Dog Whelping

Question
QUESTION: My female weimaraner is getting ready for her first litter and I have everything I believe I need, I have a 4x4 whelping box made of plywood with a door to keep the pups in as they get older, with newspapers in it. I have cottage cheese, yogurt, karo syrup, vanilla ice cream, basket with heating pad if need to separate pups from mom for a while, towels, hemostats, blunt scissors, she is 58 days today and as of yesterday I thought she lost her mucus plug but today there is more clear discharge coming out. She was bred on November 14th so we figured her date at around January 16th, vet has said all is well but my actual vet office is out on weekends just the emergency vet is open. I am just wondering with the loss of mucus plug and more clear discharge is it going to be soon?? She is not giving me any other signs as of yet, but she is wanting to eat grass, i figure to settle her stomach, she did not want her food this morning but took her snacks with no trouble. been taking temp and now three times a day and it is steady at 99.5
thanks for the help

ANSWER: Hi Sue.  Wow, you are doing GREAT.  I'm so happy to read about all your advanced preparations!  Your new mommy to be is very lucky to have you by her side.

It sounds to me like your little girl is very close to her due date.  I am going to attach a great "whelping calendar" to this for you to review.  After opening the website, just type in the date of November 14th at the top, and the calendar will print out a week-by-week list of what to expect and when.  The web address is as follows:

http://www.debbiejensen.com/date.html

It is a good idea to purchase a postal scale and have it handy during the birthing process.  After each puppy is born, and while the mother is preparing to deliver the next puppy, you should weigh each puppy and record it - along with any identifying marks on a piece of paper.  Example: Puppy One - Black with one white paw - weight 13-oz.  Then place the puppy in the laundry basket on top of the towel covered heating pad you have prepared.  This will give the puppy a safe and warm place to stay while the mommy is busy delivering the next puppy.

Each day, at the same time, weigh the puppies and record.  If the puppies are gaining weight, all is well.  As long as the puppies are gaining weight and the mother is taking care of them, I strongly suggest that they be left alone -  Let mommy be the mommy.  

Some new mothers can become stressed over too much help, and or activity.  Stress can cause a number of problems such as;  rejection of the litter, and or loss of milk.

However, if you discover that one or more of the puppies are not gaining, or in fact is losing weight, then it will be time to offer supplemental feedings.

I suggest K-9 Gold for supplemental feedings, and I also suggest adding a scoop to the mothers food each day.  

Good luck, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have additional questions.

Sincerely,
Penny DiLoreto
www.puppies-dot-com.com



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Penny I have another question? Julie is still having the gel like substance coming out she seems to be doing well, she is still eating, she is licking her vulva more, but to me she is not really nesting or trying to, she which is 2 and a half has been sleeping with us since she was 8 weeks old and our male is 4 and has been sleeping with us since he was 12 weeks old. We do not have our male in the same room now he has been out for a couple weeks and he is not happy at all :( but anyway my female like i said does not seem to be nesting she will scratch in my bed and then lay down but will not get in her whelping box since i put the newspapers in there. Plus our bedroom is right by our living room and she is always jumpy with noise always has been, could this prolong the labor process...

ANSWER: Hi Sue.  I have read cases where a female dog can prolong her labor if she is under stress, (such as her owners being away on vacation, moving to a new home, etc.)  However, I don't think your little girl is really under any stress.

I would take the news papers out of her whelping box and put in some towels and possibly a blanket that she had been sleeping on in the past (one that has her, and your, scent on it.   Having your scent will help her relax and possibly settle down in her new sleeping area.

If you could move her box to a quieter area that might also help.  I suggest that, if possible, you could purchase a wooden child gate (from Wall-Mart or Target) for around $10.00  Put the whelping box in your closet, bathroom, etc and then install the child gate in the doorway.  This way you can see in and she can see out.  This will stop her from jumping out of the room, and eventually she will settle down.  Of course you will need to let her out to stretch her legs and go potty but for most of the time, I suggest that you keep her in the whelping area.

Good luck, and please keep in touch.  I look forward to receiving photo's of the new puppies when they arrive.

Sincerely,
Penny DiLoreto
www.puppies-dot-com.com




---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Penny thanks for replying so fast. And this is kinda funny but not..I have a baby gate it is used for my 20 month old nephew we block off the kitchen with it when he is here but my female still jumps the gate even this far along in pregnancy. And I wish that my bathrooms or closet was big enough LOL...I have a full basement and it is partailly finished but there is no heat down there and I am afraid it would be way to cold. And she does not like to be out of our sight of course..I have to lay in the bedroom with her or she just whines at the door until i let her out.. To get her to lay in the whelping box I have had to lay in there with her. I just wonder if she is loved to much.LOL maybe a little spoiled....Thanks for everything. I will try the gate at our bedroom door just to see if maybe she will stay in the bedroom...

Answer
Hi Sue.  That is funny.  But I have to admit that I have a 4 month old Boston that only weighs 6 lbs.  Anyway, he is so spoiled and cries every time I leave the room and he can't come with me.  He goes every where I go and I even have a special car seat for him.  the only place I don't take him is with me to the grocery store - only because they frown on pets in the store.  My husband just shakes his head (lol)  

Sincerely,
Penny DiLoreto
www.puppies-dot-com.com