Hi All , i would really appreciate some advice as i am going out of my mind with worry. My large breed girl is day 55 today and it looks like she is starting ! I am in such a panic (inwardly , not wanting to stress her out) as they are more than a week early , we know she is having 11 or 12 from the scan so i am thinking pups will be smaller as there are so many of them , combined with being 8 days early , i am so concerned. I have phoned the vet to say it looks like she has started and their attitude is very negative , he basically said there is nothing they can do but to keep them posted in case of emergency.
She is in her box and is digging rapidly , throwing paper about and has that strange distant ,glazed look in her eye. Luckily i already had everything ready so now i am just sitting here with her waiting to see what happens.
Positive thoughts please.
Lucy

You can only do what you're doing - stay with her and keep calm.  IF they are coming then you can't stop them - just deal with what presents. :)
Bitches can dig for a few days and the glazed look MAY just be as they move to get into position.

If they do start to arrive, make sure that the room is 75 degrees.  More pups die from cold than anything else.

Good luck. :)

well water bag has just appeared so we are definitely having pups today , there is no going back now , i just pray they are all ok :-(

Thanks Westcoast , god i feel sick!

You can do no more than to help as best you can and keep them all warm!

There are lots of variables!  You're only one day earlier than a week!  No necessarily all lost - just keep calm. :)

hoping all goes well.

Ive hand reared pups that were a week early by the first mating.
They survived so try not to panic.
Im hand rearing 2 pups at the moment for someone,they were less than 170grms at 3 days old,(normal weights are 300+ grms) and about a week early as they didnt have fur on toes etc.
what I found is if you do have to top up top them up with colostrum powder,its richer than puppy milk and perfectly safe,

Thanks , got a room thermometer in the box and have heat pads and hot water bottles , is 75 degrees warm enough do you think ? why has my brain gone to mush - so unlike me ! :-(

Thanks Carolyn , thats good to hear.

At least 75.  You're doing just fine. :)
I tend to put the last born on the heat pad while I/we deliver the next one. :)

Thank you for the virtual hand holding westcoast , its very much appreciated lol , don't think it will be long now , having strong contractions

Good Luck hope all is going well.

the best of luck lucy will be thinking about you and your girl i hope pups will be ok!
xxxx

All the best, can't offer help but will have you and your girl in my thoughts.

Solid black boy born , seems ok , weighs in at exactly 1lb , breathing ok and feeding but sounds quite raspy/rattley?

Do you know how to swing a puppy to remove fluid?  1lb is an OK weight. :)

there with you your doing fine...

yes (well read up about it in book of bitch) , have done that , sounds like it is clearing as he feeds , mum is giving him a good going over which seems to be helping .
Black and tan boy here too , same weight , same snuffly noises , his cord was already detatched when he came out !

Just make sure that you have the head well supported between your first and second finger as you swing.

Hey No 2 a good weight too!  You're all doing fine. :)

Thanks WC , thats exactly what i did ,i followed the diagram in the book , had a good grip on him , he sounds better already , No 2 is snuffly so did it with him too , both are feeding and seem to be breathing ok :-)

Everything crossed for you here- don't be frightened to swing hard if they are raspy. Will keep checking back - good luck x

Comeing fast thats great!! your doing great too :) their very good weights lucy!!
xxxx

God they are coming so quick , my girl is not having chance to clean them up before another comes , we have 5 boys so far , all very mucusy and raspy when born but clears , they are all exactly 1lb in weight !!

You do the swinging and rub them firmly in a hard dry towel and you'll help her. :)

Just keep listening to make sure they don't sound mucky when breathing if they do clear the airways again, dont worry too much about the placenta being detached so long as the pups are warm and safe

awwwww....hope everything is still going well for you all x

I had a litter of 13 GSD's born 8 days early and they all did fine. Good weights and healthy feeders so don't worry too much. Sounds like they are doing well.
Aileen

Nothing to add since many are helping, but just to let you know, I had a litter arrive 8 days early, all 11 survived, and grew normally into wonderful healthy youngsters, extra heat and make sure mucus is clear from throat and nose and keep latching them on, rotate pups on teats if you feel you need to .. 1lb weight is good for prematures.. good luck :-)

hows it going lucy anymore yet :)
xxxx

v exciting!  any girls yet?!

Quick update - 8 boys so far , all nice weight , one weighed in at 1lb 4 oz , god knows what he would have been if they had come on the due date. All seem fine and are feeding well. Piper is having a rest at the mo , i know there are at least 3 more in there , feels like more , she isn't pushing and seems content , its been just over an hour since last pup so not worried just yet. I am so proud of her and so relieved they seem to be ok.
Thanks everyone x

Well done to you both!

I hope that you want to keep a boy??? :) :) :)

> I hope that you want to keep a boy???

My thoughts exactly!!! and there's plenty of choice!

wow all boys ,like others have said are you wanting a boy lucy :0) ...if not lets hope the others will be girls but it dont matter has long as their all ok :)
xxxx

Well done and so far, just to add my bit to what others have said, I too had a litter born 8 days early, all were absolutely fine. 

We now have 9 boys and 1 very tiddly but otherwise seemingly ok little girl  , she is only weighing in at 8 oz but didn't need any help at all ,, she seems able to latch on ok and is feeding well , she is a stunning bi colour which is exactly what i wanted , just hope she is ok , she looks so tiny next to the boys..

well done lucy the litter sounds lovely..

Awww , have been following this , huge congratulations !!! Do you think she has more ??? :-)

YAY she kept you waiting! :) 
Once they're settled, pull one of the big boys of a good teat once they've got it working and plug the little girl in.  You may have to protect her for a while to stop the big bruisers pushing her off! :)

bless she sounds beautiful lucy we had a tiny girl in 1 of our litters she was half the size of the rest now 13months old and as big as her mum :) can you feel anymore pups???
xxxx

10 boys & 1 beautiful girl :-) i really hope she is finished now , she has done an amazing job. pups are all doing well so keeping my fingers crossed being early doesn't cause any problems.
Thanks all x

Fantastic! but my goodness.... so many boys!

I think there might be one more :-( , Piper is making small grunting noises although i can't feel any contractions  , it looks like she is doing very small pushes. She is very tired now , bless her.

ah congratulations to you and your girl! Well done, :-) x

How exciting and well done. we also have a very tiny girl but i topped her up with welpi and now nearly 4 weeks on she is still tiny but now eating solids and very playful but the size difference is amazing. lol.
congratulations on your new additions

Congratulations- Hope all is well this morning with mum and pups- Gosh you are in for a busy time with 11 pups- I struggled with 3!!!

Before this is locked may I offer congratulations and hope that all is well this morning and remains so. Well done!!!

Congratulations hope all goes well for you

Brilliant news Lucy. well done to you all x

congratulations Lucy :)

Wow, congratulations on your lovely large litter, all delivered safely. Phew! :)