have no idea the things that can happen. And I am sure those same people do not have a contract, which the buyer must sign, that states VERY clearly that in the event that they just cannot keep their puppy, it HAS to come back to them. Thank you for realizing the effort we put into doing this right.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

OH BOY! Will be seeing Betty-Jo's kidlets too !!!!
When you mention the Mom's sharing puppy duties it brought to mind two cats we owned in the 'old days' when I was a kid, that had their kittens just days apart, but one day moved them ALL to the same box and shared nursing and cleaning duties......13 kittens! They did it all on their own.... we found it quite amazing!


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

ArreauStandardPoodle said:


> I get so angry on this forum when people come on talking about "breeding their girl" just once...they just have no idea the things that can happen.


Me too. I kind'a cringe every time I see one. 

Besides... puppies?!!!! AAAAAAK!! :afraid: lol


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

MollyMuiMa said:


> OH BOY! Will be seeing Betty-Jo's kidlets too !!!!
> When you mention the Mom's sharing puppy duties it brought to mind two cats we owned in the 'old days' when I was a kid, that had their kittens just days apart, but one day moved them ALL to the same box and shared nursing and cleaning duties......13 kittens! They did it all on their own.... we found it quite amazing!


Yes Ma'am!! Betty babies coming up soon!

Nature is truly amazing! Kudos for the kitty Mommies. Betty and her sister Jenny once had litters days apart. The Moms were both very protective of their kids for about two weeks, but after that it was one huge, happy family. Both Moms would lay in the livingroom nursing one another's pups. It was quite beautiful to watch. And our Whippet Iris, who at that point had not had pups, lactated and sustained half our Holly's litter that Betty and Jenny were a part of.


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

I'm having one of these frustrating 'discussions' with a co-worker of mine. He just can not understand why he can't get the exact dog he's wanting for $200 or less. He also doesn't understand why I have pretty much stopped breeding. I tried to explain the cost of health testing and the current issue with legislations/regulations concerning breeding. He thinks that's stupid since 'it's just business' No, they're family. I lost a much anticipated litter once, I really don't have the heart to go through that again.

Breeding like you do takes more courage than I have. I admire you greatly.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

You are such caring, wonderful ladies. Cayenne and Betty Jo couldn't have better, more loving, or more capable and knowledgeable humans. We are so lucky you two are involved in advancing the Poodle.

Godspeed to the three wee ones who flew off, grow vigorously puppies here, and heal well and easily Cayenne.


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## NOLA Standards (Apr 11, 2010)

Glad Cayenne is doing ok. Iko just delivered 10, and 2 of those were stillborn. No section required, but very tough birth on her as well. She's required fluids and calcium and abx and finally today is smiling at me.

Those wanting to bred their pet "just once - so their children can experience a birth" have no idea the reality! :afraid:

Pretty litter.

Happy Momma and wee ones are doing great!

Tabatha
NOLA Standards


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## ArreauStandardPoodle (Sep 1, 2009)

NOLA Standards said:


> Glad Cayenne is doing ok. Iko just delivered 10, and 2 of those were stillborn. No section required, but very tough birth on her as well. She's required fluids and calcium and abx and finally today is smiling at me.
> 
> Those wanting to bred their pet "just once - so their children can experience a birth" have no idea the reality! :afraid:
> 
> ...


Thank you. Congratulations on your litter Tabatha! I am very sorry for the two stillborns. It is heartbreaking. But thank heavens our Mamas and the surviving babies are all thriving.

Novices who want to do this for the experience just do not have a clue! They need to imagine what it was like for Deb to come home from the emergency c-section and break it to her 11 year old daughter and 13 year old son that 3 babies were lost. They need to imagine the angst waiting after eight puppies, seeing their girl still enormous but no progress being made. They need to wrap their minds around what it is like to have an x-ray and be told "You can take her home and things might progress naturally, but we would consider a c-section". They need to think about how it feels to have you, your husband, a vet tech and a vet all working furiously to keep three puppies going while trying to resuscitate the three who did not make it. They should think about how it feels to realize how easily their beloved Mother dog could have succumbed during the surgery or if one had waited to see if things might progress naturally. They also need to consider the exorbitant amount of money is involved if an emergency c-section is required. Let's hope our experience is a lesson and might make some of those people reconsider.


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