Shelter dog in Tyler gives birth to 20 puppies in emergency C-section

by: Patrick Cunningham

Posted: Aug 1, 2019 / 06:53 PM EDT

Updated: Aug 1, 2019 / 06:53 PM EDT

TYLER, Texas (KETK) – A Tyler dog named Luna is recovering in foster care after giving birth to 20 puppies in an emergency C-section.

Smith County Animal Control picked up the pregnant Luna, a heeler/lab mix, on a county road in Winona on July 12 and awaited the arrival of her puppies.

Her labor started at 7:30 a.m., but, according to a press release from Smith County, did not progress well.

According to volunteer Lynn Marsh Harty, Luna was transferred to Kingdom Vet Clinic and the care of Dr. Roy Wilmeth because Smith County didn’t have the funds for an on-call veterinarian.

A dead puppy was removed from Luna’s birth canal and she then proceeded to give birth to two puppies on her own. However, she stopped after that.

At that point, the only two options left were C-section or euthanization.

Obviously, euthanizing was not an option for us or her.
Lynn Marsh Harty

Luna then succesfully gave birth to 18 puppies. She lost nearly 25 pounds for the ordeal.

Luna was moved into her foster home and volunteers are asking for donations due to the high expense of the operation.

The cost of the surgery was $1200 and animal rescue group Because4Paws is coordinating fundraising efforts to help cover the surgical costs and care of the puppies. Details are available on their website at www.because4paws.org.