first time breeder... doing my research
 

well i have decided to try my hand at breeding. i have been doing research for quite a few months now and decided that it would be worth a try. both my male and female have been seen by a vet and an experienced breeder (the males breeder). Pebbles (my female) has now gone into heat so the time is soon! im excited and a little nervous at the same time. although the breeding hasnt accured yet i still want to make sure ill have everything i need. so.. my question is.... what are the things that you consider a MUST HAVE during the breeding, pregnancy, and whelping?

as soon as you start breeding you need to put your female on calcuim and puppy food.

yeah i've been reading alot about vitamin supliments and diets for pregnant females, but is there a specific kind u prefer over another?

This actually may not be a good idea. There are several threads on YT and breeders and vets who say you should not give calcium before whelping as it could cause eclampsia. Once the pups are born you then give the dam some calcium. Giving calcium before whelp can actually stop your bitch from making her own calcium naturally, then she can be very pre-disposed to eclampsia issues. If you do give her calcium, I would only give her a very small amount. Puppy food itself should have enough calcium in it.
Puppy food is a great idea, they need the extra nutrition, so once they are bred start her on a good quality puppy food.

Here are some things I like to keep handy for an upcoming pregnancy....

Whelping box
Scale to weigh puppies in, it needs to measure in lbs and ounces.
Thermometer
Stethoscope
Towels
Gloves
Blankets
Nose Aspirator/bulb syringe that is for babies
Umbilical cord scissors
KY jelly/lubricant
Hemostats or dental floss for tying off umbilical cord
Puppy milk replacer
Puppy nursing kit with bottles, make sure the nipples are really small
Nutri drops to help keep mom's energy up and for a new born pup who made need the boost
BeneBac Gel to give to a fading puppy and to help mom out
Feeding syringe and feeding tube
Iodine prep pads
Alcohol prep pads
Heating source, I use Snuggle Safe, a disc you put in the microwave that stays warm for several hours
Pen and paper to record weights of puppies
Cottage cheese or vanilla ice cream to give to mom after whelp
Pedialyte for mom to keep her hydrated
Vet's number on hand

It seems like a lot of stuff to have on hand but I like to be prepared for any situation and you never know when you will need it.

Hope this helps some!!:animal-pa

NO calcium during pregnancy , just puppy food .

Do not put your girl on any form of calcuim until she whelps. The above list of suppies pretty much summed up what you will need (and a lot of things you will buy but never use). A good website is www.debbiejensen.com

Thanks so much....I really thought that you had to start them on calcuim. This is my first time breeding and that is what I have been told from another breeder. Thanks for the info

this is her 2nd heat at least right? If so, good luck...

This is what I have whelping wise..
12 new bath clothes-not smooth flat ones, I want friction when stimulate puppies and a good grip. I get new ones for each birth, no washing for me.

baby wipes for hands
iodine
calsorb
lactated ringers
syringes, needles
delee mucous trap (love it)
2 hemostats
pee pads
non waxed dental floss
oxytocin
bulb syringe
ky jelly
surgical gloves
nutristat

that's all I can think of now, but there's more. These are my basics for whelping

Breeding, antibiotic ointment for male after breeding and a treat. Always supervise, I hold them on my lap after the tie.

I always keep Cal-Sorb on hand. If your female every gets eclampsia, this product is very fast acting and will bring them out of it in a few minutes. Also, some breeders give small amounts of Cal-Sorb to help with the deliver of the pups. I also always keep Fish-Mox (amoxicillin) on hand in case bitch starts showing early signs of mastitis. I get these products from Revival Animal Health Products and Revival will provided directions on how to mix the Fish-Mox.

That's true, an antibiotic on hand for breeders is good. Especially until we can get them to a vet.

Sometimes after a bitch has puppies she might start get a slight uterine infection and she will start running a temperature. I always monitor the moms temperature for the first week after they deliver pups. If the temperature goes over 103 I start giving them amoxicillin and monitor very closely. For those that are not experienced breeders, if possible get a mentor that lives nearby or be prepared to contact your vet at the first sign of trouble.

To prevent eclampcia I alway give Doc Roy's Healthy Bones (from Revival). I give 1/2 tab in morning and 1/2 at bedtime with final meal. It is important to feed mom lots of quality food (I feed Chicken Soup Puppy mixed with Pedigree Lamb and Rice puppy food). They also have access to dry food. I feed mine around 7 a.m., 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. I have discovered the last feeding is very important because from what I experienced in the past that most episodes of eclampsia occur in the morning and this is because them mom has been laying all night with the babies just sucking away on her and that is when she is most likely going to get calcium drain. Also, most of the mommas are at greater risk for eclampsia when the puppies are 2 to 4 weeks old.

How old is your male and female and what size are they? My advise as far as breeding is concerned is do not leave the male and female together unsupervised. Keep them apart until about the 9th day of the females heat then put them together. If the female does not appear ready then, separate them after about 1 hour and try again later or the next day. Are they both inexperienced? Lets us know how things go.

of course! i forgot to put that! this is her second heat and shes a 16 Months old and weighs almost 6 pounds. the male is slightly smaller than her and will be 2 years old in may.

during the whelping i will hopefully have a friend there who is a vet tech... which gives me a little peice of mind.. but also have a breeder on call in case i need any over the phone information.







thank you all for all of this information! some of it is obvious stuff but theres also some things i wouldnt even have thouht of! books can only give you so much information, personal experience is much better.

I recommend keeping cal-sorb, and nursemate asap both available thru revival animal's website. The nursemate is great for newborns who are small and need supplimenting. Aslo deb jensons web site previously posted by sugars mom is a great resource. Just remember research and research and research again. No question is a stupid one ask until you find the answer your females depend on you. Make sure you get your breeding stock tested before jumping into to it. I suggest keeping atleast 3000.00 on hand or available on a credit card for emergencies, I can tell you my last emergency c-section ran 2200.00 for that after hours vet bill. Good luck!