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 Puppies arrived September 12, 2002!
** 3 boys, 2 girls **
All have been placed with
wonderful new owners.

No upcoming litters are planned.
Visit the
Central Wisconsin Vizsla Club
Breeder Referral Web Page

for other area Vizsla Breeders.

Neela-Sport Breeding Diary
Pregnancy Photos
Weekly Puppy Photos

Rusticu and Encounter Vizslas proudly
announce a breeding between
Neela and Sport.


BISS CH Szikra Sport'n Sensation JH ROM
April 2, 1994 - November 7, 2007
Click here for Sport's pedigree.

Surgical A-I Performed:  July 16, 2002
Puppies Whelped:  September 12, 2002
Puppies Placed:   mid-November

Pedigree strengths:
Performance
Temperament Health Beauty

Click here to read about Neela's two prior
unsuccessful breeding attempts.

Thanks to Neela's reproductive vet, Dr. Amy Spaeth DVM of Jackson Pet Hospital (formerly Jackson Area Pet Hospital), who has been informative, patient, thorough and even came in one Saturday morning at 7am for Neela's progesterone test so I could attend the VCOI Specialty!

 

 

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Neela Pregnancy Photos (2002)


Before Bred - July 1


Week 6 - August 25


Week 7 - September 1


Week 8 - September 8


1 Week After Puppies - September 21

The above photos were taken in different locations at different times of the day under different
lighting conditions so her coat color appears to have changed more than it really has.

See Weekly Puppy Photos

Neela-Sport Breeding Diary
Most recent first - click here to go to the oldest entry at the end.
This is not meant to replace communicating with me directly, but rather to share our progress of events so you do not have to wait for me to EMail you back. 
October 7, 2002 - Decibels
Now that they learned they can make noises, they've turned into little sound machines - growling, whining, barking.  They are definitely vying for position - Raggedy Ann is the apparent leader at the moment.  They are mostly pottying on the third of the whelping box with newspapers.  And they are playing a little with each other, with us and with toys. We'll start them on some rice cereal with goat's milk in the next day or two.  They're getting cuter and more work!
October 3, 2002 - Ouch!
They have teeth!  Their sharp little canines are poking through their gums.  Poor Neela, now it starts to hurt a little.
September 26, 2002 - No more stitches
Neela's stitches were removed today - she again sat perfectly still for the whole thing without being restrained.  The stitches were so perfect, I wish I had photographed them.  She healed really well and very fast.  Tonight I walked in to find Pippi tooling around the whelping box on all fours - so she gets the prize for the first and fastest.  All eyes are open - they all look like real little dogs now.
September 25, 2002 - Peek-a-Boo
The puppies' eyes are supposed to start opening in a few days, but I saw a little bit of Howdy's eyes peeking out today, so it shouldn't be long now for them all.
September 24, 2002 - Up and At 'Em
The puppies are supposed to start trying to walk in a few days, but I walked in to check on the puppies and saw Raggedy Ann standing on all fours while going "number 2" and then she walked a few steps away from it.  Isn't that so cute!?!
September 18, 2002 - Ummmmm
Everything is going so well, I don't really have any update.  Neela is a great mom - licking, nursing, sleeping with them.  They are really her babies now.  They're hilarious - squawk over nothing.  Rob and I can just sit there and watch them for hours.  I keep their little nails clipped so they don't hurt Neela's incision nor irritate her skin when nursing. They've almost doubled their birth weight already.  Tomorrow is the first time Neela will be alone with them for a few hours WITHOUT us being in the house.
September 17, 2002 - Whelpwise Case Study
Neela is featured as the second Case Study on the Whelpwise web site - our experience along with a few photos is posted.  In the photo of me using the Doppler I had a zit on my cheek near my ear but with Jasc PaintShop Pro, abbra cadabra, it is gone!!!
September 15, 2002 - New Weekly Photos Web Page, Sore Butt
OK, I'm not complaining because Neela is probably more sore than I, but I have a sore butt from sitting on the floor in the whelping box so much.  But now Neela doesn't want to come out of the whelping box and is doing most everything on her own and stayed with them all night.  I will be posting future puppy photos on the new puppy photos page complete with images of each fictional redhead used.
September 14, 2002 - Dew Claws and Tail Docking; Litter Theme Announced
Jackson Area Pet Hospital - they were given little baby stitches for each procedure so scars will be minimal.  Litter Theme picked:  Famous Fictional Redheads (see photo above for names).  Last night for the first time Neela stayed in the whelping box with the puppies after middle-of-the-night feedings instead of coming back into bed with me.
September 13, 2002 - Puppies Day 1
I was up most of the night helping with periodic feedings.  Neela's milk is coming in more and the big lumps on her back from the hydrating IVs almost absorbed.  I bottle fed one meal with goats milk to give Neela a break.  Though she let them nurse, she seemed scared of the puppies so I dribbled goats milk on their back and all of a sudden she forgot they were scary because she was so intent on licking them off.  Now she licks them on her own.  Let the bonding begin!
September 12, 2002 - DUE DATE - 3 boys, 2 girls!!!
C-section was performed a little after 4pm.  We're home and exhausted, physically and emotionally. Jackson Area Pet Hospital was amazing - we had a large team of experienced help and they were unbelievable.  Even so, it is hard to see your dog be put through a C-section.  Neela is still recovering from the procedure, but does let the puppies nurse once coaxed to lay down which is the most important thing at this point though her milk is not all the way in yet.  She didn't have the experience of helping clean them as they were born so it will take a little time for her to get adjusted.  Well, we have a long night ahead...
September 10, 2002 - Whelpwise Day 3
She had 3 contractions in the morning session, so the virtual midwife at Whelpwise suggested an afternoon session also (down to 2 contractions so steady).  My boss graciously allowed me to work from home in the afternoon.  While recording, I was on a conference call and guess what happened?  I could actually see and feel puppies moving around!  It was amazing!  They were active little things and Neela didn't seem to notice or mind all the activity.  What a good girl!
September 9, 2002 - Whelpwise Day 2
We did 2 one-hour uterine monitoring sessions, 7am & 8pm.  Each showed 2 contractions, normal for this point in time.  I also got up the nerve to try the handheld doppler to detect puppy heartbeats.  Though I wasn't able to first locate them by using my hand to palpate (I probably am not pressing hard enough), I was able to move the unit around and detected 5 heartbeats (2 on one side, 3 on the other).  All are within the normal heartbeat range (170-240).
September 8, 2002 - Coat, Whelpwise Day 1
Neela is blowing her coat - I am brushing out masses of hair.  Taking the new photo above was nearly impossible due to the horrific hordes of mosquitoes in our yard.  We set up the Whelpwise equipment and watched the video.  We had to shave Neela's hair behind the ribcage up her sides.
September 6-7, 2002 - WAG'n Tales, Moving, Zoe's Biopsy
See Zoe's biopsy results posted below (September 3).  Completed WAG'n Tales - 12 pages (6 sheets) - I folded them in my car on the way to my hair appointment in Beaver Dam then labeled & sealed them in bed on 9/5, dropped them off at WAG on my way to work in Hoffman Estates on 9/6 - DONE!  I helped my sister Sarah move from her house to an apartment an hour away (Chicago area) on 9/7 in 90-degree heat in jeans since I didn't bring any shorts!  We made three trips so loaded & unloaded our pickup & her CR-V 3 times.  I got gas for $1.33 (cheap for this area) in Huntley!  Rob made the whelping box - will make the pig rail tomorrow.
September 3, 2002 - Neela's X-Ray @ Jackson Area Pet Hospital
Yes, the results are in!  It was a little early to do the X-ray so it was a little more difficult to see the spines and skulls than usual, but the vet counted 5-6 puppies!  Now that I have actually seen this for myself, I finally believe it and need to start ordering all our puppy stuff ASAP.  I am still in shock.  On all accounts, Neela was expected to have a very small litter (if any at all), but has overcome the following:  first litter at 6 years old, two missed breedings, a mycoplasma infection, an alpha-h<something> infection which she was on antibiotics for at the time she was bred, a cystic uterus discovered during the surgical A-I.  I think Sport must have added a little bit of magic to his Special Delivery from Virginia.
September 3, 2002 - Zoe's Surgery to remove Mast Cell Tumor
Zoe is home and resting peacefully.  Buffy Coat blood test showed NO mast cells.  Biopsy Results:  Grade 2, appears completely excised, was a multi-centric tumor - good thing it was removed.  Stitches to be removed September 16.
August 28, 2002 -  Quasi-Momma II
Just in case any of you were still planning on referring to me as "Grandma" and not "Quasi-Momma" as requested, I just bought a pair of low-rise, flare-leg Levis.  So there!
August 27, 2002 -  Neela's Ultrasound - CANCELLED
Since the X-Ray is just a week away, it doesn't make sense to do an Ultrasound too.
August 21, 2002 - Zoe's Appointment
OK, this is supposed to be Neela's diary, but I took Zoe to UW-Madison Vet Hospital.  The ultrasound showed her inner organs are tumor-free, her lymph nodes were so small they couldn't find them (good) but they did find a little mast cell tumor on her front leg by her elbow.  Very small but we'll have it excised ASAP.  Waiting for Buffy Coat (blood test) results.  UPDATE:  I was told on 8/23 Zoe's blood wasn't submitted in time so could not be done and so now we have to have the Buffy Coat done on September 3 instead.
August 19, 2002 - Signs of Pregnancy
Whelpwise reserved.  Will make an appointment for an ultrasound as soon as their computers are back up.  Neela is whiny, always ravenously hungry, now on puppy food (Innova & Wellness mix), losing her waistline and has puffier nipples than I've ever seen on her.  I took the 18-page (gasp!) CWVC newsletter in for copying after working on it Saturday (10+ hrs) and Sunday (8+ hrs).
August 16, 2002 - Quasi-Momma
Thanks for all of your support and well wishes!  I need to establish one little Standard Operating Procedure before we move on.  I am not to be known as "Grandmother", but rather as "Quasi-Momma" to these puppies.  In dog years Neela's about my age so this is more appropriate.  It has nothing to do with vanity.  OK, maybe just a little.
August 14, 2002 (Wednesday - Day 29 after insemination) - Pregnancy Test
Appointment for pregnancy test - and the result is POSITIVE!!!  Oh no, now what do I do???  Get the CWVC Aug 2002 newsletter completed, start the Sep 2002 WI-IL Agility newsletter and 2003 CWVC Vizsla calendar, reserve a WhelpWise monitor, build a whelping box, start reading and planning for puppies!
July 25, 2002 (Thursday) - Stitches Removed
Neela's stitches came out today and the vet said the incision is heeling (whoops, I meant healing!) well.  Neela licked at it a little, but she didn't pull out the stitches nor infect it.  She sat perfectly still for Dr. Spaeth without any treats.  What a good girl!
July 17, 2002 (Wednesday) - Neela's Recovery
Neela is much better.  She can walk up and down the stairs.  Since she likes fresh running water, I put the two upholstered footstools by the sink to make a gradual step up for her so she doesn't stretch her incision.  We took her for her morning walk with Zoe, but on leash so she can't run.  I drove home over my lunch break - Neela is doing fine and her stitches are still in tact and no sign of redness or swelling or blood.  Seems almost back to normal by evening.
NOTE:  Most of you know that I tend to be fairly organized.  Organized, schmorganized.  I have not been at all prepared for this as you can see.  Plus right now I am in the midst of two incredibly busy and stressful weeks at work - more so than any time in the past 2 years with weekly travel down to Hoffman Estates (2-hour commute each way).  Plus more, more, more:  Zoe's agility trial Aug 27-28, a CWVC Board meeting on Aug 27 (I got CWVC Treasurer stuff from Kim on Friday 7/19), the CWVC August newsletter (with the color cover), the Fun Day August 3 (I'm taking RSVPs and coordinating the Photo Contest for the 2003 Calendar), State Fair World of Dogs August 5 (I'm on the morning shift with just Zoe), my first trip ever to Las Vegas with my sister August 8-12, etc.  Not to mention the 7 leaded glass antique windows whose frames I'm staining & sealing and 60+ old cast iron curtain hardware pieces I sandblasted & primed in June and am now painting Flat Black and the side-by-side that needs refinishing.  I can't park in my garage because that's where the current projects in progress are located.  I have decided to not get in a tizzy over anything - just go with the flow.
July 16, 2002 (Tuesday) - Neela's Surgical Insemination
Tracking online at www.fedex.com, I see Sport's "Special Delivery" is in the Milwaukee area.  I dropped off Neela at 11am - the package beat us there.  We arrived to pick up Neela at 4pm and the vet talked with Rob and I for about 15 minutes first.  The semen was practically unaffected by the chilling - retained 95% motility, swimming strong and straight which is the best you can get.  Neela's uterus had a couple of cysts which could negatively impact her ability to conceive though the vet has seen uterus' with more cysts where the bitch conceived.  If Neela does not become pregnant, she is at a high risk to develop pyometra and recommends us having Neela spayed immediately.  Due to Neela's age of 6 and never having had a litter, she is also likely to need a C-section even if we decide to try a natural delivery, so we should consider scheduling a C-section.  Because of risk factors, the vet also recommends the use of WhelpWise (www.whelpwise.com) which monitors contractions, puppy heart rates, etc. for early notification of problems.  When we get Neela, she is still pretty groggy and cannot walk -  looks pathetic.  I felt HORRIBLE for having put her through this!  When we arrived home, we put her in her crate where she rested peacefully for a couple of hours.  She has a 2" incision on her belly with 7 "cross-stitch" stitches.  Except for walking a little funny (stiff in her rear), her vitals were normal - she eliminated and ate her half-portion of dinner and drank a little water.  Zoe knew something was up and was such a good girl to give Neela the space she needed.
July 15, 2002 (Monday) - Sport Collection & Shipment
I called the collecting vet's office to find out how it was going.  The repro vet was on vacation and they were unable to do any collections!  I ask if they were able to refer Sheila to another repro specialist and they said "yes".  Since I didn't have Sheila's work phone number nor she mine, I left my number on her home answering machine.  She called me later - she went to another repro specialist who she hadn't known about, they had a teaser bitch and got a large and highly motile sample ("750 million sperm swimming like crazy") - it is on its way via FedEx Overnight Priority.  Whew!  Sheila even liked the new vet a lot and may switch!   In the evening Rob and I took the mattress & box spring off the high antique frame and put them on the floor so Neela doesn't have to jump high to get into bed.
July 14, 2002 (Sunday) - Stud Selection
Due to an unforeseen potential complication, I had a last minute change in stud.  I called Sport's owner, Sheila, to request a collection, probably mid- to late-week.  I had previously EMailed her information about Neela and me when I was deciding on a stud.  Shortly after talking to Sheila who agreed to the breeding, Neela's vet called - she just received Neela's faxed progesterone results from Friday - needs to inseminate in 2 days (Tuesday)!!!  Called back Sheila who agreed to have Sport collected the following morning to be overnighted for Tuesday's surgical insemination.  We exchanged our vet's contact info.
June 29, 2002 (Saturday) - Neela's in Season
Neela comes into season - REALLY REALLY early!!!  We were dogsitting a one-year-old in tact male for our friends at the time.  They were due home the next day.  We kept them separated even though he didn't show any "special" interest in her yet.  I drove him home the next evening - we all had fun here but he was happy to see mom and dad and their newly fenced back yard!
June 2002 (early-mid) - Mycoplasma Test 2 Results
Neela is tested for Mycoplasma; result:  "None".  Can't decide whether to try one last breeding.  Decide that if I do, even though we still love Gaiter and know that his reproductive system is fine, I will use a different stud just to eliminate all variables.  My desire to make a positive contribution to the Vizsla gene pool spurs me on.  Since Neela is due to come into season in August or September, I decided to begin contacting stud dog owners in July.
February 2002 - Mycoplasma Test 1 Results
Test results of Neela's Mycoplasma test ($100) shows "Many".  This is most likely the cause of the unsuccessful breeding.  Thankfully Gaiter tests at "None".
January 2002 - Second try - Natural Breeding
Rob, Penny, Zoe and Neela travel to Connecticut for a natural breeding with Gaiter.  Have 2 successful ties, progesterone tests at 9.0 on the day of the second breeding which is good.  Get in some Connecticut sightseeing and shopping at wholesale catalog's outlet stores, one each on the way out (NY) and back (PA).
Note:  For two critical progesterone tests, the one that would tell us we needed to leave for CT and the one that would tell us if we could leave from CT for home, the lab's machines broke down and we were unable to get timely results causing us to guess on the course of action.
April 2001 - First try - A-I
Unsuccessful Vaginal Insemination (2 collections from Gaiter).  Semen was high motility and quantity both times.  Likely cause:  timing of the inseminations.

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