How many pups?? Xray tomorrow!

Yes, tomorrow Iska goes for an xray at our reproductive vet's office. The pups are now old enough to have developed calcified skeletons, so an xray will help us have a pretty good idea of how many pups to expect.

The vet predicted 5-6 based on the ultrasound. Pups can always be hiding, though. How many will we see tomorrow?

I am eager to know.

Iska is getting bigger and is more uncomfortable. She managed a short walk this afternoon, though, to help keep in shape which is important to whelping. She is sleeping so much.

Until now, Iska has been a great eater and reliably--and enthusiastically--packing away the needed chow for both herself and the growing pups. Today was the second day that she was very picky about eating. I had to tempt her with new food options and have been shopping to be sure to have a variety of even more exotic, tempting options on hand.

As she gets closer to birth (properly called whelping in dog terms), she will have less and less space for her stomach, will feel more uncomfortable, and will be more choosy about what she is willing to eat. She will be particularly concerned about the amount of food presented to her and if it is the same food/smell she ate at the previous meal. For example, for most of her pregnancy, she has had a hard-boiled egg added to her meal at the suggestion of our reproductive vet. Although she previously loved this, she has been on hard-boiled egg strike this week. Iska normally does not get canned food and eats a high-quality kibble. As a result, like a kid who never gets candy, canned food is super exciting to Iska. Last night she was more than happy to eat a canned puppy formula of chicken and rice from Purina Pro Plan. This morning, she would not eat this, but she would happily eat an egg, cheese, mushroom, tomato, ham and zucchini frittata (last night's human dinner) with a side of baked sweet potato. I was able to work from home this afternoon, so fed her a lunch of a canned Lamb and Rice formula from Canidae, which met with her approval.

Tonight, the same meal of Canidae did not meet with her approval.

On my way home from work, I stopped at my butcher's and got a variety of items to tempt her (beef heart, chicken innards, whole chicken, country style pork ribs, ground beef). Right now, I am making the chicken innards boiled with carrot. I think she will like the meat and the resultant stock for breakfast. If not, I am also roasting the chicken for human dinner so there will be leftovers for Iska and puppies-in-progress.

If desperate, I can always give her the leftover shrimp, tomato, parsley, garlic linguine I made on Monday and that she seems to REALLY DESIRE.

Fun times with a very pregnant and picky girl! Wish me luck keeping Iska eating through the births!