Abba's Shilohs, 2005 Shiloh Shepherd Puppies

Update 6/02/05: Lilli & Nico blessed us with 2 wonderful, healthy male puppies (one white & one sable).

Update 7/01/05: Lilli had to have an emergency C-section 4 weeks ago. One puppy had died inside her about 36 hours previously. Three puppies were delivered. At the time we made the decision to have Lilli spayed. Last years litter had to be delivered by C-section and we didn't want to chance it happening again. We also decided to have her stomach tacked which will help decrease the chances of her bloating, which is common in large dogs who have been spayed. This was a very tough and sad decision to make. The 2004 Lilli/Nico litter turned out so awsome we were hoping to get one more litter before she was retired. This broke my heart but I couldn't chance this happening again next year.

One white female, 1 white male and 1 sable male were delivered. The white female died 2 hours after delivery. I took home the white male and the sable male. Lilli wasn't able to nurse the puppies for 24 hours because of the amount of anathesia that had to be used to basically keep her under for the three procedures that were done. I had to learn how to tube feed the puppies in order to keep them alive. The next day Lilli developed complications and had to be bound around her middle and was unable to nurse the puppies for four days. Because of all the problems and the binding she didn't produce any milk, so I became the puppies mother. Both puppies were doing good and I would put them with Lilli several times a day, but one day there was an accident and Lilli stepped on or sat on the white male and he died. I have been hand raising the little sable male and was afraid to leave him alone with Lilli for fear the same thing might happen to him. But despite all this a miricle has happened. The puppy is thriving and doing well.

I have basically raised this little puppy like he was my own child. For the first two and a half weeks I kept him in a basket and carried him from room to room with me and put his basket next to me in bed. I was a nervous wreck worring about something happening to him too. He was only 5oz when he was born. I had to tube feed him for the first week, then taught him how to suck on a syringe, then progressed to a baby bottle and now he is on baby rice ceral and raw ground turkey. Yesterday he was 4wks and weighed 3lbs 8oz. I know this doesn't sound like much for a 4wk old Shiloh, but remember he only weighed 5oz. He is doing really well now. Unfortunately Lilli isn't interested in him, but his dad Nico is. Nico gets in the whelping box with the puppy and licks him clean a couple times a day. Every time he passes the room the puppy is in, Nico has to stop and peak in to make sure the puppy is ok.

I'll keep everyone updated on my little miracle. It's going to be so hard to let him go to his new home.

Update 7/07/05: The puppy is 5 weeks today and 4lbs 8oz. He is so cute! He is walking/scooting around his whelping box and playing with all the stuffed animals in it. I get down on the floor and play with him as much as possible. He is going to make such a great companion. I don't even want to think about the day he will go to his new home.

Update 7/19/05: Today the puppy weighed 7lbs 4oz. Not bad for a puppy that only weighed 5oz at birth. He is a happy, fat little butter ball. If we keep him his name will be Zechariah (Zach)after a Hebrew prophet whose visions and teachings appear in the second to the last book of the Old Testament.

For the past several weeks I have noticed that his right foot turned in, but didn't think too much of it because I have seen human babies hold their feet like that for several months. I also talked to some other breeders that agreed that once he started walking it would work out. Unfortunatley it got worse when he started walking. Thurs I took him in for his 6wk shots and the vet exrayed it. The bones in the foot are all turning to the right. Tomorrow I am taking Zack to an orthopedic specialist to have him examined. While I'm there I will also ask him to check his left leg & arm socket. I have noticed that when he walks that leg moves very strangely. Keep us in your prayers and I will post the results tommorow.

Update 7/21/05: It is with a broken heart that I have to share the results from the orthopedic specialist. Apparently when Lilli stepped on the white male that died, she also stepped on Zach. Both front legs were broken along with all the bones in his right foot. Even with surgery the prognosis is not good. As he gets bigger he will not be able to support his weight and will never have any quality of life. The doctor said the kindest thing to do for this puppy is to put him down. At 5:30 pm this evening I will be taking him to my vet. Please keep my husband and I in your prayers. This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Zach has been more than just a puppy to me, I have been the only mother he has known.

Zach's Memorial Page