Supplemental Heating

Question
My Boston Terrier had 10 puppies who are now 3 weeks old.  My question is do they still need the supplemental heat from the heating pad that I have under the whelping box?  Everyone is fat and healthy.  My vet says that he has never seen a better looking litter.  All of the puppies are over the 1 lb mark.  The whelping box is an extra large Vari Kennel and it is not subject to drafts.

Answer
Hi Pam. 10, wow! :-) They're at an age where you really don't have to have extra heat. At night, you may want to fill up an empty 2 liter bottle with warm water, wrap it in a towel, and put it in their box just in case they get a tad bit chilly at night. If your box is pretty big, then you can put a couple of bottles in there. They should be able to regulate their own body heat by now, and should be ok without it. You can take the heating pad away and see how they do. If they act cold, or whine, or pile up on top of each other, then you'll know they need some extra heat. Good luck!