Right - this question - for all of you that have had litters - is there one thing above anything else that you would recommend to have on hand during whelping.

I got a really good idea from a site somewhere - about using incontinence pads for whelping on - it was an old site - but i'm thinking about using the pampers bed wetting pads as they are really absorbent. A pack of 10 only costs £6 or something and i know newspaper is cheaper - but it isn't as absorbent, and i thought they could still be used for the first week or so. What do you all think????

Nikki xxxxx

probably ok for a small breed but not for a big one. A whelping bed needs to be big enough for a bitch to move about and its better just to spread newspaper all over rather rthan try & persuade the bitch just to whelp on a small bit that suits you....may cause her stress.

Warm dry towells are my tip....so you can dry off & warm up pups as they come!

Thanx Sam,

My Ebbie is a cocker spaniel, the bed i have ordered is the right size for her - and those bed wetting mats are quite large, obviously for larger dogs it wouldn't be practical, on the site I found the suggestion it was just to place one under the back end of the dog when a pup was due out, not to try and get her to lay on a small section, the rest of the bed would be blankets/papers, it's just that on the same site it said about small pups not being able to move around that well on paper - they can - don't get me wrong - i'm not saying they can't, i just thought those mats were the best of both worlds - absorbent and easy to move on. :D

Nikki xxx

Our Cockers often stand up to deliver their pups, especially for the first few anyway. I use a thick layer of newspaper in the box with a piece of vetbedding on the top - this is warm & the pups can move around ok on it. I also recommend you have lots of old towels handy to help rub the pups dry as wet pups are inclined to get chilly.

I used the mat pads they have in the hospital (incase patients may have acidents) and layed them all over my floor. You can wash them and dry them, I even have a couple I used on my kids beds just incase they had accidents (of course not the same ones for my dogs). I use them in the puppy cage with newspaper on top so my carpet does not get wet. I find they work great, just can't remember what they are called sorry :( . I know u can get different sizes, they are not that cheap but found them worth it, I have 10 for my dogs and still in fair shape compared to how much I wash, and bleach them.
ttfn :)

thanx dollface xxx

Fleecy Veterinary Bedding an essential item imo. Have at least three pieces to fit generously around the bed. I let them whelp on one, with newspapers underneath to soak up fluids and change it (and the newspapers) after 3 or 4 puppies are born. When a puppy is abouty to be born in I put a small towel ( babies towelling nappies are perfect), where its going to land and once I've seen to the cord, if I need to, I swap it for another one to help dry off the puppy. This way the nappies soak up most of the birth fluids as they arrive and the vet bed stays dryer. When she has finished give her another clean vet bed and put the other two straight in the machine for the later. You will need either a heat lamp or a pet bed heater depending on how warm you can keep the room. You should also have sterilised scissors ( ideally blunt ones) ready in case you need to cut any cords and the vets phone number by the phone in case you panic! Most importantly a bottle of something nice for you, when its all over. Good luck.

ok - fleecy vet bed - where do i get some - it's been recommended so many times - where's the best place to buy it.

And as for a bottle of something nice - only 1 bottle lol

Nikki xxx

PS to last message - i have everything else on order - company do a complete whelping kit including bottles just in case, the only thing i need to think of is heating - i keep my house very warm anyway - i feel the cold, I've had a rethink on arrangements, i was going to have the whelping box in dining room, but the only space isn't far from my back door - so too drafty (well it isn't cos my back door is a double glazed one but when it's open to let mum out) for the very tiny pups, decided when xmas tree is down in the living room - i'm not putting the furniture back - i'm going to use that corner - once they are running about my ex is going to build me a special pen for them - but that will have to be in dining room - so may have to rig up something to stop the draughts. I think i've got everything to hand - just waiting on delivery of whelping box and equipment.

Nikki xxx

Try here for Vetbed online http://www.bedding.demon.co.uk/Mail%20Order.htm

Try here for Vetbed online http://www.bedding.demon.co.uk/Mail%20Order.htm

I prefer a heating pad to use under the Vet bed, place it in one end of the whelping box, so pups can gravitate to it if they need to, but the bitch won't get too warm.

I use a big puppy pen with a bse as a whelping box, and make it into a cave by covering with an old candlewick bedspread. This will also hlep keep out draughts.

I use torn up newspaper, as it is easier to get rid of the soiled.

Take a newspaper, tear in half along the fold, and then tear into Inch wide strips down the width.

I also find this is great for the bitches to dig in when they are in first stage labour.

I grab handfuls of it and shake them out, forming a deep litter. I use this under the vetbed, and it is then easy to add to and remove soiled without disturbing mum too much.

As for Pups moving about, nothing beats Vet bed. I used to think it was a luxury/gimmick but it really is the best things since sliced bread for pups and breeders :D

It is warm, and all wet passes through to the papre underneathm so pups always warm dry and clean.

I think these "pee pads" are the best invention since sliced bread. I use them during the whelping, then under the fleece bedding (vet-bed), and when the pups start to walk I cover the potty/exercice area with some. I realize this in only possible with toy/small breeds though.
For the whelping I use loads of old linen (any kind) so that the mum is always lying on something dry. I have her whelp on my bed covered with a plastic tablecloth then towels/sheets. Then I use small towels for the puppies, and although Pugs have small litters I never have enough.
What I wouldn't whelp without : Dopram to rescucitate (sp?) "dead" puppies. Two clamp "pliers" to tear the cords : tearing them is better than a sharp cut with scisors, it will make the blood vessels "shrink" and lead to less bleeding.

Right vet bed ordered, has anyone used the profleece puppy pens, are they easy to put together and how big are they?

My ex is going to build me one - but they seem very reasonably priced on here - and we probably couldn't build one with a door for that sort of money.

Nikki xxxxxxx

I made my own whelping bed out of spare wood and sealed it in clear coat so that it could be easily disinfected. I put side rails on so I can sit and also prevents the pups getting squashed against the walls by mom. I whelp them on a lot of newspaper, changing it as needed. Then when all is done I use an old comfy bedspread which I tape the corners to the floor and rest the box down on all sides ( the box is nice and weighty so that it is difficult to move the blanket around and cover the pups with). Oh yeah, I also put a heating pad underneath the bedspread in one corner. I change the bed spread daily or more often as the pups get older and are messing more. Then I switch to a homemade puppy pen at about 4-5 weeks. I found that I saved a lot of money doing it myself and I know the quality is good.
Also have tons of old handtowels on hand for each pup, a bulb syringe, the vets number, and coffee ( or tea for me).

Carissa

Hi jakieboy. The biggest killer of newborn puppies is cold and draught, they cannot regulate their body temperature and cannot feed if they are too cold. I keep the temperature in the bed of new born pups at 85 degrees. If you can keep the room at a constant 70/75 degrees then a bed bed heater will be sufficient but if you cant do this then I would get a heat lamp and experiment with a thermometer before the pups are born as to how to heat the bed to get it the right temp. The lamp should be at least a foot above the bitch when she is standing up. I tend to hang a lamp to one side of the bed so that the mum doesn't have to lie under its full heat but the pups can if they want to. After a week or so the heat can be lessened slightly to 80 degrees ( hang the lamp higher) and then by 3 weeks in a heated (70 degrees) room should be sufficient, with maybe the lamp on hung quite high at night. If they are all lyng seperately in the bed they are too hot. If they are constantly trying to snuggle they may be too cold. It also depends on the size of the litter - a small litter with a long haired bitch who lies with them 100% of the time will not need so much extra heat, a short haired bitch with a large litter will need more. Dont turn on the extra bed heating on until puppies are actually about to be delivered or the bitch will get too hot.

Thanx Westie,

I keep my house especially my living room really warm - too warm because i feel the cold, and i have also ordered a heater now, so that is covered, got my whelping box this morning - i'm getting excited now :D

Nikki xxx

I also rip lots of newspaper up for whelping and after she has finished I clean out and put in the vet bedding,
I know every ones different the way they do things I have a mesh cat carrier next to whelping box with heat lamp over it so as she starts to deliver the next puppy I remove the ones she has already had and place in carrier so there still near her and she can still see them but there do not get hurt whilst she delivers the next pup,
Cotton bud are handy for clearing any fluids from around the nostrils also have kitchen roll to hand to clear any fluid from mouth if the pup is a bit wheezy from swallowed fluid.
Don’t forget to tell when she has had them
Sandy.

Hi

When my Retriever had a litter last year I had a whelping box (LARGE) lots of newspaper down, and Vetinary bedding over the top of the newspaper, the Vetinary bedding is very absorbant and can be bought from most large pet stores (usually comes in packs or on large rolls, which they cut depending on what size you require. I still use one of these for holly's bed, it washes well and dries very quickly. I had 4 on the go when holly had 10 pups. I used these until the pups went to their new homes.

Like you, I have found vetbed to be marvellous - I buy the large pieces (60 x 40, I think) from Denco. I cut them in half (they then go through the washing machine and tumble drier without putting them under too much strain) and now, as my puppies are leaving home :-(, they will each go with their own piece of vetbed which will remind them of Mummy and home - ahh!

I do the same but cut the pieces in half again (20 x 30 inches) as that is about the right size to fit in a dog bed for them! For those that end up being shown I have found the owners bring their bit of vet bed to put on the benches at champ shows :D