Hi Peeps - I have just had my 2.5yr old bitch second scan and we are going to have 4-6 puppies we hope. So a couple of questions to you WISE OWLS out there.
1) The vet have prescribed Panacur 22.2% (4.5g) i/3rd of a sachet per day from day 40. The breeder who performed my scan said her dog have liver failure because of this and lost her litter, do not give to pregnant dogs and that it is not licensed for use in the USA. Very confused firstly should I and secondly is this the correct strength as some of you are talking 10%? 

2) So I see Dopram is a good idea and some RC Puppy milk. I am also going to buy a whelping kit with bulb syringe and tummy button clips etc - is this recommended?

3) I have her whelping box already and she is sleeping in her bed in it mostly during the day (she is 5 weeks) - anything else I should be doing?

Thank you

I have used Panacur 10% liquid for many litters.  I have the smallest of breeds and have never, ever had a problem.  (I'm not the only experienced breeder to say this.)

The dose given to the bitch from day 40 is actually a quarter of the normal adult dose.  Although I worm my bitches prior to mating, this is not enough.  Because it is the pregnancy hormones that wake up those encysted worms, which would mean that your pups are then full of worms.  Using Panacur 10% the pups will be born 98% worm free, so all they have to do is thrive.

It's important to remember that this was the only drug licensed for use on pregnant bitches for a long time.  It has been tested at many times the normal dose with no ill effects.  Your pups will be wormed with Panacur at 14 days, and they are dosed for 3 days.  Remember to really study the information given.  You need to be sure that you are competent to be sure you give the correct dose.  I have pups weighing 2 ounces at birth so need to be meticulous at 14 days, as some only need a 0.02 dose.  Mum will be wormed at the same time, but only on day one, as she then has a normal adult dose.

This forum has members with widely differing views, and we are all entitled to our own opinion.  By the way, I buy my Panacur 10% online, you will find this much cheaper than buying from your vet.  I use hyperdrug for mine.

Tummy button clips I've never used.  Most of the time your bitch will handle the job herself.  She tears the umbilical cord with her teeth.  So, if you have to do the job yourself tear it.  You can always tie off with dental floss if it is really necessary.  I've never used a bulb syringe either, but I have always cleared airways in the same way that you do with a lamb.  I buy my Dopram from hyperdrug too.  I have only needed to use it a couple of times (the pup needs to have taken its first gasp before it is used.)  I would rather throw it in the bin unopened than not have it ready just in case.

When she whelps she may not want to use her whelping box!  So be prepared.  :-)  Good Luck!

Hi Jean thank you so much for that comprehensive reply. The vet already prescribed Panacur granules 22.2 % w/w (4.5g) sachet and said she needed a quarter of a sachet which is useless info as what is a quarter of a sachet look like! I already have this product but wish I had the liquid now but there was none available. I paid £30 so will have to use it - i will try to weigh it out.

On another note this breeder also suggested calcium supplement as she said the bitch can get a problem with her milk if she is too low on calcium - your thoughts please?

Personally, I don't use Panacur during pregnancy.  It's not recommended for that use in the USA and in other European countries is only recommended if the bitch hasn't been wormed frequently during her life time.  I wouldn't risk putting any chemicals into a pregnant bitch, at all - unless she was a stray off the streets, or I knew she had previously been and would therefore be likely to have a heavy worm burden.

I've never had a problem not worming during pregnancy and have not seen any worms in pups when they are first wormed at 3wks.

She is wormed every 3 months through our vet plan?

Our bitches were wormed just before being mated.   Never have I wormed a pregnant bitch.   They were wormed again when the puppies were first wormed, at 2 weeks.   We have never seen worms after worming our litters at 2 weeks (and every 2 weeks up to the time they went home), apart from the first 'litter' which was a singleton pup who produced a horrendous amount of round worms when first wormed (I couldn't face spaghetti for years after that) BUT mum wasn't wormed prior to being mated.   I was such a novice the first time!

I'm not saying anything other than this is what I did.   We all have our own ideas, clearly!

I do as MamaBas - worm when dog first comes into season and then not again until pups are 3wks old, when I worm both mum and pups.

As has been said we all have different methods and I have always followed the worming regime from day 40 but with panacur liguid. Then from 2 weeks for pups and Mum.
I am a bit concerned as have mated a bitch 3 weeks ago, waiting to find out, and have heard panacur liquid difficult to get hold of?

Another one here. I worm at time of mating and then when pups are 3 weeks. I never use Panacure as I know breeders that have lost litters to it, I use Drontal.

> On another note this breeder also suggested calcium supplement as she said the bitch can get a problem with her milk if she is too low on calcium - your thoughts please?

Again   - we all have our own preferred methods.  In 40 plus years I have never used a supplement of any kind.  I feed a grain free diet and my bitches get any extra nutrients after whelping from the fish.  I feed whelped bitches to demand.

I used drontal puppy one too from day 40. No worms at all

>On another note this breeder also suggested calcium supplement as she said the bitch can get a problem with her milk if she is too low on calcium - your thoughts please?

Oh gosh I missed this - whatever you do, do NOT give calcium during pregnancy or before whelping!!!  You can cause eclampsia, which is life-threatening.  Google it.  Calcium is excellent after whelping to *prevent* eclampsia at that time - and can even be given after each pup has been delivered, but no earlier.  It's to do with the supply and demand of calcium for lactation.