ellz

What do you use to clean them? A good home remedy is 50/50 white vinegar and water. Or if the ears aren't inflamed, you could use 50/50 water and isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) but never use this if the ears are sore because it will hurt the dog. Put it into a sauce type squeeze bottle and squirt it gently into the ears. Massage well into the base, you should be able to hear and feel it "squelch" in the base of the ear. Wipe just inside the surface of the ear canal (DON'T DIG DEEP) and around the ear leather itself. Ideally you should do the "sniff test" on a daily basis and if you smell anything yeasty, the ears need cleaning.

What kind of dog is it? A couple of things occur to me. Firstly it could be a pain reaction if the dog is constipated or the bowel movements are hurting it's anus. Maybe look at diet. Secondly, if it is a breed with long hair around it's vent, there is the possibility that hair is entering the anus when it closes after elimination and tickling it. Perhaps check and see if you need to trim any stray hairs away from there (CAREFULLY).

Koda before pregnancy..... At 28 days..... At 34 days..... And just now....('scuse the floor, I groomed a Cocker this morning and hadn't finished cleaning up! ) I am still wondering if the vet's "guesstimation" of 5 - 6 might not be a couple off the count! At least these Stafford girls are proud to be pregnant!! No hiding their light behind a bushel, they let it all hang out, that's for sure!

I wouldn't think she could take much....it's mostly the nutrients and fluids that do the trick I think not so much the amount. Dehydration would be a far bigger risk than anything else at this stage and it's a catch 22 because it takes energy to feed but to get energy they have to feed.

To be honest, I'd not be giving her the milk. She'd get sufficient nutrients and nutrition from the beef broth. And definitely tube her!

I know Aziah, it just seems to be worse this year. Maybe it is the result of global warming or something uncontrollable like that? When I look at the bitches whelping early, or not conceiving or reabsorbing (as I'm still inclined to think Ali did) or having odd seasons, neonatal issues etc...it just seems more pronounced than normal.

Fingers crossed that you can pull the little ones through BB. So sorry about the ones you lost. It's so scary to see so many neonate problems this year.

Any double-coated dog which is kept mostly indoors will normally have a thinner coat than the equivalent kept outdoors. Some of this is because under "artificial conditions" (ie lights, heating etc) the dog will normally shed constantly whereas a strictly outdoors dog will have definite shedding periods, usually twice per year.

Crossing everything and sending lots and lots of white light as well!! Hang in there little bubba whippy!!

Hang in there Whipitgood.

It must be beef unfortunately.

Definitely DO NOT clip! You will remove the insulating properties of the double coat!

Large piece of Beef Liver, little bit of water, simmer slowly, about 5 minutes until the blood comes out. Let cool, drain the liquid and put just 4 drops (no matter the breed) into a dropper and give to puppy. At first you give it every 2 hours for 12 hours, then every 4 hours.

Get the beef tea recipe into her ASAP!!

So much easier with the smoothies! Even a maiden like Koda can't keep secrets!

Koda - 34 days

I have the Hedberg book and have obviously read it, but it isn't my bible. I actually prefer Everydog by Rowan/Blogg and recommend that one to my puppy people. I think I'm on about my third copy I've read it that much and worn the others out! ;) My little poppets are going great guns at the moment. Even little Kimmy has now regained her birth weight and a little bit extra so provided she doesn't get pneumonia from the fluid that is still in her lungs, she should be fine. I've been doing postural percussion on her and it certainly loosens it up so hopefully it will dry up soon. She certainly has no problems finding the boob now AND fending off her piggy big sister. And BOY OH BOY is she cute!!!!!!!

I'd say a pain response. As suggested, the other reason is a "flehmen response", which is a scenting behaviour.

That's really interesting (I mean it). I've NEVER noticed a co-relation between milk production and whelping, except that most of my bitches do have some kind of milk production going prior to whelping. I think what struck me particularly about Vanni was the fact that she is my first maiden in a VERY long time to have full milk prior to labour. Most of my maidens tend not to have a lot....some but just not a "full bag" before whelping. I did read in Karen Hedberg's book that when there is milk production easily in the top (small) nipples to expect labour within 24 hours and I freaked at the time because that would have meant puppies 3 weeks early! :rofl:

Is that usually a sign in your breed? I only ask because I've never found it to be reliable. In fact, Vanni had milk in ALL nipples about 3 weeks ago.

I'm so thrilled you got what you wanted! Once I'd gotten over the shock of the circumstances of my litter actually happening, I kept telling Vanni that if she would just have a little girl for me, all would be forgiven! Well, Rimes was obviously keen on forgiveness too cos he gave me TWO little girls! Kimmy still isn't out of the woods yet, but she's finding the boob a lot better than she was earlier so fingers crossed she makes it through tonight. Every day is a gift at this stage!

Well done Now comes the fun part for us both! :nahnah: The time-wasting!

Talking apples and oranges here Poodle wrangler. A slicker brush doesn't do what the Coat King (or furminator) does.

Well, Vanni's birth story was easy. She nested and she strained hard to expel puppy number one for an hour. No panting whatsoever. Screamed like a banshee when the puppy finally crowned. She then settled down, cleaned herself and the puppy, rolled over to open the milk bar and went to sleep. 5 hours later, no nesting, no panting, no straining....I was changing her newspaper because I thought she had piddled in the Puppy Palace and all of a sudden she jumped up and spun around with a puppy hanging from her butt. Puppy was snorting fluid and no amount of swinging or suctioning would remove it.....she was quite flat, laying on her side doing that AWFUL slow paddling motion that all breeders hate to see, and almost shellshocked. Given my time over again, if I'd known that she was in there waiting to come out, I would probably have not let Vanni go past a couple of hours, for the sake of the puppy if nothing else.

Must be something about long delays! I tell you though, if I'd had the slightest inkling that there was another puppy hiding in there after the 2.46am delivery, it would have been pulled out of her well before the 7.41am start time of its choice!