Sorry if this topic has been covered, but getting everything ready for my bitches first litter. Do you think that the pads you put into the microwave are just as good, cos they are cheaper than the electric ones.?. She is not a very big dog and has been scanned which showed 4 pups and I know that the microwave pads are not very big. Has anybody used them in the whelping box and what did you think of them. Many thanks for any replies.

I have used both m/wave heatpad & electric heatpad and would recommend the electric heatpad because it is on permanently and you don't have to keep remembering to heat it in the m/wave which with looking after mum & pups along with telephone calls/emails, people visiting it can easily be forgotten.  Although the m/wave heatpad is supposed to stay warm for 12 hours it usually had cooled down after 7-8 hrs so there is no constant heat and also because it is higher than the electric pad the pups can easily fall off it.  I am only saying this because when I used it with my 1st litter, i had problems with one of my little boys and mainly because he had got cold although the pups are kept in my house.  Good Luck with your 1st litter, it is so exciting!

i use  petnap  heat pad  brilliant!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.petnap.co.uk/acatalog/product_Information.html

I use the microwave one in a box when taking pups to vet, but it isn't warm long enough for my liking.  I used an expensive, wipe clean, vinyl covered one for a couple of litters, until it got chewed!  Emergency cut out, but a bit too dear to keep replacing.  Now using petnap, and so far very pleased.

Definately only use electric heat pads, micro ones just arnt up to the job. You wouldnt want to risk chilled puppies, they cool far to quickly and arnt at a constant level.

If you are using a cardboard whelping box you could make an + mark with a stanley knife at the bottom of the back of the box. This way you can pass the plug and cable through it, close it the hole again once passed through and the pups/mum cant get the cable and chew it.

However this time round Im using a linkabord plastic box. So not sure how Im going to hide the cable, might have to make a hole in the base or something.

But yes, the electric pads are far better for the pups than the microwave ones

hi i got my heat pad from an ebay shop called petnap it also has a in car charger and a protected cable that is in the whelping box and it comes with a washable cover aswell it was only 12.99 i found it to be a god send as when my pups were first born they were very cold and the heat pad did just the trick.