Virtual Breeding

The journey continues.........

How long will this continue for, you wonder. Luckily it's Friday, so at least you have got the next two days to recover.

Unfortunately, while, yes, you do have the next two days off work, the puppies continue to need close monitoring.

Your friends who wanted puppies call when you're sleeping. They initially sound excited, but decide it would be best to leave you alone at this point. No one offers to help. Not that they would know what to do anyway, and you'd have to teach them, and it would be more trouble that it would be worth, you reason.

By Sunday afternoon, you have gotten the hang of it. You are sleeping beside the whelping box with one hand on Chickie.

Unfortunately, the pup who was doing really well, (you named him Samson) is looking a little sick. You pack up Chickie and the pups and you rush to the vet.

Of course, you need to go across town to the emergency vet, because it's out of hours.

You get there about 5pm.

The vet tells you that it looks like little Samson, who looked so strong before, has what they call is Fading Puppy Syndrome. What's that, you ask. You've never heard of that.

The vet explains that the cause of FDS is not exactly known although there are several theories. He tells you in all likelihood that Samson will die. The tears well up in your eyes and you say, but Samson was the biggest and the strongest. He was the one feeding the best.

Regardless of all this, explains the vet, we can try to save him, but his chances are minimal. But this isn't fair, you tell the vet. Fairness doesn't come into it, he explains gently.

Why do vets have to be so pessimistic you think. You pack up all the pups and Chickie and drive back across town. The vet did give Samson an injection of something, and hands you a bill of $180 for that appointment. He did check the other pups and did check Chickie.

When you get home you have to decide what you are going to do with Samson. Are you going to try and save him, or are you going to let him try and survive by himself. Needless to say, the only decision you know you can make is to try and save Samson.

Now you have two puppies that you are tube feeding. The other three continue to do ok.

You know that there is no way you can go to work tomorrow (Monday). You have to ring them with an excuse, and there is no way you can tell them you have puppies at home.

Decision Point

or,

Click here to leave a message for work that you are still sick and need more time off work.

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