A pile of pudgy puppies are without a doubt one of the best gifts that nature can ever give to us. But, don’t tell that to a Great Dane named Cleo, who had to be rushed to an animal hospital in Kingman, Arizona when it was time for her to give birth to more puppies than she bargained for!
The glowing mama was very pregnant and very ready to “let the dogs out” when she arrived at the Kingman Animal Hospital for emergency C-section surgery. With a huge litter of squirmy pups all clamoring for a chance to come out and play, the overwhelmed pooch was more than happy to let the doggy doc give her a helping hand!
Facebook/Kingman Animal Hospital
Litter sizes can vary depending on the breed, but the normal number for a Great Dane is around 8 to 10 pups. However, it’s not entirely unusual for this breed to sometimes have a litter of pudgy furballs that number in the high teens. What is unusual is for a doggy mama of any breed to undergo a C-section. But, that’s exactly what Cleo needed to have in order to give all her babies a fighting chance!
Thankfully, all hands were on deck at the Kingman Animal hospital, where staff members helped deliver 19 adorable puppies just in the nick of time. Great Danes are known to be strong, powerful dogs, but Cleo was more than happy to lay down, unwind, and let everyone else do all the work while she took a nap.
Facebook/Kingman Animal Hospital
The surgeon, Dr. Erika Angone, and a team of 7 technicians were there to ensure a smooth delivery. Some of Cleo’s human family members were there to assist as well. After the puppies were taken out, techs made sure they were all cleaned off and rubbed dry, just like mama would have done had she been awake.
Unfortunately, some naysayers commented on the staff’s handling of the delivery. So, the hospital made it very clear on their Facebook page that the photos depicted were not taken in actual surgery room, which was sterile.
“For the record: None of these photos were taken in the surgical room. These are not photos of the procedure but before and after pics. This is in our treatment area where we were checking puppies afterwards for any issues. These puppies do not belong to KAH or any of the staff.”
Most folks were quick to congratulate both the mama dog and the hard-working staff that came in that day to help with the emergency C-section.
Facebook/Kingman Animal Hospital
Although it was probably a little bit harrowing for everyone involved, especially Cleo, the delivery went off without a hitch! Mama and all 19 of her newborns are in good health.
“The staff of KAH (11 of us) successfully delivered 19 Great Dane puppies this morning by C Section! All live and healthy! Mom doing great!”
Although “19 Great Danes” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it as 101 Dalmations, they’re still cute enough to wag our tails over. The next time you need your spirits lifted, remember to take a look at this big pile of puppies to bring you a sweet moment of joy!
