Last night, at 2am, Spirit's last-born puppy faded away. No cry just simply failed. Spirit tried to get her moving, to revive her. This was hard on her as it was on me. I have photos but I see no point in posting. In going over this, she never truly latched on and it most likely was an attachment issue in utero. It happens. We have had a few over the years - not many but never one that refused to latch on. Perhaps not developed enough to make her debut. It tells me she was not meant to be.
I cried by myself last night terribly and Spirit had her grieving and then she wanted her out of the whelping box, the blanket gone and then for the 1st time she left her xpen relaxed. She ate. She went outside where before she wouldn't leave the xpen. She slept on her back vs feeling the need to keep the pups encircled.
I am crying as I type. This will pass, I suppose as it has for Spirit but not yet. She is focusing on the living which is gaining like crazy and doing really really well. I need to as well.
Nathan got the news this morning and was incredibly sad but I didn't post last night as he was the 1st I needed to tell and I was too raw so I napped from utter exhaustion emotionally and otherwise. Dennis will go on night duty tonight. The 3 pups are doing exceedingly well.