female boxer pregnant

Question
QUESTION: Hello,
 My female boxer is finally pregnant but this is our first litter ever. Do we need to feed her anything special? How long is the pregnancy? We have all tile house do we need to make a special place for her? Will the dad boxer fight or bother the liter once they arrive? Boy I'm excited but also scared. Thanks for all your time.

ANSWER: Congratulations on your new upcoming litter. You need lots of advice since this is your first litter :). You will need to make a whelping box, large enough for your girl to raise her pups in, with a 'pig rail' around the inside to help protect them from being laid on. It will need to be in a secluded place, so that she can be undisturbed and feel safe to care for her babies. It will need to be cleaned daily when the pups are tiny and eventually twice daily. You MUST keep your dogs separate during the last week of gestation and while the pups are around. Mom WILL do whatever is necessary to protect her babies from other dogs and yes that includes dad.
63 days from the last tie is considered the length of pregnancy. She will need to be dewormed now and again just before pups are born.
Be sure she , and your male dog are parasite free.
Here's a website that will give you step by step instructions on caring for your bitch during this time and whelping the pups.
You have lots to learn and starting to study and question now is a very positive step.
http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/medical/whelping.html
Hope you find this helpful
Cindi


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QUESTION: Thank you Cindi. I had gone to the vet to ask about her being dewormed and the lady at the desk told us we can NOT have her dewormed until she delivers and is done feeding them. I guess this is not correct? Also her breast are very large and swollen but her belly doesn't seem to be getting bigger is this normal? could it be a fake pregnancy if there is such a thing? Thank you once again for all your time Cindi.

ANSWER: No she was mistaken. She can be dewormed using panacur or safeguard and NEEDS to be.
She could be having a false pregnancy , or she could just have a small litter.Take her to the vet and have her palpated or xrayed to be sure. Better safe than sorry :)
After the pups are born both she and the pups need to be dewormed about every two to three weeks.
Good luck with your girl
Cindi

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QUESTION: Thank you Cindi once again for all your time. We have her appointment tomorrow and it will be with a new vet. I have noticed she is throwing up yellow mucus could this be in relation to morning sickness? Thanks a million Cindi!!!

Answer
You're most welcome. It could be due to morning sickness.
Try feeding her smaller meals more often. Including a snack before bed at night and as soon as she wakes up in the morning

Here's a website you might want to print and send to the lady at the other vet's office. CC it to him as well with a note of the advice that she gave you.
It's the VERY first line of the page.
http://www.hilltopanimalhospital.com/whelping3.htm
We have always dewormed our pregnant ladies every two to three weeks and continued with that program with both pups and moms when the pups are whelped,
Good luck
Cindi