question?

[4pugpawz]

For all you breeders: What is the items you have when whelping a litter at home? Nothing has happened with Sweet Pea yet but I want to make sure I have everything incase I whelp at home!
I have so far Whelping box, scale, none wax dental floss, hemostat clamps, suction bulb, 5 dozon white hand towels, KY jelly, latex gloves, scissors.
Am I missing anything? If I am please let me know what I may or may not need and what it is used for

Thank you so much

[missjerseygirl]

I am not a breeder but I hand raised to pups last spring. I used a lot of clorox wipes to clean things up with. And some clorox bleach to wash the towels with. Also used a lot of paper towels to get the puppies to got potty.

[shaynapug]

I have not whelped at home...so cannot help you there

http://revivalanimal.com/product.asp...3&ss=nutrastat

I would look around on that site.....The rebound is really good! Like a pedialyte that tastes good for the dogs!! Isis loved it!

tubing and canned goats milk in case you have to tube feed babies

a box....a heating pad...and a light. A chilled pup is a dead pup!

[Luvbean25]

As Diane said a heating pad is a MUST! Also you will need a bulb syringe. (Those funny looking bulb things that you use to suck out baby snot). You will that to clear the mucus from the babies. Also some wee-week pads, that is what I use to deliver the babies and clean them off. It is much cleaner as you can throw them away. During whelping use as much disposable items as possible as there will be a smell that soaks into everything and it is hard to get it out. I can't explain the smell but it is gross.

[4pugpawz]

Will a heating pad not fry the babies? I have been told by a breeder here in Idaho that a heating pad will fry them and we will lose the whole litter! Then I was told from another breeder that A heating pad is a must I am at about wits end with all this

[Luvbean25]

I have always used a heating pad and have yet to "fry" a baby...ohh and I live in Florida where the average temp is 85 degrees. You bascially leave the pad to one side of the whelping box and let mommy move back and forth. If she gets too hot, she will move and mover her babies with her (if she is a good mommy).

[4pugpawz]

okay thank you so much .......... I will stop by and pick one up on the way home from the vets today!

[shaynapug]

Keep it set on low....and covered so that pups cannot go directly on it.

[Bethy]

I put the heating pad under a folded blanket in the bottom of the whelping box, and I keep it on low, except when Mom is in with the babies. When Mom is in with them, she radiates enough heat to keep them warm enough. My babies are 4 weeks old, now, and I have dispensed with the heating pad, because they try to avoid the part of the box that it is in, so I know they are regulating their own body temps, now, and don't need the heating pad any more.
I use newspspspers to whelp the puppies on, and I layer them in the bottom of the box. That way, I can take them up when they are dirty, and there will be a clean layer for the next baby to be born on.
After the whelping is over, I spread a clean blankie in the bottom of the box. That way it is soft and warm for them.

[Figtoria]

In my whelping kit I keep latex gloves, K-Y jelly, baby wipes, good scissors, paper towels, lots of clean old towels, lots of clean newspapers, a clock, a baby scale, pen and my whelping log book. I always use a heat lamp for at least a week, mounted over the whelping box; longer than a week in winter.

I keep a hot water bottle in a small thermos cooler. I put the "already arrived" babies into that as mom is working on the next. I keep it covered loosely with an old towel, and I give them all back to mom between arrivals.

I know what you mean about the smell LuvBean. I keep a supply of old towels that I use just for whelping, after which I wash them in hot water and bleach and they come up nice and clean for the next "birthin'". But I wouldn't use them for anything else. :)

I do not "tie" the umbilical cord. I tear it about 2-3" from the belly with my fingernails. I find tearing it, as a mother dogs teeth would, prevents any bleeding, so there is no need to tie it off. After the cord as dried, several hours later, I snip it to a reasonable length.

I don't use the suction bulb either. My vet taught me to gently swing the babies down in a short arc to drain the fluids. It's a bit tricky because you have to have the baby wrapped firmly in a towel, because they are slippery little monkeys.

I always wear gloves and use a bit of KY when examining a bitch vaginally to prevent infection and also to keep the stuff from getting under my fingernails.

I've probably whelped close to 100 litters (not all my own) and each one is different - you learn as you go. My gear box was HUGE when I got started 20 years ago, but I find 'less is more' these days - I try to keep it simple. I just try to keep everyone clean, calm and as relaxed as possible.


Good luck!!!