There is no better feeling in the whole world than adopting a pup in need of help.
Walking inside a shelter, seeing all those adorable faces, and taking one home so that they could live the best life possible by your side is truly incredible.
And, that’s exactly what Haley Houghmaster decided to do.
After looking at the pups in her local shelter in Memphis, she absolutely fell in love with a sweet Australian Shepherd/border collie mix named Salem. Since she was only looking to adopt one pup, she signed all the paperwork and took the dog home.
But, what she didn’t realize was that another puppy was hiding close by.
The Cutest Surprise
After giving her some time to adjust to her new surroundings, Houghmaster took Salem to all the necessary vet appointments…one of them being a spray appointment.
After the vets put her under anesthesia and made the initial incision, they found out something that absolutely shocked them – Salem was heavily pregnant.
“Found out at spay appt [appointment] that my new rescue dog is pregnant with one puppy,” she wrote on a Reddit post.
The vets informed Houghmaster of the situation and asked her if she wanted to abort. Knowing the risks that the procedure had on Salem’s wellbeing, and the fact that it was only one puppy, she chose to keep it.
“We are very excited and praying for a healthy puppy and an uneventful delivery,” Houghmaster said in an interview.
Just a week after finding out this adorable news, Salem gave birth to the cutest little puppy ever.
Ever since, the owners have been taking good care of the little family, providing them with everything they could ever need from a warm home and yummy food to all the love they could ever dream for.
Single-Puppy Pregnancy
Single-puppy pregnancy, also known as singleton pregnancy, is an instance where a dog becomes pregnant with only one puppy.
Even though this is quite uncommon, it is not impossible. There are several causes of singleton pregnancy, including low ovulation count…the instance where the dog may have released only one viable eff during her heat cycle.
Another cause can be if the pup deals with fertilization issues or has a certain genetic condition.
There are also risks that need to be taken into consideration.
These risks include dystocia, the single puppy growing too large for natural delivery, and delayed labor due to insufficient hormonal triggers. Additionally, the lack of littermates may affect the puppy’s social development, requiring early intervention and socialization from the owners.
So, while singleton pregnancy can be quite simple, there are some facts you need to take into consideration if you find yourself in this position.
Overall, the best plan of action will always be to consult your vet!