Forward to Thurs night about midnight hubby gets up to go to the bathroom and bathroom floor was wet. Lapis was panting  and in labor so I went out into the living room and put down my puppy pads on the couch and we both settled in while I read. Welping box was not yet set up. 3:15 out slides
a pretty dark red tri female that was tiny. I waited to see if we would have more but no such luck. Little girl was 5.5 oz and really struggling to stay warm. The spots where the white trim was at was sparsely covered in hair but was mostly bright red or purple in color.  

     She was not that early in terms of gestational age but due to poor placental attachement or something she was premature in developement.   Normal size aussie puppies range from 10 oz- to a pound and she was half that.  In addition she had little to no rooting or sucking reflex so I  could not get her to nurse on her own and even with assistance  she only nursed a brief minute or so.  The first day I could not get her warm, she was having a real problem regulating temperature.  I Got the welping box set up, a heater on in the laundry room and
finally got her warm  late that night.  I hand milked mom and fed her colostrum by syringe and started homeopathic fading puppy drops.

I headed into town for my mom to do some energy work on her (t-touch and reiki). By the time I got there she was limp and barely responsive. Started her once again on the fading puppy drops a homeopathic mixture every 30 minutes and called the vet.  Unfortunately she would not be able to take her for 3 hours.
Once again the friend that supplies the tube feeding supplies came through for me.  I took her to her house and started her on sub cutaneous fluids.   She took in about 15 cc during the next two hours absorbing 3 cc every 15 minutes.  I was definately dealing with dehydration.  I stopped any attempt to feed her to give that bloated uncomfortable tummy a rest.  I also gave her benebac (a beneficial bacteria mixture for the
gut) dissolved in a little water by syringe every 30 minutes.
She was more content, less agitated,  and stronger by the time we got to the vet.

Vet's major concern was the  necrosis starting around the umbilical site and extending in a knot into the abdomen.  We had an umbilical infection setting in.  She would normally have done a local and excised out the necrosis but she was to weak for that.  I was told if the infection went deeper and entered the peritoneum there was  nothing more we could do for her. 

    We were both concerned that she probably had not gotten enough colostrum in those first 12 hours and was so
cool for the first 24 hours that she may not have absorbed anything that I had given.   This compromises their developing immune systen and does not give her any defense to fight off infection.  The vet drew a few CC's of blood from Lapis and spun it down and gave Ruby a transfusion of the
plasma. This should help with the antibody issue and help her fight off the infection. We also started her on antibiotics.
 I fed her for the first time in about 7 hours.  I also made a compress with fresh aloe held onto the umbilical site with wt wrap.   Aloe is a great drawing agent and I hoped to draw the infection out to the outside instead of continuing inward. Placed her back in her little box I  heated  with hot water bottles and a heated rice bag. She was sleeping well in the box and was content.  Lapis however was not thrilled with continueing to be separtated from her baby. 

     I continued with the every two hour feedings and at 2 am she woke up hungry, rooting around and noisy. Got a combined feeding of nursing (yay even if only for 5-10 minutes) and tubing. Two hours later she was snoozing comfortably but I woke her up to give some benebac dissolved in LRS by dropper and tried to have her nurse and bottle feed.  I was not very successful but a little from both. I took her body wrap off and put triple antibiotic ointment on belly.  Put her to bed after giving her 5 mls LRS sub Q.  The rest of the night I continued the alternating process of tubing, and sub Q fluids and aloe compress and triple antibiotic ointment every two hours.
Day 5 This morning tummy is a normal color although still bloated, the smell is greatly decreased, and Ruby is a quiet content puppy doing her little puppy twitches while sleeping. Her weight is up to 215 grams from 170 grams yesterday. Cautiously optimistic for a turn for the better. Mid day I got poo lots of poo when cleaning her up under some warm running
water. I was never so glad to see it.   That means the digestive system is now working and bloated belly is now down almost to normal. Quiet happy pup. No screaming just some minor talking.   She is starting to look like a normal puppy with a well rounded out appearance and not able to see  every
bone.  I  have decided that I am not going to dock her tail or cut off her dewclaws.  I do not want to stress her right now and we are getting too late in the game.  

Still a very intense day of every two hour  assisted nursing/feedings.  I continued with the sub Q fluids and the tube feedings every 4 hours.  8:00 that night I finally have sucess with her finding the nipple on her own and latching on.

Day 6 starting to see more progress.  She is at 220 grams in the morning so not much of a weight gain but is visibly stronger and nursing more vigorously and for longer periods of time.  I cut back the Sub Q fluids to just a few times and stop tube feeding for the most part.  Still assisting every two hours with nursing.  I am weighing before and after each nursing session to evaluate her actual intake.  A gain of 1 gram is roughly equivalent to 1ml.  She needs to take in 1 ml for every oz she weights every 2-3 hours.  Every four hours I offer a bottle to top her off.  Nursing is hard work and she can get more from the bottle than from Lapis easier.  I decide to get pictures.   I can't wait until one week.   

Day 8 she is doing great.  I got a full nights sleep and all is right in the world.  I get some lovely mom and baby pictures of them together on the bed.