The cat er dog is out of the bag. In June we pre-purchased a #FrenchBulldog that we named “Nova”. A few weeks later a separate breeder contacted me to tell me that she had a puppy born with a cleft palate that would be euthanized if someone didn’t take her in. She sent photos.
The pup would require around the clock care, being fed with a tube inserted through her mouth and into her stomach, and the chances of her surviving were still not great (so said several vets and the breeder). This is her cleft palate.
After seeing the photos we decided to hop in the car and drove four hours to get her, after all, two Frenchies are better than one. She was not even two days old. On the return drive home we decided to name her “Neptune” due to her beautiful blue coat. She weighed a mere 218g.
I read as much as I could find concerning caring for cleft palate pups and watched a how-to video for tube feeding. The breeder supplied me with a tube and a syringe and some milk replacement. I must admit the first several times tube feeding her I was very nervous about it.
I would feed her meticulously every two hours around the clock. It was rough, she however was precious and worth it.
Here she is at four days old.
On a side note. One thing that I was not expecting was when I was told that puppies are not able to pee or poo on their own and that the mom dog stimulates them to do so by licking the pups nether region. No way was I doing that. 🤮 but I did stimulate her with a warm cloth.
I continued around the clock, weighing her often, and calculating the proper amount of milk replacement to feed her. Her weight gains were slow but she was still showing gains and growth. So so tiny at one week. 🥰
We had a trip planned prior to taking Neptune in and had to take her with us. She went everywhere with us, even to restaurants, where we snuck her in with us by keeping her in a shopping bag with her “sister sock”. A sock filled with rice that was warmed to keep her warm.
While shopping I carried her in a towel against my chest. Countless people stopped me asking about her. “What is that?!“ After awhile I grew tired of explaining that I was carrying a tiny baby French Bulldog and finally told some young women that it was a baby kuala.
They actually bought it until other people nearby giggled. Another set of young ladies asked “when will you find out what type of dog it is?!” Sadly they were serious and somehow were of the belief that all puppies are mystery dogs that you learn the breed after they grow. 😆
Before I knew it she celebrated her two week birthday! One eye had just barely opened. Later we learned that she would only have the one eye as the other eye never developed. My little pirate puppy. 😍
As time moved on, feedings were less often and much more at a time. She was healthy, happy, had a big ole plump belly and a cute little Frenchie butt.
Every week on Monday was a new milestone and a new birthday! She made it to three weeks old.
Four weeks. By this time she had visited 3 different veterinarians each of whom stated they doubted she would survive. This didn’t make sense to me as she was healthy and continually growing. 🤷🏻♂️ I was determined and she is a fighter 💪🏻
More four week photos. What a ham!!
At five weeks she was developing quite a personality and was a busy body. Neptune had stole my heart.
Life at five weeks.
Also at five weeks, Neptunes new older sister Nova arrived. They were quick to be the bestest of buddies.
Neptune at eight weeks.
Nova at eleven weeks.
They both love playing and making new friends.
Neptune now fifteen weeks.
Nova now eighteen weeks.
Neptune. Various ages.
Nova. Various ages.
Neptune singing baby shark because what’s cuter than that?!
It’s getting chilly outside and the girls insisted that they wear sweaters.
Nova is stunning and is wearing a multicolored stripe pattern sweater, made of 100% organic wool.
Neptune is looking and feeling sweet in a solid primrose pink sweater, made of 100% organic wool.
The girls continue getting their fall fashion on.
Neptune has costly surgery scheduled to correct her hard and soft cleft palate, and to remove her no eye and stitch it closed, on December 6th. She will have a likely painful recovery period of about ten days. After which she should live a perfectly normal doggo life.
Neptune’s mealtime dance. 💃
She does this every single time that she is fed, and it is usually one of the highlights of my day. ❤️
Neptune hopes everyone has a wonderful weekend!
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