Preparing for Puppies

[Samba]

Puppies are due at Christmas! Not GSDs, but still puppies.

Today I worked on the "nursery". Jess and I created a whelping box that I think looks pretty good. I have a thick piece of closed cell foam to put under the box for added insulation. The floor is not a slab either so should not be too cold. The room is not superiorly heated, but I sealed off windows and put a nice space heater in there. It is toasty now! My bed is nearly set up also.

What else do I need?? Is a heat lamp needed? How do you regulate such a thing? I don't want them cold but fried doesn't sound good either. What supplies should I gather?

My vet is not on call for much of the Christmas holiday. UGH!

[dawnandjr]

If the room is warm enough, you shouldnt need any additional heat. But the heat lamp is usually placed so that the puppies can move under the heat or away from the heat as needed. You should have a thermometer to check mums temp starting a week before her due date, and continue for a week after delivery. This is your first sign of an infection after delivery is a high temp. And you still have time to set up a web cam so we can see it all ( haha, just kidding, but I did for mine). I like to put a temperature gauge right in the whelping box so I know the actual temperature where the pups are. I have one of those indoor/outdoor weather stations, and I put the outdoor unit right in the whelping box.

[dawnandjr]

Lots of old towels, clamp or floss for umbilical cords that dont stop bleeding. I also have a bulb syringe on hand in case a pup gets fluid in the lungs, and I just usually clean the mouth out anyway.

[lhczth]

I have special thick fleece that goes on the floor of my whelping box. Often I'll put a dark towel in one corner and a "heat lamp" in that corner with a 100-150 watt bulb. I want the pups to have the option to get warm, but not bake mom to death. I usually have that corner in the upper 80's for a week (though my last litter was whiny if the box every got about 70) and then slowly lower the temp. Eventually I will move to a 75 watt bulb and then I remove the lamp all together. I watch the puppies. Cold puppies won't eat well and may die. Hot puppies can become dehydrated. Let them determine what is the right temperature by how they act.

I have these really nice paper self sticking collars to identify the pups, LOTS AND LOTS of towels, hemostats incase an umbilical cord bleeds too much, thermometer, rubber gloves, hmmmmmm did I say LOTS AND LOTS of towels? Something to use to record birth weight, time, information on each pup. A good scale is handy to keep track of puppy weight gains (or losses).

[lhczth]

This is the fleece I use.

Ultimate Vet Fleece

[holland]

What breed are they?

[selzer]

The thing about space heaters is that they make the entire area warm, but they can kick off and on and create drafts. That is why a heat lamp in one corner of the box can be preferred.

No, you do not want to roast them. They say that a lot more puppies would survive if people cut the cords on heating pads. This is why I keep the light in just one part of the box. One of the only senses puppies are born with is being able to feel warm or cold and move to where it is warmer or cooler. Drafts can cause issues, so unless we are freezing at home, I generally do not use a space heater.

I do have a thermometer to measure environmental temperature as well as a regular human digital thermometer to monitor the changes in the bitch's temperature.

I generally go to walmart and buy their cheap wash rags, bundles of 7 or 10 for 2 bucks. Something like that, wash them, and use one or more on each pup when they are born.

I keep the following on hand:

a small sharp set of scissors

a cheap kitchen scale to weigh pups twice daily

an aspiration bulb

Paper towels -- buy the big package

Newspapers

Garbage bags to go with the newspapers

Imitation lambswool whelping box liner (I use them after the girl stops bleeding)

notebook and writing implement

good whelping book or three to refer to

alchohol

dental floss (to tie off the umbilical cord if necessary)

rick rack of different colors if you want to mark puppies with rick rack -- much better than yarn, and little collars are too big at first.

digital thermometer

environment thermometer

chair next to the box,

sterile disposable gloves would have come in handy this past time.

a small pet bed or box with towels in it to put puppies into while she is whelping another or while you are cleaning the box.

High quality canned food, meat, yogurt, cottage cheese, vanilla ice cream, carnation canned evaporated milk, hard boiled eggs,

The big sam's club container of chlorox wipes. (they do not have bleach in them, but they do make cleaning easier.)

I keep the necessities of tube feeding on hand as well as dry formula.

I am sure I am forgetting other stuff.

[Samba]

They are Shelties. The pups are rolling and kicking about now. Easy to feel and we can auscultate heart beats.

I am exhausted gathering supplies! I ordered a lamp bulb for warming in case it is needed. Have a couple of indoor thermometers for room and box. The digital infrared says it will measure surface temps.

That fleece Lisa mentioned looks really nice. I have a ton of hospital pads so may just go with those for now.

Boiling scissors and hemostats today.

The spare room had to be reclaimed. A bed for me moved in also. And the cleaning done. Pups working me to death and they aren't even born!

Wondering about xray for puppy count soon?

[selzer]

If you have not done this before, you might want to go with the tried and true newspaper before, during, and after the whelping process. The hospital pads might not be good if she tears them up. Not sure what they are like. But the bitch will need to rip and tear at her bedding. They have been using newspaper for this for many decades, and it soaks up fluids, gives the bitch something to tear, and insulates -- it is in my opinion the best use for newspaper.

[DanielleOttoMom]

Awww how exciting!!! I grew up with two Shelties!!! I had a male Bailey and female Molly Brown they where both sable. I hope you post pics ASAP. I will keep momma and babies in my prayers. Selzer seemed to cover every thing.... I haven't delivered puppies. But good luck and I can't wait to see the puppies.