First litter ever... need advice please...!
 

Bo is due June 19th. X-rays show three pups (see pic - aren't they cute already...?! ;)). I know the first few days are crucial...

And I also know I'll need a whelping box. Unfortunately, I don't have a room I can keep heated at 80°. Is it better to get a heat lamp or a heating pad to put under the box?

I'll get new surgical scissors, dental floss, lots of clean towels and blankets, whelping pads, a bulb syringe, a digital scale, rubbing alcohol, betadine.

What else will I need?

Bo and her little ones will be very grateful for all your advice and suggestions.

Linda :)

These are the websites that I found very helpful:
Besides YorkieTalk!!!
http://www.debbiejensen.com/
http://members.cox.net/jrogan/puppybirth.html
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/whelping.htm
http://www.homestead.com/malteseluv/whelping1.html
http://www.homestead.com/malteseluv/WhelpingInfo.html

Those pics are amazing!! You must be soooo excited!!! Almost better than Christmas!

I'll bet you are really excited! That's so neat! Praying all goes well.

Excited doesn't quite describe my state of mind right now...!!!!!!

In fact, it's just about my only subject of conversation these days...!

I think people around me (especially at work) all think I'm a little daft... LOL Seems not everyone is a Yorkie lover like us...;)

She was lying in the bed next to me last night and I had my hand on her belly... and I'm telling you, they were having a hell of a party in there...!!! I have three kids of my own and I swear feeling these little pups move was just as wonderful as when I felt my own babies... :)

Thank you for the links...! I'll make sure to check them out first thing tomorrow...

Linda, Bo and ???

They were having a soccer game in their.
I remember feeling Lexi's Belly every night & every morning for about 2 wks before her due date.
When we went in for the X-ray at 55 days - I told the Vet she was having 4 pups cause that is what I felt in her belly.
I was right about the 4 puppies. I even told him there was one larger than the others - thats Butterball.
they will be 6 wks old tomorrow

I don't have any advice for you but I can't wait to see pics of the babies. Is she having 3 or 4- I counted 3 but it kinda looked like a 4th in the left lower corner. Good luck!

Your pups are beautiful!

That is just beautiful!! I've never seen an xray of a doggie mama!!! Thanks for sharing that! I would also feel like I was the one having them!! And I'd be a wreck, AND that would be my only topic! Hahah! I understand....lol
Oh and sorry I can't tell ya what else to get but you have some good links ;)

Your pups are precious miracles! Can't wait to greet them on the outside :)

Good luck. My best piece of advice is to try your hardest to stay calm and be sure to keep your vet alerted in case you have to make a midnight run to the hospital maternity ward. I did with Chattie -- :lol tears Chattie was doing fine, I was freaking out -- so off to the vet we went. Besides that I LOVE MY VET(S)!

They are truly adorable... Butterball is easy to recognize... ;)

I just hope mine are as cute... :)

THANK YOU so much for the super links... even though some of the things in there are a little scary, I feel so much better being aware of all this stuff and knowing what to look for and what I can do in all kinds of situations.

I now have a super long list of things to get... good thing I like shopping... LOL

I will keep you posted.

Thanks again :thumbs up

The vets definitely said three... and we can see only three on there. The one you're talking about, lower left, is the third. The one we can see most clearly is the one on the right... like it's lying on its back with its little forepaws sticking up... :)

Then, there's the one in the middle, upside down, and the one on the left, which is hardest to see, also upside down...

The vet told me that a fourth pup could be hiding behind the three we see on the x-ray, but that seldom happens. In any event, we're getting another x-ray taken around day 59 to make sure pups are not too large and everything is OK for natural birth... I guess that's when we'll find out for sure if there's a fourth.

Wish us luck...! :)

Linda, Bo, maybe Jasmine and ??

I forgot to ask... on the picture, which are boys or girls? Do you have names for all of them? Butterball is such a cool name...!

At the risk of repeating myself... they're so darned CUTE...!!

you don't need surgical scissors. you need a pair of childs blunt scissors to cut the cords with and you need a pair of hemostats to clamp the cord off before you cut it. my child's scissors didn't work very well tho. Also be careful of the blanketss. the puppiess can get hid under them and mom will be frantic searching for them. all I put in my box is a pish pad. i throw a hand towel in there three or four days ahead of time so i can tell when she goes to digging her little nest. i also don't use iodinee on the cords. some do and some don't. don't make it any harder on yourself than what you really need to. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!

I think they are Precious!
2 girls on the left & 2 boys on the right in the picture
Lil Bit
Twinkle Toes
ButterBall
Scruffy Jr

Thank you Dee!

About the scissors, I was afraid that children's scissors wouldn't cut well enough. I was thinking of getting a small pair of surgicals and I think they make some with blunt ends. I just want to make sure they cut well. As for the blankets and towels, I was thinking more about using them during the whelping. I wouldn't leave too many in there afterwards... much too scared of the puppies getting smothered...!

You should see my list... maybe I have too much, but I so want everything to go well...

Here's a great link for all your whelping supplies recommended: http://www.debbiejensen.com/umbilic_cord.html
Good luck with the first litter!!!

Delores is right you really don't need surgical scissors. In fact if you have nails it is best to shred the cords with your nails. It alot more similar to the action of Mom's teeth. Most of the time the mom will do the cutting. I simply hod between the base of the cord and where I want her to sever it so that she doesn't get too close. The rougher the cut, the faster the clot.

Oh, I didn't know that...!!! But aren't nails... dirty...?:eek:

I guess it would be OK if I were to disinfect my hands with rubbing alcohol regularly throughout the procedure? They'll be all chapped and dry afterwards, but who cares...?? ;)

Congratulations and good luck. I love the pictures you posted! :thumbup:

Keep us posted! Have you decided what to do about a whelping box?

That is all so exciting! You are so lucky! I am thinking of breeding my girl if she turns out to be a good health grown up exactly because of that. It must be so exciting having new babies! But there is so much that goes into it and I really want to be responsible about it too so please keep us posted with how things go. I'm trying to learn everything I can so that I can really make an educated decision. Good Luck!! :)

the whole point of the child's scissors is to kind of shred the cord as it cuts but it seems to take too long to me.

Just wash your hands well (sing happy birthday) and use a neil brush. After the cord is shredded put a bit of iodine on it. Iodine will kill any germs and aid in the drying up of the cord. I wouldn't worry overmuch, mom is going to lick it anyway.

I read on one of those links that eaglez sent me that putting iodine on it will, in fact, prevent mom from licking it...

I use gloves when I deliver my pups now, when I first started I didn't. And I agree, I like to also tear the cord because it doesn't seem to bleed as bad if you do this or as Dee was saying the scissors that aren't sharp work. And if you have retained placenta you can clamp it with a hemostat so it won't go back up in her, so you can concentrate on the pup. I also have Calsorb on hand, it is great to give the mom when she is starting contractions and often they get tired and the contractions are not strong and if you give calsorb it will give her a boost on her contractions. NutriCal is great to keep their energy level up.
If you don't have a room that you can keep warmer, I always use a pet taxi that is big enough for mom and pups and I cover it with a blanket and it will incubate it nicely without any added heat source such as a heat lamp or heating pad. The moms like the den like atmosphere, they need to feel their pups are safely in the den away from the activity.
So beside your is a great place, I keep a flashlight handy for the night time.
Good luck and looking forward to hearing your litter announcement.
You are welcome to PM me anytime.

Deana

Iodine never stopped my dogs from licking. Licking won't hurt, it's natural. Just don't let mom get carried away and irritate it. You should have some Esbilac on hand so just give mom a bit if she seems to be getting tired. It will boost her energy, provide nutrients and calories, and supply calcium for optimum muscle function.

Deanna, where do you find the Calsorb? that's something I cannot find in my area. Thanks

Dee or should I call you Delores?,
Here is the link to order some.

I have a litter now that would have been a Csection had I not calsorb on hand. :)

http://www.revivalanimal.com/product...242&ss=calsorb

Deana

doesn't matter what you call me. people on here are the only ones that call me Dee besides my deceased father. someone from YT called the other day about the babies and assked for Dee and my hubby told them no one lives here by that name LOL. Thanks for the link