Just plain UGLY

Ok, so Molly's umm.....nipples (my mother is wincing right now) are pretty ugly. They started getting these little dark spots on them, kind of like big freckles. Then they started getting bigger. On one of them, there aren't any freckles but instead a big black ring right around the nipple (like a black bull's-eye with pink nipple in the middle). They've kind of looked odd since the very beginning of whelping and at about 1 week, I had the vet look at them and she started her on Orbax (antibiotic) for 10 days. She wouldn't call it mastitis but they were certainly not healthy looking. I mean, she didn't really fit the profile for mastitis- no fever, no lethargy, still eating well and the puppies were gaining weight. But again, they didn't look quite healthy. Well, she finished her antibiotics 4 days ago and it was time for the puppies to be dewormed anyway. So, off to the vet we went- where they now know us by name :-) The bottom line....just bruising. It even looks like the blackness is spreading (kind of like spider veins) but we've decided not to be concerned. It has been my suspicion all along that it was just bruising/blood flow/hickies. But, now I have some peace of mind. Whew!

Like I said, the puppies got dewormed today. They are 3 weeks 1 day old today. Recommended first deworming is between 2-3 weeks. Since Molly had been on antibiotics lately, I waited until 3 weeks because the poor puppies bellies were obviously upset (evidenced by mild diarrhea) and I didn't want to add insult to injury. Dr. Burdette also said they they looked great and their hearts sounded good. :-) Yeay!

Everyone at the vet's office goes crazy when we come in. Now that they are older, everyone wants to hold them and love on them. I have no problem with it. They more socialized, the better! They also keep asking what my plans for selling them are. I so hate thinking about that day! But it is a must. I was encouraged to list them now because Christmas is coming and the people who are planners (and possibly a little bit more responsible pet owners) are looking now. Oh boy. So, I guess I need to place my add this Sunday and touch base with people who have expressed interest already. I can't believe it's time to plan their departure already!!!

Yesterday everyone got a toy of their own. They are so curious! They love the little stuffed animals and have started chewing on things already. They also got an introduction to milk in a saucer yesterday. Purple and white showed the most initiative (the fat ones....go figure). They would suckle the edge of the plate and also suckle and lick it off my finger. They definitely have the licking action down, they just need to get more comfortable with it. Purple walked over to the dish and did take a lick or two but that was about it. Then she proceeded to take a little bath in it. Her whole left side was nice and sticky. lol. She got a little sponge bath after that. Blue had some milk on his face a purple was nice enough to clean that up for him. Too cute!

See the milk experiment in the new video. Pics of puppies with toys also posted.