jr_inoz Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 (edited) ok - so I have my whelping supplies all ready - which I don't need now as my girl is having a caesarean on Wednesday. Have read through the other thread on first litter and there have been lots of tips which have been great... Just wanting to make sure I have everything I need for the time afterwards. Am sure people will be able to add to my list I have a heated whelping box on top of a tarp. It has marine ply carpet on the bottom of it (inside) with a vet bed on top. I have two more pieces of carpet to change when required, and 3 more vet beds for changing over. I have a small stack of newspapers which I don't think is high enough (I've put a call out for friends to try and get more...) to line the area around the box so my girl have somewhere to toilet in case I don't hear her and get up in the night to let her out. (Not planning on sleeping the first couple of nights much while she settles in - will be watching her)... Small box with a hot water bottle and baby towells and receiving blankets (very cheap at spotlight) for bringing the puppies home from the vet. Crate for my girl. Wondering what best supplemental formula to get in case any puppies need extra feeding or tube feeding. Would be picking this up from the vet today, but would like people's input on this. I am thinking Wombaroo formula? There will be a little pen around the whelping box so that she doesn't go too far from her babies. (for overnight) and so that I can cover the whelping box to protect from possible drafts (planning on covering with a sheet). Weight scale, Record book for recording details about each puppy etc. (Already has 3 pages full of notes on this pregnancy) plus an electronic version (spreadsheet) Camera with batteries charged. Food for mum? What do others do? She has been on extra food the last few weeks (been increasing through her pregnancy as per vet and mentor advice). I know she will still need extra while she is feeding. It is going to be very hot later this week here, so am wondering about a thermometer to check the temperature in the whelping box. Going to be tricky to regulate it to be right for puppies with the hot weather. I am also planning on putting a pen around the whelping box so that I can cover off areas so that they don't get any drafts if I need to cool the house a bit. Any other things that people have done here with hot weather? I have to admit, this is the bit that worries me the most - keeping the whelping box at the right temperature with the hot weather. Other stuff I have forgotten? Edited February 11, 2012 by jr_inoz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordogs Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 How exciting another first timer, it sounds as if you are well prepared, I always have fresh goat milk in just in case I need to supplement the puppies, mum has usually been having it any way for a couple of week prior to whelping and just in case mum stops eating ( I have one of those )I always have those little 6 or 8 packs of roo meat that are kept in the fridge section at the supermarket, chicken breast pre cooked and small fussy dog food like My Dog. A thermometer I keep handy and hang above the whelping area and just check the internal temp every now and again (don't want a broken thermometer in the box). Mum and the puppies will let you know if it's too hot. Good luck, will your vet allow you to help with the puppies? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
becks Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 I have mine on puppy food by the time they are having the pups. If you barf, just keep up the good stuff so she has enough reserves, especially in weeks 2-4 when they are on maximum output. I start to wean from about 3 weeks depending on how well they are doing, mum is doing and how many of them there are. I would put papers under the vetbed, or you will have to keep washing the marine carpet, as the liquids go through the vetbed onto whatever is underneath. Coffee - lots of it to keep you awake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted February 11, 2012 Share Posted February 11, 2012 Get a small box (how small - depends on your breed :D ) and a hot water bottle with a good thick cover. If you bring her home from her caesar while she's still not 100% back with it this is the safest place for the pups should she get restless or a little silly. Cover the box with a very light cloth (piece of sheet or old tea-towel works well) to keep the warmth in, but check every ten minutes or so by slipping your hand under the cloth that the heat hasn't built up too much. I doubt you will need a heated whelping box - me I wouldn't even plug it in, but again that would depend on the breed. After the first two or three days, if all is going well, a fan on medium directing air over the top of the whelping box will help keep things cool without endangering the pups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr_inoz Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 I have mine on puppy food by the time they are having the pups. If you barf, just keep up the good stuff so she has enough reserves, especially in weeks 2-4 when they are on maximum output. I start to wean from about 3 weeks depending on how well they are doing, mum is doing and how many of them there are. I would put papers under the vetbed, or you will have to keep washing the marine carpet, as the liquids go through the vetbed onto whatever is underneath. Coffee - lots of it to keep you awake! papers under the vetbed is a good idea..... need to increase my stack. Work had heaps before christmas and then when I went to get them, someone had a huge clean up and they were all gone! Get a small box (how small - depends on your breed :D ) and a hot water bottle with a good thick cover. If you bring her home from her caesar while she's still not 100% back with it this is the safest place for the pups should she get restless or a little silly. Cover the box with a very light cloth (piece of sheet or old tea-towel works well) to keep the warmth in, but check every ten minutes or so by slipping your hand under the cloth that the heat hasn't built up too much. I doubt you will need a heated whelping box - me I wouldn't even plug it in, but again that would depend on the breed. After the first two or three days, if all is going well, a fan on medium directing air over the top of the whelping box will help keep things cool without endangering the pups. I have my box and hot water bottle ready - box is the size of the water bottle. She is having 3 - small breed. Assume I just use hot water from the tap in the hot water bottle. Fan is a good idea. I picked up one of those crate fans the other day very cheap. Might come in handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjosa Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Goats milk is fantastic, also you can get Biolac from the vet for supplement feeding, I hand reared a singleton puppy on that he he did fantastic on it. I would not be turning on the heat in the whelping box during the day, as we are forcast to have mid 30's from Tuesday, but you have to agree it it does get very cool at night just lately so put it on once it starts to cool down, I only have a heating pad with variable settings, I feel that a heated whelping box does not give arears for puppies to cool down, and they will move looking for a cool spot if they get too warm and they would not have anywhere if the whole bottom is heated and get dehydrated, which is something you definitely do not want to happen, you have to regulate the heat to keep the puppies comfortable until they are two weeks old, at this time they can regulate their own body heat. I see you mentioned being prepared for tube feeding, I have an article here that gives you every reason never never tube feed, if puppies seem to be weak or fading use the Beef Liver remedy and then supplement until they get stronger, does not take long. If you want a copy of the article written by a vet in the USA re tube feeding and the Beef liver remedy, get your supermarket or butcher to get some beef liver in before Wednesday, just pm me on [email protected] and I will send them too you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumnut Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Lots and lots of newspaper, I can't believe how much I am using Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 A question on the beef liver remedy - does it have to be beef? Would lamb live work? When I tried to get beef liver before my pups were born I couldn't get it anywhere - asked all the local supermarkets and butchers and none had it or were prepared to get it in. Fortunately I had no issues so never needed it but I thought it would be worth finging out if lamb liver would also work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lappiemum Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 newspapers ..... LOTS of newspapers! If you dont have enough and you're in a pinch, then you can order butchers paper from Office Works - it's about $60 for 600 sheets or something. I do a layer of plastic sheeting on the bottom of the whelping box, then newspapers, then puppy wee pads - they absorb a lot of moisture and will help to keep everything drier (I spend $4 for a packet of 8 from mylocal $2 shop) - then vetbed on top. However to start with I just have the newspaper down, as my puppies tend the think the vet bed in mum.....LOL Temp wise, you are more likely to have an issue with puppies that are too hot right now then puppies that are too cold - you know they are hot when they spread out and are very vocal, and can't settle down - you rectify that by wetting a towel and putting that in a corner of the box - if they are hot they will lie on it, if they are ok they will crawl off elsewhere. Another tip for overheating puppies is to gently wet their tummies and their paws - you will find it cools them nicely and they settle down very quickly. You will need something like nappiesan to soak the vetbed in when it needs changing (I then usually spin dry it) and a good quality disinfectant to keep the box clean. Finally, a lot of breeders (including myself) bunk out in the whelping room for the first week or so - just to make sure everything is going ok. Sometimes mums are a little bit clumsy about where they park their butts when feeding, even with crush rails up in the box - so its better to monitor things for the first few mights as a minimum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra777 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Not sure a crate fan would be the best - they aren't very strong and might not move enough air, but with a small breed you're talking a smaller area than I'm used to so, tryit out and see. AFAIK the liver remedy is beef, never heard any other type being used - that said it's never worked for me either so don't go by my experiences :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Get a small box (how small - depends on your breed :D ) and a hot water bottle with a good thick cover. If you bring her home from her caesar while she's still not 100% back with it this is the safest place for the pups should she get restless or a little silly. Cover the box with a very light cloth (piece of sheet or old tea-towel works well) to keep the warmth in, but check every ten minutes or so by slipping your hand under the cloth that the heat hasn't built up too much. I doubt you will need a heated whelping box - me I wouldn't even plug it in, but again that would depend on the breed. After the first two or three days, if all is going well, a fan on medium directing air over the top of the whelping box will help keep things cool without endangering the pups. awesome i was going to ask when i could start using a fan as mum has been getting quite hot and pups are spreading out...how do i know if it is to cool for pups....they are 4.5 days old Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pockets Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I had a fan for Holli the whole time King :) it was directed at mum but was set to move, depending on how hot it was would depend on the speed I had the fan on :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 I had a fan for Holli the whole time King :) it was directed at mum but was set to move, depending on how hot it was would depend on the speed I had the fan on :) Hi Pockets Thanks i did put it on for a bit last night but the pups all climbed into a big ball so i thought they where cold so i turned it off Admittedly i did taken mum out for a toilet break just as i turned it on so maybe bubs just wanted to snuggle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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