The vet delivered a sobering reality check: because Rio had spent the majority of her pregnancy starving on the streets, her body lacked the vital reserves needed to deliver a litter this size safely. Without round-the-clock intervention and intense care, neither the mother nor her unborn pups would survive the impending delivery. Louise and Claire immediately sprang into action, turning their living room into a makeshift canine intensive care unit.
For the next few weeks, they fed Rio specialized nutrients and monitored her constantly, but the dog remained incredibly weak, barely able to lift her head. Louise gathered an emergency whelping toolkit: medical gloves, heating pads, and nine different colored collars to track the puppies in order of birth. The vet warned them to remain vigilant, as Rio would likely be too exhausted to complete the labor on her own. Exactly 63 days after her estimated conception, Rio went into labor—and disaster struck instantly.