Any advice on large litters??
 

Does anybody have any advice for large litters? I have 2 litters of 6 puppies each. These are my first pups and I am shocked at the litter size. I did the vita drops right away. I know to make sure mom has plenty to eat and drink, both moms love their calcum and vitamins (multi vitamin) Babies are keept warm with heating pad under whelping box. Moms wont keep anything on the babies for id. What can I use to mark the pups?? I was going to mark the ones I see eating so I know they are all being fed and latching on (I am sure I have seen them all latch but, I want to keep track and make sure)the size of the pups, Jasmines litter 6.42,6.35,5.64,5.71,5.82 and 6.21 seems to be some huge babies but they all look really good and healthy.:D. Tiffanys litter (these ones are tiny and make me worry a bit more) 4.06,3.84,3.35,2.4,2.82, and 2.79. they seem sooo tiny :eek: we were only expecting 4 with Tiffany and we knew Jasmine would be 5 and a possibility of 6.
Thank you for advice, words of encouragement are good too.

Are you feeding mommas the whelping pudding? Make sure they are all latching on. You might have to pull some away and put one at a time up their to ensure all are latching on. I think you are doing well. Keep giving mommas the calcium supplements and make sure they are eating 4-5 meals a day.

They LOVE the whelping pudding:D
Do you have any advice on how to ID them? I have tried fleece collers and mommas said "no way" and started trying to rip them off. I was thinking marker or nail polish on the ear or foot but, I don't know about the fumes? I know the Jasmines have all been eating well. I am just worried about Tiffanys with such small pups, also how do I move the larger (piggy) puppy away, I did that and of course momma was not happy and wanted to get up and have him back? Would it be safe to bring that puppy to another room while I work with the others to make sure they are all eating? Of course we will have a heating pad ready and my daughter (17) will keep a watchful eye on him:)

I wouldn't take puppies in another room, I always get in the box with momma and make sure she can still see the one I pull away, keep in her site. I don't use ID, I have always been able to tell the difference. I would not use polish at all. Someone will have more advice on the ID part for you.

ok, Thank you, I am already starting to figure out who is who, I do get in the box with her, should I place him up near her face? maybe then she will not get so currious and still stay relaxed for me to work with the others?

What about a litte food coloring in the ear? You would have to do it every few days I would think. If mom licked it I don't think it would hurt her.

That sounds like a good idea. think I need to try it

LOL that is a LOT of puppies, I am going crazy with 5, I can't inmagine 12..:p:p I did the felt collars and it worked fine, you just have to be careful they don't get too tight. make sure mamas get those extra meals specially the one before bedtime, with a serving of whelping pudding or the calcium pill. Best of luck with the pups .. and again congratulations..also the scrambled egg every day is a must...

My mentor never told me about the scrambled eggs.. Good idea. I will start them in the morn. O boy I have my hands full and it has just begun:) Non stop worries and of course I finally got the laundry caught up. So far they are all doing good and I know for sure now that they have all latched on (a good sign and a lil relief -sigh, breathing again-) Thanks to everyone that has been here for me and a special thank you to Carmen when I was not able to contact my mentor:thumbup:

Calcium is a must with litters of this size. Whelping pudding, cottage cheese. Calcium pills should be administered according to weight.

To keep eclampsia at bay, so it never comes at all… forget everything about giving tums, cottage cheese, cheese, icecream.. etc. It’s useless. The body needs the calcium to be delivered with the correct ratio of Vit D and Phosphorus or it doesn’t absorb it, it’s useless. Pet Cal has this correct ratio. Another thing that has it is, believe it or not.. a scrambled whole egg! Of course everyone knows not to start calcium until the litter is whelped.. no giving it to PG bitches… I do give some calsorb during whelping If things slow down on a larger litter, but never before whelping. Make it a general practice to scramble your bitch an egg every day, and depending on weight, give ½ to a whole pet tab per day. I gave it to a 8 lb bitch ½ in the morning ½ at night…this is the “daily dose” for about a 20 lb dog who was NOT nursing a litter…so just fine for ½ the size, but nursing a litter. I would grind up the pet tab in the food processor and put the powder in the egg when I scrambled it.

Also, check your dog food for Soybeans, soy protein, or anything related to soy in any way. For SOME reason that is not completely understood by me (many menopause supplements contain soy, or are soy based, so this seems to be a contradiction).. soy protein can interfere with the absorption of calcium in dogs. If your food has soy of any sort, change to a food that does not for the duration of the weaning of the litter.

Also, order this and keep it on hand, it could save your girls life.

Oral Cal Plus

I do have the oral cal plus on hand already and my vet gave me the dosages for the pet tabs. Thank you
I am feeding them natural balance along with the whelping pudding and just started the scrambled eggs :) Both mommas are eating really good.

Oh my goodness I'd LOVE to be at your house in about four or five weeks when all 12 are running around playing and fighting and driving you crazy! On id'ing them, what about getting a surgical marker from your vet or your people doctor and marking their tummies or their ears. If it's safe enough to mark the skin for an open incision it should be safe for just writing on them. And congratulations twelve times over!

I wish you were closer, i may need a puppy sitter by then...LOL;)

And a poop picker upper!

Gonna get awfully busy at your house. :)

You are not kidding. I am going to feel like the poop queen..LOL