Hi all, my bitch has 3 weeks to go (to day 63) and I'm trying to get everything organised for the big day.  I've read the Book of the Bitch from cover to cover and am getting a box of necessities ready.  Is there anything you would recommend as an essential part of the whelping kit!  Not sure how many pups expected but at the scan the vet she could easily see six, any advice on extra things needed if it's a big litter?
Thanks in advance

Jan

What about petnap whelping kit they are worth having a look at.

Hi jan wow 6 :) ...i got my whelping kit from ebay cost £35 and got everything in there i i got exta was some vdrops to help pup breath if it comes out not doing so , and lots of vet bed :) i even got a tin of whelpi milk and lots of paper work ie...temp chart weight chart o yes and some stethascope witch was fab :) i could hear the pups heart beats :)

good luck :) xx

I also got one of these and ended up having a c section so never got to use most stuff. Bits and pieces have really come in handy though. I'd never make a doctor thats for sure. I couldn't hear a thing through that stethoscope apart from her belly gurgling!!!LoL!

mel.

A paddling pool to give birth in (only if urs is a large breed!)
Dental floss (unwaxed-if the cords bleed excessivley)
Hand sanitizer
But yer there is a kit on ebay!

Lol it does make me laugh when people give advice when last week they didnt know anything!

>A paddling pool to give birth in (only if urs is a large breed!)

That's something I've never heard before! You live and learn - what's wrong with a whelping box?

I presume we are not talking about waterbirths :-D

Someone else suggested a kiddies paddling pool to me (a non doggy person)!  I suppose you would need something else for mum and pups to stay in for the rest of the time (days after the birth) or can they stay in the pool.  Thinking about it, it could work, pups would be safe, wouldn't be able to get out but mum could, but as Jeangenie said I had never heard of it before - has anyone tried it?  I will have a look on Ebay for the kits, thanks - don't think they have anything like that on French Ebay!

Jan

I would think the bitch would rip it apart digging during the hours and hours of nesting!

Sorry, I ment just to give birth in! and to have a warmed and clean welping box ready for when mum n pups are happy and ready to move.
As for people who think I know nothing-I know quite abit and learning more!

I didnt say you know nothing-said you didnt last week You must be a quick learner as it wasnt that long ago you asked how often a bitch came into season as you wanted to breed her.
Not an insult just an observation

Hi kiera09 i too have heard about using a kiddie pool ,its easy to use and then wash down ,i know a breeder that uses 1 she as done for about 16y ,she lines it with paper and her mums are very happy to whelp in there and when its all done mum and pups are put in a clean warm box she picks up the pool takes it out and all the mess is out the way ,it does save time she says ,i might try this next time !

ment to say you can use on small bread too :) just get a smaller pool ;) !

yer I asked that because a friend told me some bitchs season every 4 months, my girl last had a cycle in december n now shes in season again! I guess every girls different!

Thanks for the ideas so far, I have looked at the whelping kits they look great but if I add on postage to France they work out expensive, I am going to vist my vet next week and ask her to get some of the things I need but is there anything you wouldn't do without?

Jan

is there anything you wouldn't do without?

Everything.  I need to feel that I can cope with all eventualities to be fair to my bitch. :)

When people post about things going wrong and suggestions are made to help, the usual response is "I don't have any of that"! :(

whelpi milk
floss just incase cord bleeds
id bands (if pups will be same colour)
hand sanitizer (a must)imo
dropv drops
nuti drops
everything eles i wouldnt need if i didnt have it ,if that makes sence :)

xx

I have always found it useful to have a supply (around half a dozen) face flannels - washed and ironed (so that they are rough, not soft) so that if you have to dry/stimulate a non-responsive puppy you can use two - one in each hand and rub, rub, rub.   I say half a dozen in case you have to do it to more than one puppy - think I've only used them once though!

Kitchen scales - to weigh pups at birth and note book and pencil - to record order of births/weights/sex

Flask of coffee/tea for you!

You forgot the Valium!!!

i could do with some of that............. 12 days in, im a nervous wreck and look like the walking dead!!!!LOL!
mel.x

A little trick I've learnt for whelping and pups...I use some of the plain white paper from IKEA(of course I didn't take more than I needed, just generously wrapped up my delicate stuff!! ;-)) and put it under the Newspaper you use...it stops a lot of the print off the paper staining/marking the surface underneath...either the whelping box or puppy playpen... :-)

i thought this tread was about whelping kits??? :):):) just clicked on and thought id got the wrong 1 LOL

It is but unfortunately Jan's thread was unfairly hijacked by a completely off-topic argument which has been removed (the option to split threads being no longer available). Please can I remind everyone of the importance of using the Ignore button if they do not want to read another member's posts, as stated here: http://www.champdogsforum.co.uk/board/topic/100036.html#fp

Right, let's get back to the topic in hand please ;-)

The white paper is a good idea although not part of the kit part of the " get together stuff" when having pups.

You can get unprinted newspaper from cash and carry's or your local chipper may sell you a packet.   I use it all time time even at shows for under my pens keeps the dogs clean.

> but is there anything you wouldn't do without?
>

Yes!  My number one is obstetric gel, before anything else.  No good having Dopram if you can't get the pups out!

> Thinking about it, it could work, pups would be safe, wouldn't be able to get out but mum could, but as Jeangenie said I had never heard of it before - has anyone tried it? 

Yes Jan  :-)  But not to give birth in, and I do appreciate that it depends what breed you have.

I bought two 5' kiddies paddling pools to take on holiday with me (I don't have kids!)

My toy breed litter weren't leaving home for a couple of weeks, so I took Mum and pups on holiday with me.  The one pool in the large living area of the caravan kept pups safe and was so easy to disinfect.  Mum could just sit on the sofa and watch them if she didn't want to be in there, it was easy enough for her to jump in and out.

I had one of the pools outside on the grass.  Although pups had been used to running around in my own back garden, I couldn't allow them on grass outside.  They had the chance to be in the fresh air.  The world and his wife stopped to have a nose!  Very good for the pups.  And when anyone had a child missing they were sent down to the dog lady to find them!  I actually had parents approach me about showing the kids how to handle dogs.  It was a great way to get my pups used to kiddies, and the children were supervised. 

So, yes, they can come in handy  :-)

Thank you all for your help, I had a chat with my girls breeder yesterday and she gave me lots of tips so together with the help I've had on here I hope I'll be ready (if not ready at least prepared!)  I'm hoping my vet will help me with a few of the things I need but I may need to buy from the UK on the internet.  Anyone got any links to sites you've used before?

I'm starting to get excited now in a paniky sort of way!!  And hoping for a lovely girl to keep to show!

Jan

More important points to remember, as whelping time gets nearer, always have enough fuel in your car to get to the vet and back, prepare the back of your car with towels, blankets etc in case you have to rush to the vet and don't drink any alcohol in case you have to drive.

For all essential medications and 'gel' go to www.hyperdrug.co.uk they are VERY fast at getting it in the post, usually same day, next day latest! I have always been impressed by their Costoner Service. They are also an excellent advice centre for all things 'animal' included safest wormer to use on pregnant bitches etc etc etc. HTH? Dawn x