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Preparing Your Whelping Kit
Preparing Your Whelping Kit
Car
Have your car ready in case you have to make a quick trip to the vet's office. You may want to have someone to drive while you sit with your female. Take some towels with you because it is very common for a female to begin delivering with the motion of the car. Protect your car's carpeting and upholstery with a sheet or blanket that can be washed. Make sure the car is gassed up and ready to go.
Whelping Box
Make a box with sides large enough for the female to stretch out comfortably. She and the pups will live in the box for the first few weeks. The whelping box should have guard rails extending from the sides and about 2 inches from the bottom to protect the puppies from their mother rolling over on them.
Newspapers
Keep a good supply of newspapers on hand to line the whelping box during the actual whelping. As the papers become messy, you can just put a new layer down and clean the whole thing up when the whelping is over.
Trash Can
Keep a trash can on hand for use during the whelping and while the pups are growing up. Puppies are messy!
Incubator Box
You'll need a smaller box on hand to put the puppies in when Mom is delivering another puppy. You don't want the pups to get cold so line it with a towel and keep it near a heat source or put a heating pad under the towel. A clean laundry basket works well for this and is easy to carry when you need to take the pups to the vet for their first checkup.
Sharp Safety Scissors
For cutting the umbilical cord.
Quick Stop Powder
To stop bleeding, if there is any, after cutting umbilical cord.
Betadine or Iodine
For cleaning umbilical cord end after cut.
Hemostat forceps
For clamping off the umbilical cord before cutting it. You can use two and tear the cord as an alternative to cutting it. This helps inhibit bleeding.
Dental Floss
Used to tie off the umbilical cord after cutting it.
Surgical Gloves
Use if you have to help deliver the puppies.
Digital Thermometer
For checking the female's temperature in the week before her due date.
Bulb Syringe
For helping clear out puppies who are born with problems.
Flashlight
Puppies always seem to come in the middle of the night and if you need to let your female go outside, you'll need to keep a close eye on her. A good strong flashlight will make that easier.
Leash and flat buckle collar
Same reason as above. If you take her out on a leash, she's less likely to disappear into a dark corner and leave a puppy there without your knowledge.
Clock
For timing the whelping and the time between puppies.
Notebook
For recording details.
Rickrack Ribbon or Nail Polish
For identifying puppies. Tie a loose bit around each pups neck when you check them out and weigh them after birth or paint a nail of each pup a different colour. Re-apply every few days.
Food Scale
For weighing the puppies at birth and daily thereafter. See Raising Puppies Guidelines Page
Heating Lamp/Heating Pad
A 100 watt bulb installed with a dimmer switch (the dimmer switch will allow you to control the heat) in one corner of the box will allow puppies to move toward the heat if they are too cool or use a heating pad under towels.
Fan
If the weather is very hot, you should keep a fan on hand. This is more for the mother than the pups. Don't set the fan up to blow directly on the pups but rather to move the air across the top of the whelping box. If the mother is panting a lot in the whelping box once she's finished and has rested, set the fan up so that she can cool down and be comfortable with the puppies.
Whelping Box Pads or Blankets
While the pups are still in the whelping box, you will need to keep a blanket or pad in their box. This pad will need to be changed twice a day or more, depending on how well the dam cleans up after the pups. A piece of fleece with a towel sewn to the back the same size as the whelping box makes a great pad. They can be washed and bleached to keep them clean. Having four on hand will keep you from having to do endless laundry. Don't put these pads in the whelping box until the whelping is over.
Information gathered off the WWW, books and advice./FONT>
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