When standing on their hind legs, Great Danes are taller than people! With that in mind, some Great Danes take the "gentle giant" characterization to a whole new level. One lucky momma Great Dane delivered a whopping 19 healthy puppies in Arizona. If 19 sounds like a lot, that's because it is. Even when you consider the size of the regal Great Dane.
BreedingBusiness.com tells us,
"The average litter size in Great Danes is eight puppies with litters of ten puppies not that uncommon. Litters of eight or more puppies necessitate surgical delivery more often than smaller litters."
Another fun fact? According to the Guinness World Record, back in 2004, the largest litter of puppies was 24, all of whom were born to Tia, a Neopolitan Mastiff. Clearly, Cleo, this Great Dane was close to breaking this record!
At Kingman Animal Hospital (KAH) in Kingman, Arizona, a Facebook post enthusiastically announced the delivery of these 19 puppies. Kingman staff told Wide Open Pets,
It was a great morning at Kingman Animal Hospital. 7 technicians and family members all came together to help this mother great dane deliver 19 pups via c-section! "They just kept coming and we totally lost count!" Super exciting day for all of us at the hospital.
All of the puppies appear to be happy and healthy!
Fox10Phoenix.com reported on the details of the story, saying,
"Dr. Erika Angone was the surgeon along with a team of seven technicians plus some family that came to assist with the delivery by C Section. KAH says the mother, Cleo, and her puppies are in good health as the delivery went off without a hitch."
Proud mama Cleo is also said to be doing great and enjoying much needed (and well-deserved) rest.
The staff on Facebook clarified that these photos were taken before and after the procedure.
"For the record: None of these photos were taken in the surgical room. These are not photos of the procedure but before and after pics. This is in our treatment area where we were checking puppies afterward for any issues."
We also want to give a shout out to the staff members, Certified Vet Technicians, and staff of KAH that helped during the special delivery. Nice job all, that was one large litter! The Great Dane is known to have a sweet nature and to be a wonderful breed of dog. It's wonderful to know that the 19 puppies are in excellent health.
This Arizona news story about a beloved Great Dane touched all of our hearts here at Wide Open Pets.
What's the largest litter you're aware of? Let us know in the comments!
This post was originally published on February 26, 2019.
