Cecilia Lanton-Bunkergot had a Dalмatian named Miley who was pregnant with puppies. She and her husband were thrilled to welcome some new furry members to their family. The veterinarian initially estimated that Miley would have three puppies, but her belly seemed larger than that. In the end, Miley’s litter turned out to be much bigger than anticipated.
Let’s not be too harsh on the veterinarian, as becoming a DVM requires extensive training. It involves obtaining a four-year undergraduate degree, followed by four more years of veterinary school and a residency. These professionals are highly skilled and trained. Therefore, it’s possible that the veterinarian might have been using faulty equipment, or perhaps they didn’t specialize in prenatal care. Regardless of the situation, Miley and her breeders were in for a surprise when she gave birth to 18 puppies instead of the predicted three. #Whoops.
The litter size of this dog is not only impressive with a whopping 18 puppies, but it has also broken the world record for the largest dog litter ever documented. Typically, a Dalmatian would have an average litter of 8 to 10 puppies, and a first-time pregnancy would produce even fewer. Despite the challenges of caring for such a large family, the proud mama dog seems content and happy. All the effort put into raising these puppies is undoubtedly worthwhile when you see how satisfied she looks.
Here’s a fun fact about Miley and her adorable puppies – they have often been compared to the beloved dogs from the Disney movie, 101 Dalmatians. The breeder estimated that Miley, based on her size during pregnancy, would have around 15 or 16 puppies, just like Pongo and Perdita in the movie. However, Miley and Astro exceeded that estimate by quite a bit! It took a grueling 13 hours of labor for all 18 puppies to be delivered safely. With 12 females and 6 males, the brothers are outnumbered two to one. It will be interesting to see how this gender imbalance affects their puppyhood. To help with the care of so many little ones, Cecilia and her husband are lending a hand, providing a steady supply of warm milk for the newborns.
The dog breeders have come up with a clever solution to keep track of the numerous pups – they have placed temporary dyed dots on their necks. However, this is just a temporary measure until they can be fitted with proper collars. It’s worth noting that Miley, the proud mother of the litter, has set a new record for the largest litter in Australian history, according to the Australian National Kennel Club. This is an impressive achievement considering there are over 40,000 Dalmatians in the country.