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Showing posts from May, 2016

Heidi, Day 57 (pre-parturition)

Heidi out for a brief stroll in this hot weather This is the final countdown before Heidi has her pups! She has decided to search the yard for the perfect place to have her babies. We cannot let her outside alone because she attempts to excavate the perfect den and ends up with dirt up to her elbows. Heidi’s abdominal area now measures 91 cm or 36 inches. She is now eating three meals daily and I am sure if we increased it to four or five meals a day, she would be delighted! Remarkably, Heidi still can jump on the bed at night for belly rubs but we’re not sure if she prefers the bed or sleeping on the cool floor. She seems to be testing them both out! We are checking Heidi’s temperature twice daily. Any significant drop will indicate the puppies are soon to be on their way. She is officially due on June 2nd but it could be 24 hours before or after this date.   A Golden Retriever puppy fetus almost fully developed. It’s easy to feel the puppies moving around in Heidi’s tummy n

Mellow Heidi – 43 days (pre-parturition)

Heidi is our happy-go-lucky girl. She has not experienced any morning sickness this pregnancy which is wonderful! Heidi is still enjoying her meals and is always looking for more. She is being fed 3 times daily now and that will most likely increase to 4 or 5 times daily as the puppies grow and there is less room for her tummy to expand. Her routine has not changed much either as she continues her daily walks with the pack. Over the next week we expect she will begin to slow down as she heads into the final few weeks of her pregnancy. It was difficult to tell Heidi was even pregnant as she didn’t really show much until day 37, when all of a sudden her waistline expanded to 31.5 inches (80 cm).   Above is an amazing photo by National Geographic of an embryo at 25 days. By day 30, digestive and respiratory glands, muscles, bone, the puppy's circulatory, genital and urinary systems, the skin and hair, the nervous system and all of the puppy's sensory organs--including the e

Princess Surrey- 46 days (pre-parturition)

Surrey’s tummy has expanded to approximately 73.6 cm (29”) in her abdomen area. At this point in her pregnancy, it is not easy to detect the little bump in her belly when she is standing. However, when she is lying on her back wanting belly rubs, one can spot the plump area where the puppies are growing. Surrey is eating more these days as the puppies continue their development.  Her activity level has remained about the same, but over the next couple of weeks we expect she will be slowing down.   National Geographic - Fetus at approximately day 39 This is when the puppies head into a huge growth stage. Right now the spine and skull are forming and the nose is clearly visible. Their heartbeats can easily be detected with a stethoscope or ultrasound. They are developing toes, eyelids, whiskers and claws and beginning to look more like puppies everyday. The fetus is approx. 5 cm (2”) long and has developed skin pigment. Pre-natal period: It is an interesting fact that a dog