Miley, a pregnant Dalmatian mother, is ready to give birth to three bouncing puppies, at least according to her veterinarian in Ballarat, Australia. Imagine the surprise of her guardian and vet when instead of triplets, Miley gives birth to six times that amount – 18 total!
Her guardian, Cecilia Langton-Bunkergot, had a suspicion that Miley and her beau, Astor, may be expecting more than three since Miley’s belly was massive heading into labor, but the vet’s scans showed only three identifiable puppies in her womb. Either the vet needs to fix his scanning machine or perhaps he needs a new pair of glasses!
The 12 girls and six boys delivered successfully after 13 hours of Mom’s labor, and all are happy and healthy. Because there are so many that need to nurse, Miley can’t handle the load, so Cecilia and her husband are on round-the-clock nursing duty with a constant supply of warm milk. The puppies are temporarily dyed a different color on their necks to help identify each of them until their collars arrive.
The 18 puppies have set an Australian record and tied the world record for most Dalmatian puppies born in one litter. And while Perdita and Pongo had 15 Dalmatian puppies in the Disney classic 101 Dalmatians, Miley’s bountiful brood shows that truth IS stranger than fiction!
Are you a new and expectant dog grandmother? Read our guide to dog birth and newborn pups.
