Dose anyone have some advice about heat lamps?infered lamps?  My Labs puppies are due in 2 weeks time, but will be inside in a heated room.

I've got and used a heatlamp through my last 2 litters, I find it very useful, it has a 250w infrared lamp which I leave on for the first couple of weeks over the whelping box, obviously not too close to the pups as it does get very warm!

I wouldn't be without it.

And please make sure that it isn't too hot for the bitch - she can become very distressed if she's uncomfortable near her puppies

I personally prefer heat pads to heat lamps, especially when the puppies and bitch are in a heated room.

I use the microwave bottles that keep warm for up to 12 hours, underneath a piece of vet bed, the puppies will always gravitate towards the warmth if they need it, without the risk of them getting dehydrated by constant heat.

It also gives the bitch somewhere to lay that is not constantly hot.

I also use heat pad with the toys but has you are having Labs and proberly a big litter a lamp would be better for you .

thanks very for the advice,I  will try to find a second hand one.

Layla , why would you want to buy one second hand ? you shouldn't use second hand whelping equipment and more so electrical equipement.

I can't remember the name of the company that sell them at a good price but if someone reads this and they have Dog World or Our Dogs paper the website is in the back pages. Maybe someone could post it.

www.caninekennels.com do very good infrared lamps and a very reasonable price.

Sue

It is on the tip of my tougue something nap is it not..

I am going to have to find a paper !!!

Pam

Petnap??

http://www.petnap.co.uk

Val your a star :-)))))

Hi Layla,

I think it comes down to preference really.

My preference for various reasons is the heat pad, you can get the pups on the heat as soon as they are born ( of course after drying them etc) . The pups can move on and off the heat pad very easily.   I always have a thick bit of vet bed over mine rather than than a thinner bit and have found this to be the best way. I put the heat pad at one side of the box and the mother can go to the opposite side away from the heat if she likes.

I bought and tried the heat lamp recently as a freind favored that method but I only used it for a day and went back to my heat pad. The heat lamp is or would be good for keeping a room a bit warmer or a puppy run etc

The other thing a heat pad is excellent for is if you bitch needed a section etc as they need to be kept warm afterwards and the heat pad underneath them I think get the heat in their body quicker.

Yes thats whey I like heat pads too as the bitch can move off if she too hot but I only have toy breed here I use only 3/4 but dont think a heat pad would be big enough for say a litter of 8/10 labs ?

Not a 100% sure but you get bigger ones and probably the bigger breeds only require the heat for about 1 week were I think smaller breeds require it longer. Not 100% sure though. Maybe someone with a bigger breed can comment. :-)

Thankyou blue and val; I have ordered a petnap heat pad. Al this advice is very useful. Iv decided that as the are  going to be in a centraley heated room with a back up electric heater a pad even a small one will be ok. Well we shall see. thankyou again  layla