First time whelping a litter of pups ? If you put together the items listed below and have them ready for whelping day, you'll be better prepared to take care of the pups and bitch as they arrive. You might wish to store these items in a container to keep out moisture and dust until needed. Start getting everything together early, it might take a few days to gather and purchase all the items. The list is extensive and you may not need everything on it, however, they are nice to have if you do.
The whelping box or pen can be something as simple as those plastic children's swimming pools (large), or a custom made wooden box. If using a wood
box, the sides should not be so high that mom has to jump in and out, rather just high enough so she can easily step in and out. If using the plastic
pool, scrub the pool thoroughly with a disinfectant and hot water. If using a wooden box, apply a coat or 2 of washable non toxic latex paint or
other non toxic sealer. Then, wash the painted surface with a disinfectant. Additional whelping box supplies:
- Pad or blanket to place under the pool or box to keep it from direct contact with the flooring.
- Old blankets to place in the box for mom to nest in and sleep on.
- Room thermometer placed on the floor or side of the whelping box.
The puppy box is the container you'll need to place the pups in immediately after birth although some bitches get very upset if you do not immediately
return the pup to the whelping box so mom can clean and mother it.
- Scales: these come in a variety of sizes and styles, you'll need something that you can quickly place the puppy on and remove it.
- Heating pad: Wrap in flannel receiving blankets and never raise temperature above low.
- Hand towels: You'll need them for many things.
- Cat Litter: Fill a gallon ziploc bag with a thin layer of regular clay cat litter. Place between heating pad and flannel blanket. This spreads the heat across the pad and avoids hot spots that could potentially overheat puppies.
A whelping table is something like a baby changing table where you can store all your supplies to easily have at hand during and after whelping.
- Kleenex and paper towels: You will use these frequently - stock up!
- Small and large trash bags
- Hand-wipes: Use for clean up and your hands
- Spray bottle of disinfectant for cleaning whelping box and area
- Spray bottle of self-rinse shampoo, slicker brush, and wash cloths for cleaning up mom
- Heating lamp or small ceramic heater for keeping the whelping area warm. You can use a 75-100 watt regular light bulb in a metal reflector, or a ceramic heater on low placed 4 feet from the whelping box.
- Water bucket for mom, leave close by so she doesn't need to leave the puppies for long
Have these items stored in an easily accessible container and near by to be prepared for immediate medical attention to the pups or mom before transporting
to the vet.
- Stethoscope: For listening to moms heart rate or checking for pups heartbeat. When recording number of heartbeats per minute, time for 15 seconds and multiply by 4.
- Lactated Ringers Solution w/line set: Use to rehydrate mother or pups. Can also be used as base for sugar-water solution for weak pups. It is unusual to have to re hydrate the bitch, use only on vet's advice.
- Betadine: (diluted in spray or squeeze type bottle) General skin cleaning. Bottles of diluted solution make cleaning up faster and more sanitary.
- 3cc syringes
- Drugs to have on hand: oxytocin, calphosan, dopram, atropine. Talk to your vet about acquiring these.
- 4" x 4" sterile gauze sponges: General cleaning and may also be used to grasp a stuck puppy.
- Surgical sponges: One side is smooth and soft, the other side is slightly abrasive. Used to clean skin around incisions or vulva area.
- Chlorhexidine towelettes: Used To clean scissors or hemostats before use and may also be used on hands.
- Alcohol Wipes: Used to clean utensils or other supplies
- Hemostats or forceps: Used for clamping umbilical cords before cutting. Leave forceps on for few minutes to minimize bleeding from stump. (Most of the time, mom will take care of this for you.)
- Thermometer and Thermometer tip covers: Used for checking moms temperature and in extreme cases (chilled puppies), you may need to record their temp. Digital thermometers work the best.
- Children's Safety Scissors: Used to cut and trim umbilical cords. These scissors should not be extremely sharp as they could cause the cord to bleed.
- Bulb Syringes: Used for removing amniotic fluid from the pups nose and throat. Pick up several sizes.
- Tincture of iodine: Helps in drying out umbilical cords. Use twice daily on cords until they fall off and continue to use on umbilical site for one more day. If you prefer, you can get the decolorized type that won't stain fabric.
- Latex gloves: Use gloves before reaching in to pull out stuck pups
- K-Y jelly: For general lubrication, i.e.; gloves, or apply around stuck puppy if birth canal is dry.
In some cases, mom will not allow the pups to feed or she may need to taken to the vet which will require you to feed the pups. Feeding newborn pups
is an enormous task and will need to be done every 2 hours around the clock in moms absence
- Evaporated milk: (several cans) You may substitute goat's milk.
- Bottled/sterilized baby water: Of course, do not use the sweetened kind.
- Pedialyte: Plain
- French Tube: (several of them, 10-12) Used for tube feeding
- 20 cc syringes with 20 gauge needles: Used for tube feeding
And finally, a few additional supplies you might need or want
- AKC litter registration forms
- Litter Medical Records
- Birth Record Sheet
- Puppy Information Sheet
- Weight Record Sheet
- Any records from previous whelping's
- Whelping information or articles which you might wish to refer to during the whelping process.
- For You: A comfortable chair, TV or radio, your favorite books or magazines, lots of coffee (or whatever helps you stay awake) should be on hand as it may take anywhere from a few minutes to multiple hours between pups
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