I have a Petnap disposable whelping box with a bunch of the disposable whelping pads and vet bed cut to fit.

I think that during whelping, I should take the vet bed out or it will get in a mess pretty fast - but what should I use?  Do I just have loads of newspaper and keep putting in new paper?  We have a paper shredder - do I use shredded paper? 

I have a load of disposable incontinence pads but they would get ripped up fast.  During the messy stuff of whelping itself, what do I put in the box?  (Would like to try to protect the cardboard base - have a lining of whelping pads over it already - but they are going to move about all over the place if I take the vet bed on top off....)

Thx

I cut up the cardboard box the whelping box was delivered in to add an extra layer on top of the waterproof sheet provided and covered with lots of newspaper. Once the delivery was over I removed the mucky piece, leaving the clean one in place. One thing I have found with the cardboard whelping boxes is that it is impossible to clean up completely any mess produced during whelping that gets on it (it left staining on the cardboard) not that mum cares.

I started with a cardboard whelping box and the stains couldn't be removed and it was totally disgusting.  I ended up borrowing a proper one from a friend, wouldn't ever use a cardboard one again.

I always use a cardboard box, for whelping I put additional cardboard on base and then shred newspaper to make a deep bed. During whelping I skip out wet paper and replace with pre shredded paper from a bin liner. Once whelping concluded I remove all paper and soiled cardboard on base if needed and replace with non ruck whelping mats.
My cardboard boxes have lasted well with med/ large gundog breed and litters of 8-11

K

I had it all up the sides of the box and it wasn't pleasant which is why I wouldn't use them again as you can't clean them properly

I let Mum whelp her pups in a very large dog bed.  I put a flat flannel with rubber underside in the bed, and a large flannel bed sheet over that.  I use old-fashioned diapers as "receiving blankets" or to cover wet spots.  I have a sizeable pile of them on hand as well as terry cloth wash cloths for the same purpose.  Of course, my breed is quite small, so I don't really know what people with large breeds do.  Anyhow...FWIW 

P.S.  After the birth is over, Mum and puppies go into the big box where they will spend the first three weeks.  It's a really great system, keeps them warm and safe and secluded, is easily serviced (by yours truly), and gives Mum the chance to take a break from the puppies when she wants to.  I can put her water and food in the half of the box which serves that purpose, the puppies being in the other half.

I had it all up the sides of the box and it wasn't pleasant which is why I wouldn't use them again as you can't clean them properly

Agree. We used to knock together our own whelping boxes made out of wood (MUCH cheaper than the cardboard ones) and then we burnt them after use. But you had the horrible green stains on the sides for the entire use, as well as blood stains etc. I now have a Steelcity plastic one. It's not perfect, it won't last forever, BUT it wipes clean in an instant. I'm on the third litter with it.

I use newspapers for whelping, you need a LOT as there are unbelievable amounts of fluid, so when pups are born I put a piece of vetbed in a corner just for them to keep dry on during active whelping of others.

Next time I will be getting a upvc one, either homemade or purchased.

I have a lovely wooden box the OH made and its sealed with marine varnish. We re-varnish it before each litter and it protects the side and is wipe clean. I put a good thick pad of newspapers in the bottom for shredding during 1st stage and then I use old sheets or quilt covers for the whelping to soak up the fluids, I get them from charity shops and put them in a boil wash first. I find that my bitches like to rip the sheets apart and its far cheaper than ripping good blankets or vet bed up. I throw them afterwards. I have a stack of towels that I use for catching new born pups and rubbing dry with, the worst ones get thrown away and the reasonable ones get boil washed and reused at the next litter. I get the cheap supermarket small hand towels and they are usually about £1-2 each. A hint to make them last longer ..don't get white ones Once the pups are here I clean the whole lot out and put a new pad of newspaper covered with a vet bed. The sides of the box are wipe clean and the floor waterproof. Its seen me through over 10 litters the last 15 years and is as good as new. Even with my large breed.

I wonder, if I just throw an old sheet over the whole box and tape it on the sides, might that protect the sides....

More importantly, and totally off topic, I CAN FEEL PUPPIES MOVING INSIDE HER under my hand!!!!  It feels very weird!!!!

The sheet idea will not work if she digs and shreds in the box as mine do. She will just drag it off.
A bitch in the throes of hard labour rips and shreds with teeth and claws.

Mine whelp in a large plastic dog bed in the conservatory where everything can be wiped clean. I put paper in the bed and disposable inconti pads underneath it. Pups are then moved in to the study and a disposable whelping box. They outgrow this by 3 weeks and then move back in to the conservatory where they can make as much mess as they like and I keep clean like a military operation!

ETA: I have 3 pieces of precut vetbed - one to use, one to wash and one to dry....I have 3 spares but didn't need them.

I use old sheets or quilt covers for the whelping to soak up the fluids, I get them from charity shops and put them in a boil wash first.

What a brilliant idea!

>More importantly, and totally off topic, I CAN FEEL PUPPIES MOVING INSIDE HER under my hand!!!!  It feels very weird!!!!

It is the most beautiful part of the pregnancy!  What's really cool is when you can SEE the puppies moving inside!  Have you chosen names yet?  Are you going to find out in advance how many puppies are on the way?

I've got a Steel City whelping box too...it's brilliant!

When they're actually whelping I add clean newspaper and try to take out the wet and dirty...not easy as mine always seem to 'hotch' around and spread all the birthing blood and gunk onto the clean paper!

I've never had a cardboard whelping box, after seeing how grubby and wet the plastic ones get I wouldn't entertain one. In fact, I had two litters at the same time once and bought a second plastic one!

I use old towels for the actual whelping, easy to wash or throw away after. Once the majority of mess is done with I have vetbed which velcroes down at the sides to stop any excessive digging or burying of puppies.

I like the sheets and quilt covers idea, but I don't know of any charity shops near us that sell these - they do clothes, not bedding!  But I've put a call out to family to see if anyone has any!

We have a few old towels but I don't know if enough...

We will cut a piece of cardboard to fit over the whelping box base so there is an extra layer there...

You need to go into the charity shops and ask if they have had any bedding donated. I have been in and they usually don't bother putting it out as it is mismatched and people don't buy it.

I once came out with 27 different pieces of linen from singles, doubles, kings - both sheets and duvet covers. All in all I paid £5 and just boil washed them when I got home. Still have most of them even now.

If you are really stuck ask around with friends/family and neighbours as they will likely have a few bits they no longer use and will happily give you. Don't forget to ask about towels either :)

Ok, I'll give it a go!  What is a boil wash, I have a 90 degrees whites wash on the machine, is that what you mean?!

90 deg will be fine, I often pour a little dettol in for a final rinse if the sheets have come from the charity shop too.

Yes 90 is fine and I put dettol in too or Zoflora so that they come out smelling lovely. Don't believe in the new hype of add laundry anti bac detergents launched by dettol et al. Good old dettol was fine when I was growing up...see no need to fork out an arm and a leg on new fads when old tried and tested ways work :)

If only you lived in Gloucestershire, Rabid. We've just cleared out an elderly aunts house and her airing cupboard was absolutely stacked full of towels and sheets etc. You could have had enough to keep you going forever I reckon.

  Darn!

Okey dokey, this sounds like a plan...!

Somebody else told me about vetbed that velcroes down but I can't find any...could you please tell me where I can buy some from as I am always rescuing pups from under the vetbed !

It's why I don't use the vetbed until pups are weeing unaided and by then eyes are open. 

For whelping and early on I used deep bed of shredded paper, easy to take out damp/soiled with minimum disturbance to bitch, more absorbent than flat paper.

Great insulation, and no problem with heat pad under it.

I've just ordered a steel city one, why do you say they aren't perfect???

Our local hairdresser has been a great source of old towels in the past. They are always having to get pristine ones . Some of the last lot were so nice we used them ourselves!

I've just ordered a steel city one, why do you say they aren't perfect???

It's not very strong. Quite flimsy. This is the third time I have used mine and when I stepped inside it to line it with newspaper, my heel went through the bottom so it now has a hole. The bottom is very flimsy material, not the same as the sides. But also the opening at the front, where you can use one, two or three pieces to restrict the puppies from getting out (or allow them), mine are no longer working as it's all got a bit bent so they just fall out.

>Somebody else told me about vetbed that velcroes down but I can't find any...could you please tell me where I can buy some from as I am always rescuing pups from under the vetbed !

Me too.  I've looked and found the vetbed online with the (I guess) velcroe (says "non-slip"), but what is the velcroe supposed to stick TO?  It is not going to stick to the bottom of the box where my puppies and Mum spend the first three weeks (where I need it most), that's for sure.  It's not going to stick to any hard surface, so how is that supposed to work?  Anyone have an idea?

The non slip simply has a ribbed rubber back and in my experience doesn't last as well as the old green back.

The only vet bed that does't Ruck is one stitched onto an extra backing envelope which then has a stiff board insert.

It's sold by one of the whelping box makers.

Personally I now just use the shredded paper  until the bitch is past the digging her bed stage or pups start peeing unaided.

Until that stage the paper  keeps pups warm and dry and deals with any bitch discharge,  and any soiled easily removed.

>Somebody else told me about vetbed that velcroes down but I can't find any...could you please tell me where I can buy some from as I am always rescuing pups from under the vetbed

I'm afraid I sewed it on myself - you might be able to buy it ready sewn perhaps searching on Ebay? Mine's lasted 3 litters but I will have to get some more next time.