I was about 10 when I 'helped' a calf come into the world. Quite an impressive experience for a kid.
Have you ever helped an animal give birth?
- Thread starter orderandlaw
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ive helped my dog have puppies, i also saved one of my cats babies when it got stuck under my bed in the might when it was first born.
I helped my dog; everything went well, thank goodness during delivery, so all I did was clean mucous out of the pups' mouth and nose, and on one I had to break the sac she was in to free her up to breathe.
But then momma got sick, I tried to count the afterbirths, but this was my firs time andf it was all so scary for me, I did not realize she did not expel all the placentas, and she got metritis (infection in the uterus). She was sick and after we had her at the vet and then on antibiotics, she still did not produce enough milk. She cared for the babies so well, helping them urinate and defectae, but I had to tube feed the babies around the clock for 3 weeks (with puppy formula). Stressful, allright! Especially since it was my first time having puppies.
I slept next to the whelping box for 3 weeks so I could hear when they were hungry, and to make sure Mom didn't accidentally lay on one of them and squish them to death.
Scary, exciting, rewarding. Not sure if I'll do it again
3 pups are living here (as well as mom) and they are now 2-1/2 years old.
But then momma got sick, I tried to count the afterbirths, but this was my firs time andf it was all so scary for me, I did not realize she did not expel all the placentas, and she got metritis (infection in the uterus). She was sick and after we had her at the vet and then on antibiotics, she still did not produce enough milk. She cared for the babies so well, helping them urinate and defectae, but I had to tube feed the babies around the clock for 3 weeks (with puppy formula). Stressful, allright! Especially since it was my first time having puppies.
I slept next to the whelping box for 3 weeks so I could hear when they were hungry, and to make sure Mom didn't accidentally lay on one of them and squish them to death.
Scary, exciting, rewarding. Not sure if I'll do it again
3 pups are living here (as well as mom) and they are now 2-1/2 years old.
^^ Aaw, it's good to hear that the story has a happy ending. You were so brave, I dont think I can do it if it was me. The emotional bond you have with the pups and the mom must've been something else, since you went thru quite an extraordinary thing with them.
When my cat was about to give birth for the 1st time (this was in January), it was my first time as well, and I was so nervous and kept watching her every move. I did as far as giving her a box with some shredded paper on it to lay down. I was with her for a couple of hours just stroking her and I could see her becoming uncomfortable and trying to push a few times. Then I turn off the light and left her alone to give birth. The next day I came back and she was already nursing 2 healthy lil kittens.
The 2nd time around was quite bad. I didnt even realized that she was pregnant till it was in her last days of her pregnancy. She ended up having the kitties in the litterbox! I swear I felt SOOOO guilty just imagining the dirty environment these kittens were born to
. I just didnt see it coming. Thank god everything was okay and the mom licked them clean. Now, they are (4 of them) 1 month old and are already running everywhere like a pro, but they are currently having eye infection 
. I thought it will sort out by itself, but after a week the kitties' eyes are still watery. The mom ended up with antibiotics and the kitties were given eye ointment. After 2 days things seem a lot better 
. From what I talked to with the vet, I think it has something to do with the poor environment surrounding their birth, and it makes me even more guilty!
She's getting spayed after this!
When my cat was about to give birth for the 1st time (this was in January), it was my first time as well, and I was so nervous and kept watching her every move. I did as far as giving her a box with some shredded paper on it to lay down. I was with her for a couple of hours just stroking her and I could see her becoming uncomfortable and trying to push a few times. Then I turn off the light and left her alone to give birth. The next day I came back and she was already nursing 2 healthy lil kittens.
The 2nd time around was quite bad. I didnt even realized that she was pregnant till it was in her last days of her pregnancy. She ended up having the kitties in the litterbox! I swear I felt SOOOO guilty just imagining the dirty environment these kittens were born to
. I just didnt see it coming. Thank god everything was okay and the mom licked them clean. Now, they are (4 of them) 1 month old and are already running everywhere like a pro, but they are currently having eye infection . I thought it will sort out by itself, but after a week the kitties' eyes are still watery. The mom ended up with antibiotics and the kitties were given eye ointment. After 2 days things seem a lot better . From what I talked to with the vet, I think it has something to do with the poor environment surrounding their birth, and it makes me even more guilty!She's getting spayed after this!
Wow, Sarah you did a lot of work, too!
Don't feel guilty about her having them in the litterbox - sometimes you don't know exactly whjen it is going to happen. With my dog, the day she gave birth, I let her out at about 6 AM to let her pee, and thank goodness she didn't drop a pup outside, as I didn't go out with her - I should have, just in case she had one out there. But lucky for me, she didn't
Don't feel guilty about her having them in the litterbox - sometimes you don't know exactly whjen it is going to happen. With my dog, the day she gave birth, I let her out at about 6 AM to let her pee, and thank goodness she didn't drop a pup outside, as I didn't go out with her - I should have, just in case she had one out there. But lucky for me, she didn't
The absolute scariest part was, (and it caused me to lose 10 lbs and have stomach pains for 3 weeks) was the tube feeding. I had to pull formula into a large syringe with a tube attached and then put the tube down the pup into its stomach and push the formula in.
O M G !!!!
The vet showed me how and told me to get a grip - I had to do it if I wanted them to live. First I tried bottle- feeding but it just didn't go very well.
I eventually got good at it, but was nervous at every feeding!
O M G !!!!
The vet showed me how and told me to get a grip - I had to do it if I wanted them to live. First I tried bottle- feeding but it just didn't go very well.
I eventually got good at it, but was nervous at every feeding!
aww, that's so sweet!
I was there when my old dog gave birth for the first time (I got her for free when I was in elementary school, she'd be all mine after the breeder got two litters of puppies) but I didn't help per se. It was a really great experience, though.
Yes, when I was about ten years old--my cousin and I assisted as a momma pig had piglets. We were SO darn proud of ourselves!
When my cousin's parents returned from town to see that the babies had been born, we proudly announced that "WE had just given birth to pigs!" We later realized just what we had said...:shame:
When my cousin's parents returned from town to see that the babies had been born, we proudly announced that "WE had just given birth to pigs!" We later realized just what we had said...:shame: