Eisa’s Story: From Heartbreak to Hope
It’s been just over a week since our girl Eisa started whelping, and what a journey it has been.
At first, everything was going exactly by the book. Her contractions began right on time, her vulva had dilated, and we were waiting eagerly for the arrival of her two pups. But as the minutes ticked by, we realised something wasn’t right. Instead of a smooth delivery, we noticed a little tongue — and our hearts sank.
We wasted no time and rushed Eisa to the out-of-hours vet. It was there that our fears were confirmed. Sadly, the first pup had not survived and needed to be removed. The vet checked Eisa over and, in that moment of sadness, gave us a glimmer of hope: there was still a heartbeat. To save the second pup, Eisa would need an emergency C-section.
Leaving her at the surgery was one of the hardest things we’ve had to do. We headed home, making endless cups of tea, trying to calm our nerves and silence the dread of what could happen. Praise be to God, those fears never came true.
Late that night, the phone finally rang — and it was the call we had been praying for. The operation had gone well. Eisa was safe. And so was her surviving pup. Relief doesn’t even begin to describe what we felt in that moment.
Around 11pm, we drove back to collect them. To our amazement, Eisa trotted out to us as if nothing had happened — tail wagging, full of life, perhaps a little too enthusiastic for a dog with fresh stitches. Then came the moment we met our new little warrior. A not-so-little pup we named Viggo — a Scandinavian name meaning strength and determination.
At a whopping 340g, the vet joked he looked far too big to be a cocker spaniel pup and asked if his father really was a cocker! (For the record — yes, he is. His sire is FTCh Smallbrookes Sky, aka Junior.)
The vet also warned us that, because Eisa hadn’t naturally delivered Viggo, she might not accept him straight away. Waking from surgery to suddenly find a pup beside her could cause confusion. But nature had other plans. The moment we placed them together, instinct kicked in. Viggo latched on straight away, and Eisa embraced him as though she had birthed him herself. It was a powerful reminder of how extraordinary maternal instinct really is.
Now, just a week later, both mum and pup are thriving. Eisa has been the perfect mother — feeding, cleaning, and protecting her boy without hesitation. All we’ve needed to do is keep her fed, let her out for toileting, and keep their bedding fresh.
Of course, we still feel the sadness of losing one pup, and our hearts ache for the life that never got its chance. But we are also deeply grateful — for the skill of the vet, for the strength of Eisa, for the determination of little Viggo, and above all, for God’s mercy in bringing them both through safely.
This has been a week of heartbreak, hope, and miracles. And as we watch Viggo grow stronger each day, we are reminded how precious and fragile life really is.
✨ We’ll be sharing updates as Viggo grows — follow along to see his journey of strength, determination, and (no doubt) plenty of mischief!