A DOG that gave birth to three puppies following a Caesarean section at the vets, amazed her owners when another two arrived when she got home.

Shocked owner Nigel Usher, of Lower Road, Hockley, was amazed after his two-year-old German shepherd, Zola, gave birth to the two extras, ten hours after the first pups arrived.

Nigel, 43, said he couldn’t believe the vet had missed the two puppies still waiting to be born.

Medivet, in Southend, has now launched an investigation into what went wrong, and told Mr Usher he does not have to pay for the operation.

He said: “At 4am Monday, Zola started to give birth to one pup. We rushed her into Medivet, in Southend, and she had an emergency Caesarean where she had three more pups.

“I called the vets at 10.30am, and asked how she was doing, and they said we had four pups. I asked if we lost any and they said no. Then lo and behold, at just gone 10pm, she gave birth to another one. I was totally shocked.

“I got up this morning and my wife said ‘we now have six’. Zola had had another one at 12.30am.

“How can a vet miss two pups? This is her first litter, and we are devastated something like this can happen.

“We took her to have an operation, thinking it was best for the pups and for the mother, and then of course, she ended up giving birth naturally.”

Charles Macdowell, spokesman for Medivet, said: “We at Medivet are glad to hear the puppies and their mother appear to have suffered no ill effects.

“The vet who performed the operation believes the dog may have unusually long ‘horns’ to her uterus where the two late puppies were hidden.

“The Caesarean was necessary as one puppy was blocking the birth canal. However, once it was removed there was nothing to prevent the two late puppies being born naturally.

“We have apologised to the owner. It is very rare puppies should be missed in this way, and a full investigation by one of Medivet’s senior partners from the head office will be taking place as soon as possible. We have decided not to charge the owner for the operation or the check-ups.”