17 puppies born by Cesarean section in Poland

Seventeen whimpering Great Dane puppies born by Cesarean section are keeping their mother, another dog and their breeder constantly busy trying to feed the unusually large litter.

The eight male and nine female pedigree puppies were born Monday at a veterinary clinic near Warsaw, after their breeder Gabriela Kubalska decided to spare the mother, 4-year-old Hania, a long labor.

They are Hania's very first litter, Kubalska said Thursday.

Hania, looking tired, her puppies and another female Great Dane helping to nurse the litter, occupy most of the ground floor at Kubalska's house in a Warsaw suburb. The tiny pups nursed and slept by their mother on Thursday.

A Rhodesian Ridgeback in Germany made headlines in September when she gave birth to 17 puppies.