Help - a Lovely but heavily pregnant Lurcher turned up at my door today

[HoundoftheBaskervilles]

I know it's late & I know there's a thread for pointy hound lovers, but I seem to have acquired a heavily pregnant Lurcher, she was lurking round my house all day - very rural no near neighbours, every time I looked out the door she was there, very underfed but sweet & extremely sociable, after about three hours I crumbled & fed her, at which point I noticed she was HEAVILY pregnant & rather skinny.

I've taken her to the Vets', no chip, no report, so she's come back here, she had a show of mucus at the vets' and has been intermittently been panting very heavily, I've phoned the vet again (who luckily are personal friends) who told me how to do an internal, couldn't feel anything yet, so I guess it's just a waiting game.

I've had dogs in the past, but DOGS, never bitches & I've never whelped a pup in me life.

Help & hand-holds would be lovely.

just to keep us going....

Aww Floundering.

One of this lot is my pup

Hester it's her wee ear in the photo that gets me every time too. .

Floundering, so cute!!

Wow!

This is the most exciting thing to happen on mn for aaaages :)

Congratulations hound!

I took our lab out every few hours just for a quick toilet trip - I left the door open to where the puppies were so she could hear them and she seemed happy enough for a few minutes out.

I remember having the most godawful sick bug when the puppies were about 5 weeks old and on puppy food - it took me a very long time to clear up as I kept having to run to the loo to be sick. The smell of spray bleach which I used at the time takes me right back there too, yuk!

Place marking for Pupdates!

Hound you sound to be doing amazing with her, can't wait to see photos of the pups!! Good luck when the time comes!!

Pointy puppies are the most adorable things ever.

Speaking of which (and contributing to keeping the placemarkers going until the pups arrive); DWhippet3 and siblings. He's the one with the big white blaze acting as a pillow for his upside down brother.

I got all excited expecting a pup arrival announcement.

Very glad to see a pup picture on thread. Even if its not the hounds pups.

Shamefully place marking!i dont know anything about dogs either, so will be lurkihf! Well done OP!!!

Update, but not a happy one unfortunately, she just totally & completely went for one of the cats, luckily only got her by the tail but was really going for it and if she'd got her by the neck I'd have a dead cat on my hands. I suffered collateral damage separating them.

So, I can't keep her, I obviously don't know her history, she has been very gentle so far but with children and other animals in the house I just can't take that chance.

She's gone to the vet's for the evening & I'm going to get on the phone to all the links people gave me to see if I can get her somewhere to go, hopefully we'll find her somewhere nice and calm she can whelp in peace.

The cat seems fine by the way, much fur flew but thankfully I think it was dignity rather than flesh that was hurt. Trying to get them apart was not fun and I'm pretty shaken up.

So sorry puppy watchers, I'm hoping I can give you a better update tomorrow.

Oh no :(

Although I think the vets is the best place for her tbh

As lovely as a live birth thread would have been thinking about it no one has any idea of her history or the dog she was mated with. If it was a big breed she could have trouble and need a c section. So it really is best she's at the vets where she can be observed.

She's probably in pain and exhausted so might explain the behaviour but you did the right thing. She'd have to be pts if she'd gone for the children.

You did a wonderful thing for her

Blimey, I'm not surprised you've had to move her on, it's not worth taking risks though. Good for you for trying though, and at least she's in a safe place now.

Oh poor you. And poor cat. Totally agree though. Someone without cats will want her and well done for taking her in and looking after her.

Well, I've got my fingers crossed for you all.

The 'snarly going for the cat' is pretty normal if her whelping time is coming soon- she has to be alone, and not have predators around who can eat her pups!

I hope everything works out for lovely Mabli!

I understand why you made the decision hounds, and you did very well fostering her for even that short while.

Oh I am sorry. Are you badly hurt?

Oh Lordy - that must have been scary for you! Glad your cat's OK.

What a shock! I hope you are okay Hound. Do you need medical help? Is the cat recovered now? How are the children with her cat attack and then removal?

It was actually the cat that damaged me rather than the dog! I think it mistook my leg for the dog in the commotion and has carved quite a chunk out of it.

Have just spoken to the lovely Spicybear on the phone, Hounds Rescue will be able to take Mabli on & are currently phoning around to find somewhere for her so she'll be moving on from the vet's to a new (cat free!) home in the morning.

Which is great news & I'm hoping we'll be able to rehome one of her pups in the New Year. So happy ending I think.

Thanks so much for all you advice and help & here's to a happy future for Mabs.

trying to imagine how I'd have reacted if a cat had gotten too near as I was going into labour...

Very wise move.

Bet you miss her already.

Oh no, this thread has made me cry AGAIN!

A wise decision OP. You have done a lot for that girl. Doggie karma will smile on you!

Good luck Mabli x

Oh no poor thing . Given how she turned up with no chip or collar I'd bet she's been used as a working lurcher - they are not fond of cats! Hope she finds a lovely home

Unfortunately for the cat he was just lurking under the kitchen table minding his own, I heard a bit a growl & all hell broke loose.

Spicy who works with Lurcher rescue said that lots of strays that are found have been worked so have a very strong prey instinct and can't be in houses with cats, so it could be that coupled with her impending labour that triggered it. Anyway, I don't blame her for it, big cat is fine (though I am completely persona non grata with him atm, a tin of tuna should bring him round), Mabli is going to a lovely new home & my leg probably won't fall off.

to everyone who helped with advice & contacts.

Oh dear, poor you & Mabli, you've really been through it!

I hope you are ok Hound . That must have been very stressful . You have done the right thing for your family and Mabli .

You set the road ahead for this dog to be cared for and whelp in peace ....and find a new loving home . Bless you .

Imagining the weather recently and being outside and not fed .....you made a huge difference to the outcome for Mabli and her puppies .
Hope your wee cat is ok x