Australian dog gives birth to record number of puppies
It was all hands on deck at a Perth veterinary clinic to deliver 18 healthy puppies, believed to equal to the Australian record of pups born in a single litter.
Doberman mum Sassy gave birth to the big family on Monday at the West Coast Vet Hospital, via a caesarian section, which took about 90 minutes, according to the West Australian.
The arrival reportedly equalled the Australian record for the largest litter of puppies, last held by 18 dalmatians in Ballarat last year.
Veterinarian Aaron Raney led a team of 10 at West Coast Veterinary Clinic in the suburb of Forrestdale to help four-year-old Sassy welcome her pups into the world.
It took three vets, two vet students, two work experience people, two vet nurses and a receptionist to deliver the puppies.
Dr Raney said this was his largest litter in his eight years as a veterinarian.
“The breeder came in and told us his dog was going to have at least 16 puppies and are we prepared for it,” Dr Raney told the West Australian.
“I took it with a grain of salt and thought it might be 10 or 12, but they kept coming.
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"I stopped counting after about 12 because I was concentrating on getting them all out, but the squeaking was non-stop.”
He reported Sassy did well and the puppers were delivered safely despite some arriving distressed and requiring oxygen.
The world record of 24 pups from a single little is held by a neapolitan mastiff in the UK, in 2004, according to the Guinness World Records, however four died within their first week.
