How to Whelp a Dog Litter with Neonatal Emphasis

This article is meant for people who are serious dog breeders. It requires that you know how to administer the proper drugs / homeopathics if needed during a difficult whelping.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dee Lee Suction catheter
• 20 CC syringe
• Oxytocin
• 1 or 3 leur lock needle
• Dopram
• epinephrine
• Fenugreek
• Black Cohash
• Arnica pellets
• Scissors
• Dental floss
• Strong iodine
• Pet Nutridrops
• 8mm tube feeding syringe from whelpwise.com or revival
• white rags from auto section
• large rubbermaid box for puppies and transport
• auto cigarette lighter adapter
• heat pads non shut off
• hospital pads ( at least 6)
• no spill water dish from catalouges or pet smart
• 36 x 36 puppy playpan from any major catalouge or dog show
• cefalexin
• tums or yougurt
• starter kit from whelpwise.com
• pad of paper to notate times and challenges
• oxygen tank and face mask or small container to place pup with top to cut an x in to put oxygen tubing ( must use heat at all times..oxygen is cold
• nutristat

1. 
    
   Gracie nursing newborns

   Female is exhibiting signs of imminent whelping. Example..temp drop into the 98's, heavy panting, tail sideways, not eating. If not eating days before expected whelp date, have an xray to be sure pups are all calcified..or an ultrasound to check heartbeats. Feed 1 tablespoon of nutristat per 15 pound dog 3 x daily if off food. I use canned Purina dog food or cat food to get my girls to eat.

2. 
    
   Dee lee Suction Catheter

   Female is nesting heavily. At this time, I have my heating pads and heat lamp on over the whelping pen. The hot box for the puppies is stocked with a hospital pad , heat pad, strong iodine in a small bottle, and pet nutridrops. This product is imperative to stimulate pups to drink.
   I also have my rags in both the hot box and the puppy pen..and the dee lee trap hanging over the side of the pen . This contraption is a lifesaver..and easy to use. No more bulb syringes for those of us with breeds who do not like to whelp alone. Suck on one end while inserting the end of the trap into the pups lungs and stomach. You will often get as much as 3 cc of fluid out of one puppy. I do not sling unless I have a gasping puppy. I use teh Woods Methods,which is to push the puppies from front into your hands holding the rear to loosen fluids for the trap to pick up. Then I rag the puppy all over, ears nose and mouth and put in hot box.

3. Cord care. I believe in strong iodine vs novalsan. It dies the cord in one day. If you have to pull the cord and it is bleeding, tie it off with dental floss 1/2" from the body.
   
   No contractions. First line of defense is Black Cohosh. Give one dropper to female and she should contract within minutes. If not, then give 1/2 cc of Oxytocin if you KNOW the puppy is in the canal. If it is not, then give 1 tums or calsorb. Calsorb will make your female vomit, but it induces contractions. Be sure your food is at least 26% protien or she will not be able to contract properly and your csection rate will skyrocket.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a puppy who is stuck, use your finger to help ring a contraction. Use your finger ringing around the puppy and once it gets close enough, open the sack so it can breathe and pull it out yourself.
• Do not allow more than 2 hours to go between puppies. Examine the vaginal tract and if there is no puppy in the canal then call your vet after 2 hours. Be sure you contact your vet if there is over 2 hours between pups. He may ask you to come in for a csection.
• Do not allow your bitch to go past her due dates by 3 days or she may absorb the puppies.
• If your female looks like she is losing her mid section about 38 to 40 days, have a progesterone test done. If her numbers are at 10.0 or below, you must suppliment with oil progesterone or you may lose your litter. See you vet for the injectible type, with instructions on when to withdraw her off it. My girls come off 72 hours before EWD. It is for this reason I reccomend an ultrasound at this time to be sure there are still heartbeats. I am not a vet..however, I have been trained by some of the very best. Your vet is your first line of defense. This article is for addtl help only.
• Post whelping Mom and puppy care. Clean your puppy pen and be sure you use a product like clorhexidine or novalsan. Both of these products can be used on and in the animal if diluted...so this is a safe way to clean a cage. Be sure there is no ability to have a draft affect the puppies..or they may fade or die from being too cold. I leave the blanket over the pen and a corner for the heat lamp for 24 hours to warm my pups. Then I simply use 2 hospital pads and a heat pad on low. Be sure your heat pad is non auto shut off!
• Pain post whelping. Use an antinflammatory like Metacam to be sure the female does not develop mastitis. You can use Arnica pills as well for pain. They can be found at your health food store.
• Give 1/2 calcium Tums 2x a day and you should not get eclampsia. The amount is dependent on the dog. Mine are toys..if you have bigger dogs, use more calcium. I remove calcium once the pups are weaned, as eclampsia can occur any time during mothering the pups.
• If the Mom has no milk, buy Fenugreek liquid and it will come in right away. If not, ask your vet for REGLAN. Talk to your vet about dosage.
• How to know if you are in trouble. Bitch does not present a puppy after 2 hours from the first. Assess and call your vet. Sack is hanging out but no puppy presents...call your vet for advice on how to use Oxytocin to produce the puppy. A sack means a puppy! You also may have to pull your puppy out. Assist from rimming the puppy and pushing from underneath to help her contract harder to push the puppy out. If the sack breaks, you best have your puppys nose out of the canal or he/she will drown.
• Clean / bath your bitch immediately post whelping. Not only will she feel good, but the fluids from the vagina can kill a puppy with drowning or ecoli. Dry her thoroughly before putting back in pen. Use your white rags every time your mom comes in and out to assess color, magnitude of discharge etc. Keep your bitch on cefalexin for 10 days post whelping to dry the fluids up. If fluids are ultra bad, ask your vet if Baytril is in order.
• Have on hand for puppies as neonates: amoxil drops and lincocin. Lincocin will dry up a raspy pup or ecoli if the pup is engorging himself and gets diahreah. Amoxil drops are for weak pups.
• Be sure to ALWAYS have oxygen on hand. This is a major life saver. If the puppy is white or purple..you must use the oxygen to aid in it's breathing. Assess why the puppy is the color it is . Be sure you have heat on the puppy, as oxygen is cold. Call your vet for use of dopram if the puppy is gasping , and epinephrine if the pup has a weak heart. I repeat..I am not a vet. Please consult with your about the contents in this article. However, I have worked with Dr. William Truesdale , Dr. Bev Brimicomb , Dr. Bob Irelan and Dr. Billy Berry. Each of these vets are experts in reproduction. If I can help one person reduce stress and save a life..then this article will have been worth writing.

[ppedigo69207]

on 11/22/2008 This is an incredibly informative article.