The unnamed owners have been on a real rollercoaster ride with the furry member of their family. It all started when their pooch, a 13-year-old senior female dog, went missing a few months ago.
The pair were terrified. Their sweet old girl wasn't cut out for a life in the streets. She'd lost one of her legs in an accident years ago, and her humans didn't think she'd last long out on her own.
Related video:
Lost dog comes home
Thankfully, she was found and returned home just a few days later. And she seemed absolutely fine.
But a few months later, she developed a huge swelling in her abdomen. And it seemed to appear almost overnight. Again, her owners panicked. Fearing the worst, they took the old dog to the vet, who sent it for x-rays and scans.
The owners sat anxiously in the waiting room, certain that the vet would return with some terrible news. They were preparing themselves to make that awful decision every dog owner dreads.
If this old dog was as sick as her humans thought she was, then surely the only humane option would be to put her to sleep?
But they didn't lose this dog. Instead, they ended up with an extra pup to look after! And that's because this 13-year-old dog was going to be a momma - and for the very first time.
A miracle birth
She'd obviously met a special 'friend' while out on her adventures!
Momma dog was kept in the doggy hospital for a few days, so medical staff could supervise the birth. The vet shared the story on the "I Love Veterinary Medicine" Facebook page, writing that "mother and babies" are doing well.
This was a real miracle birth. Female dogs typically experience a decline in fertility after the age of 5-6 years. By the age of 10-12 years, they have usually reached the end of their reproductive life.
