PREPARING FOR A LITTER

Lessons Learned From A Lifetime Of Whelping

Hello World!

Whelping Bed

Blankets and Rags

Surgical Scissors

Raspberry Leaf Tea

Blue Cohosh

The Concoction!

A Flashlight and a Towel

Wheelbarrow

Denning

Slow Goers

Wait. Weight?

What a Let Down!

Sub Q

A Tube, a Bottle, a Teat - Which is Best?

Mastitis

Room Temperature

Liquid Calcium

Pyometra

Mucus Plug

Ear Temperature

Do the Shuffle!

Stepping In Whelping Book

HELLO WORLD!

Time stood still. I was huddled next to our Whippet, Ember, who was delivering puppies in the 1960s. My father explained patiently and quietly what was happening. He told me about the sack, getting puppies breathing, and making sure they were nursing. A lot has changed since then, and a lot has stayed the same.

I learned both beautiful and hard lessons about whelping when I was a young child. My favourite room in the house was the dog room, especially when there were puppies around. Hour upon hour I sat with, slept, and interacted with the puppies and mother. In that regard, very little has changed. Mentally preparing for puppies is almost as important as being physically ready, with all the latest and greatest supports. Some people’s whelping rooms are better equipped than some vet’s offices, but remember, Man and Dog have been doing this together for tens of thousands of years.

I have mentored many breeders in whelping, and it is one of my greatest joys and an honour that I don’t take for granted. Recently I was at a dog show and there was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier who was a past “client.” I crouched down, flung wide my arms, and called, “Ally!” She molested me with vigour and great wiggling. You see, she and I shared in a prehistoric ritual that has created an interspecies bond, solidifying the man­dog relationship. Imagine those cave dwellers, women and men, so much like us, during whelping. I like to try and picture myself in front of a fire, shadows dancing on the walls, the sound of mother dog panting, and a savoury brew bubbling over the fire, throwing off puffs of aromatic steam.

I wonder if that cave­dwelling woman relied on some of the same herbal remedies I use today?

I wonder if she used blue cohosh, raspberry leaf, arnica or yarrow. Did she employ massage techniques to comfort her companion and cohort until both were in a state of mind that brought about feelings of peace and trust? I like to think that she, or he, did.

Breeders have approximately eight weeks, from the time of breeding, to really prepare for a litter. Over the years, I’ve started my whelping process about a week prior to the delivery date. Getting mom settled in the whelping room and bed helps her to develop comfort with the newness of the situation. This is especially true for first time mothers. Waiting until the last minute can cause mother to be uncertain about where she should be and what she should be doing. By taking those 3­7 days prior, and just sitting in the room and/or the whelping bed, you can settle mother into a routine that you don’t need to disrupt once puppies come.

This practice of setting up well in advance assures that everything is in its place, so that there is less to do and find once puppies start coming.

Every litter is different. Every dam is different. Not everything goes according to plan, but here are some things I do, and items I use, to prepare for most eventualities.

Whelping Bed

How I envy, good­naturedly, the big, fancy whelping bed with a kennel name emblazoned on the inner wall. I love that. But it doesn’t currently work for me. I still find that a kiddie pool is ideal. Here’s why. I can easily move it myself. I can bleach it between litters, and it lasts for many litters. It is easy to store, even in rafters. And if it gets ruined, it is not a pricey item to replace.

Since I spend the first two weeks at the new litter’s side, there is no need for pig rails. I always wonder if pig rails create a false sense of security, as they will do nothing to help a puppy that isn’t under their safety. Some Rhodesian Ridgebacks mothers are not always careful, and pups can fall victim to injury or suffocation from any location in the whelping bed.

Blankets And Rags

I’ve heard of a litter of 22 Rhodesian Ridgeback puppies, though litters typically are around ten. That means at least ten rough rags and at least five blankets or bedding, including one “ripping blanket.”

Having rough rags, such as small towels, can save you a trip to the vet. I’ve assisted in many deliveries where a rough rag, gently placed on an appendage protruding from the birth canal, was sufficient in getting a stuck puppy out. Assuring that no parts are in a bad position (such as front feet forward and head back), grasp the foot or feet with the rough rag while mom is contracting. Don’t pull, just hold so pup doesn’t go back in. On the next contraction, gently move side to side, moving approximately five centimetres to the left and right of centre, and very lightly apply pulling pressure (don’t pull hard) during that contraction. When the contractions stop, just hold the puppy. After several times of doing this, most pups will make their way through.

I set out about four rags at a time on the brim of the pool or wall of the whelping pen. Having them ready to go is especially helpful if you have two pups that come very close together. I generally only use a rag once, and then it goes in the wash. Clean and dry bedding makes everyone feel better. All rags and bedding are washed mildly, sometimes just with borax and a touch of bleach. Never ever use fabric softener on rags or bedding with puppies

During pre­labour many RR moms love to shred bedding. This activity aids in contractions and helps to get mom ready to deliver. I usually put a thicker blanket on the bottom for comfort, and then an old blanket on top for them to shred. Sometimes, I even use my own nails to scratch the blanket to help trigger a shredding response in mom. This can be done well before pups are born and helps accustom mom to the whelping space. I usually have a stack of ten or so blankets ready to go so that I don’t have to wait for a load of laundry to finish before more pups start coming. Regularly washing and replacing the blankets can reduce the risk of the puppies catching a cold, and also helps maintain the hygiene and comfort of the mother.

Oh, these lovely little biting things! A puppy can bleed out in minutes if mom has taken a cord off too short. I use any one of three methods to stop the bleeding. Even if pup is not breathing, stop that bleed first, then work on resuscitation after.

Clamp the hemostat about halfway between the bleed and the body of the puppy. Trim off any excesses on the outside of the hemostat not on the side closest to pup with surgical scissors. After about ten seconds, remove the hemostat. The bleeding should have stopped by then, but if it hasn’t stopped, try one of these two methods. One is to use unwaxed dental floss, even thread, and tie off the cord. Another is to take a dry rag, place it over the bleed, and then pinch hard on the outside of the rag. This will help to crush the end and stop the bleeding.

If all else fails, use a blood stop. I love yarrow (Achillea Millefolium) for this as it quickly clots blood, and it is a natural remedy, so it won’t be harmful to mom if ingested.

There are over­the­counter blood stops, and some people also like to use Silver Nitrate. This works relatively well but will stain your hands a dark brown.

Surgical Scissors

I’m sure it goes without saying that all equipment should be sterilized before use. I like rubbing alcohol in those pump containers for cleaning between puppies.

You might only use surgical scissors once during a whelping, but I always have them on hand.

Raspberry Leaf Tea

Uterine interia happens when the uterus runs out of steam. There are many remedies, medicines, and surgeries (c­section) that can deal with this problem, but I like to use natural remedies as much as possible. I grow my own raspberries, so I dry the leaves, then grind, and store them.

Do not give uterine support prior to first pup being born, forcing premature placenta detachment. If this occurs, pups can bleed out before making it out of the womb and birth canal. Once first pup has arrived, you can offer raspberry leaf tea in water or in the whelping concoction. Just a few tablespoons will give nice support. Store the steeped tea in the fridge. For the preppers out there, you can make the tea well in advance and pour into ice cube trays and freeze it. Use one cube per serving or in water dish.

I have never used oxytocin but know that others have. The risk of fatalities is much higher with this drug, when other options may work just as well, and without the risk. Keep in mind, we produce oxytocin through skin­to­skin contact. That means that by stroking mom’s belly, oxytocin is released naturally.

I spend a large portion of my time in the whelping bed doing this. This is also very comforting to both mom and midwife.

Blue Cohosh

Traditionally known here in Canada as “papoose root,” it is a well­known labour support. Sometimes, I will start off uterine support with Blue Cohosh after first puppy instead of the Raspberry Leaf tea. Then, once all pups have arrived, continue with the raspberry leaf tea to help support the uterus, reduce any associated pain, and help to expel extra debris from the uterus and birth canal.

Scientifically known as Caulophyllum thalictroides, it should not be confused with Black Cohosh.

THE CONCOCTION!

During that week prior to whelping, I take small containers that can be frozen and make up several single serving sizes of my whelping concoction. Use equal parts of pumpkin to yoghurt. Mix well. Add in a small amount of hemp oil, raspberry leaf tea, fennel tea and arnica tea. You may need to offer it several times before mom takes it. For especially finicky mothers, you may need to add some browned meat, not fish, to the concoction.

The pumpkin and yoghurt will help to normalize the gut and prevent diarrhoea that can occur from eating placentas, etc. I have always allowed my girls to perform this function. Sometimes they will vomit them up, so be prepared with a pail next to the whelping bed to be on the safe side. Quickly remove any vomit and remove from the room so that mom doesn’t go back to it to try and eat it.

Hemp oil has restorative or healing properties. No more than a teaspoon per concoction if your dog is not accustomed to it. For those that are on daily doses of hemp oil, you can continue with one tablespoon per concoction.

Fennel must be one of my favourite herbs for dogs, especially for whelping mothers. Imagine having delivered ten puppies, post labour pains, and then gas to top it all off! Fennel is so soothing to the intestinal tract, and it cuts gas. It can also cut gas in puppies, which can be fatal. As an extra bonus, fennel can also aid in milk production.

Arnica tea is used both internally and externally. Only use small amounts internally during labour then no more but do use cooled arnica tea to clean mom’s hind end regularly. This will help mom to heal and feel better. Sometimes, I will even just take a clean rag, absorb the arnica tea, wring out excess moisture, and simply rest it up against her vulva.

A Flashlight And A Towel

Many females like to wait until the wee hours of the night to deliver babies. For this reason, have a flashlight, towel, and leash at the ready. I’ve had more than one puppy decide to arrive in the dead of night, in the yard.

In the event of this happening, quickly wrap the puppy in a towel and return both the mother and puppy to the whelping bed. If required, help with the clean­up process.

Leashing your female is essential, as some females will run off and try to find a place outside to whelp puppies. If you don’t want to be crawling around on your stomach at 3:00 am, a leash is the answer.

Wheelbarrow

Poor positioning of a puppy can hamper the progression of delivery. Taking mom for a walk (with towel, leash, and flashlight) can help to reposition some puppies. In other cases, I’ve relied on the Wheelbarrow method.

A couple of years ago I was at the home of Kirsi Larjava (Ridgefolk RRs), helping with the whelping of her Norfolk Terrier and we were chatting about this method. We’d both learned about it from a popular whelping group here. As Kirsi tells the story, a certain member misunderstood the instructions and was running her full­term pregnant female up and down the hallway, with her butt lifted in the air, for twenty minutes! We had a good chuckle over that. So, that’s how not to do the method. The Wheelbarrow method simply means lifting the rear up off the ground and doing a gentle stretch. You can hold the position for a couple of minutes, and then release. Don’t be afraid to repeat it.

I’ve found this method works well. Just remember to also watch for any signs of distress in case there is another reason that labour has stalled out.

Denning

Some new moms don’t like the feeling of openness and you may need to set up ex­pens around the whelping bed with blankets or sheets draped over the pens and across the top to help mimic a den. Some females can stall their labour until this is done. So, if you have a labour that isn’t progressing, and everything else is in order, consider making a den for the mom. It’s actually very interesting to see how quickly things progress once this is done, if this is the issue affecting the process.

Slow Goers

Some puppies take time to get breathing. During these times a lot of decisions need to be made all at the same time. In these situations, it’s nice to have an extra person nearby. I’m generally the person doing the resuscitation, so the other person takes over the whelping and I will work on the puppy.

Clearing the airway is the first order of business (Unless the puppy has an umbilical bleed as well. In that case, tie off the bleed first). Drag your clean, dry rag down the muzzle and across the nose and mouth, pulling away any external mucus. Listen. Put pup’s nose to your ear. Is there a crackling sound, but pup is breathing? Start vigorous chest rubbing for about ten seconds. Listen again.

Pup may need to be swung; mucus may need to be drawn from the sinuses. Sometimes mother dogs will desperately try to take these pups from you to get them going, so you may need to leave the room with the puppy, or you may wish to let mom try, with cau­ tion. RR moms can sometimes try too hard and end up injuring puppies. Be vigilant, playing close attention to the mannerisms of the mom. Don’t be surprised if mom drops pup from a height. This can get a pup going, if there is not too much mucus in the lungs and sinuses. Generally, though, I don’t allow them to do this.

Sometimes, despite our best efforts, puppies cannot be resuscitated. Be prepared to remove puppy and have a small box, or something similar, where you can place puppy outside of the room. If you are taking puppy in for necropsy, store it in the freezer until you can get to your animal health unit.

With new moms especially, they can become frantic if you try to leave the room with their puppy. Even if it is deceased. In this scenario, take a dirty rag and wrap it around the last living pup born. Take a clean rag and wrap it around the deceased puppy. Hold them to both next to your chest, then give the living puppy in the soiled rag to the mom and hand the deceased pup to your helper, secretly, or quickly step outside the room and place pup in a safe area where other dogs won’t disturb it.

WAIT. WEIGHT?

The very best tool we have at our disposal for determining a pup’s progress is a scale. Pups should be weighed at least once per day until all pups are gaining regularly. This usually happens in about a week, sometimes less. For pups not gaining, discharging milk from the nose, and still raspy sounding in their breathing, be sure to check for a cleft palate. If you have been giving folic acid regularly, chances of midline defects, such as dermoid sinus and cleft palates, are greatly reduced.

Reminder: if pups are gassy, increase fennel tea to mom to help reduce gas in puppies.

In addition to tracking the puppies’ weights, their rate of gain or loss is also monitored and re­ corded. This practice enables the identification of any puppies that may be experiencing difficulties at an early stage.The entire litter will typically drop weight the first day. That is normal. Don’t panic. But after two or three days if gains are not happening, it’s time to look for underlying issues.

WHAT A LET DOWN!

If you have a puppy that’s struggling, never put them on to nurse if let down has not occurred. Sometimes, well­meaning novices will place a weak puppy on mom by itself. This is the worst thing that can be done for the puppy. After the colostrum is finished being produced, mother’s milk comes in. But it is not available to the puppies until “let down” has occurred.

Milk is brought down by the kneading and pulling action you see from puppies. During the kneading phase, no milk is produced. This action burns a lot of calories in puppies, and for weak puppies, it could mark the beginning of the end.

Let your big pups bring down the milk. When let down occurs, the difference is very stark. The pups will lock their forelegs, pull back their heads, tails erect, and gulping sounds occur. This is the time to put that weak puppy on a good nipple. I usually use the second from the back.

As soon as pups start kneading again, take the weak puppy off. Don’t let them burn more calories that they need to.

Sub Q

Dehydration can be a puppy’s worst enemy. Regularly check your pups’ hydration levels by tenting their skin. If it pops back to normal relatively quickly, hydration is sufficient. If the skin stays in a peak, like a tent, then they are dehydrated and in need of immediate support.

Administering subcutaneous fluids is a procedure that most experienced breeders know how to do. If you are not comfortable or experienced doing this, consider bringing in a doggy midwife or taking the affected puppy to a vet.

There are many videos available online if you would like to learn. Consider practicing on one of your adult dogs before trying to do it with a puppy.

A TUBE, A BOTTLE, A TEAT - WHICH IS BEST?

Just as in human babies, puppies’ best source of calories and nutrition is from their mother. Things can happen and sometimes support is needed.

I’ve done both tube and bottle feeding successfully, though I prefer the bottle for a couple of reasons. One reason is that there is less chance of infection or injury. Another is that the pup still must work a little, so it will gain strength and muscles that won’t develop with tube feeding.

As much as possible, try to get puppy back on mom as soon as you can. This will give your pup its best chance going forward.

Mastitis

I try to drill in to all my proteges that if your mother dog develops mastitis, get them to the vet yesterday. Mastitis can have catastrophic effects, even causing death. I’m comfortable doing a lot of home treatments, but this is not one of them. Mastitis can go necrotic very quickly, eating through flesh and leaving huge, gaping wounds, so learn to look for the signs and treat it as early as possible.

A couple of years ago, one of my girls was shivering hard a few days after her puppies were born. Weird, I thought. She looked miserable. I immediately checked all her mammaries and sure enough, I found a hot one.

I immediately start stripping out (manually expressing out the milk/infection) the affected mammary. This is the first thing to do. Then wash with mild soap and water then remove all soap residue by rinsing and wringing your rag regularly.

Do not remove puppies from nursing on the affected mammary. It must be drained of infection regularly and will not harm the puppy. However, I will typically choose two or three of the strongest puppies to help and let the smaller ones nurse on unaffected nipples.

Draw a line around the infected area with a non­toxic marker. If the infection exceeds that circle, off to the vet you go for antibiotics. This is not the time for heroics and home remedies. This is a very serious condition that needs to be halted as soon as possible.

The infection may not be visible to start with, so checking manually is important. If the skin has no change in colour, you’ve caught it early, but continue to check it regularly. If the area turns dark red, that is a big danger warning. The next step, if you do not treat your female with antibiotics, is you will start to see a black area. That is necrosis and you’ve left it too long. Get to the vet immediately or risk a huge vet bill and possibly the loss of your female.

Room Temperature

For the first three days, consider dressing for the beach. The whelping room should be about 25.5 degrees Celsius, or 78 degrees Fahrenheit. I drop it gradually over the next week or two and bring it to a normal room temp of 20 C.

Perhaps even more importantly, avoid drafts. Cold air rushing in that is constantly shifting the room temperature can put pups at risk. Keep visitors to an absolute minimum for the first three days, avoiding opening and closing the whelping room door. If necessary, roll a large towel and place in front of any door that may be allowing cold air in. There are various ways to warm a room or whelping bed. I have a small electric fireplace in the whelping room. Usually, it is sufficient for keeping the room warm, but a couple of alternatives are to place a heating pad or electric blanket underneath your whelping bed. Make sure it does not entirely cover the whelping area as pups will need a place to move to if the temperature gets too warm. Another passive way to heat the space is to take a clean, used jug of some sort, fill with hot water and place one or more inside the whelping bed. Cold pups will gravitate to it, and hot pups will move away. By observing how they react to the heat, you can determine if the room is too hot, too cold, or just right.

I also use large detergent jugs with hot water placed outside, usually in an area where they like to sleep, with the puppies when they start going outside. They have a place to go to warm up if they need to.

Liquid Calcium

For females hit hard with uterine inertia, some people like to use liquid calcium. I have only used it once, but would, with caution, use it again. One of the hardest decisions you will face as a breeder is whether, or not, to take your female in for a c­section. Some people do these routinely, but I like to give the mom the opportunity to do it on her own, provided that neither mom nor pups are in distress.

Because I have limited experience with this supplement, I recommend doing your own research if you wish to add it to your list of whelping items.

Pyometra

One of the main reasons I provide so much uterine support is to help prevent pyometra, or uterine infection. “Pyo”, for short, can claim an unspayed bitch at any time, but they are especially prone to it after breeding or whelping.

Becoming familiar with normal birthing smells can help in early detection of pyo. Check mom’s temperature and discharge regularly. Fever and stinky discharge earn your girl a trip to the vet. But how about doing everything to prevent it to begin with?

Raspberry leaf tea seems like such an innocuous remedy, but it is one of the most reliable treatments for uterine health. Keep that tea coming for the next couple of weeks post­delivery. Knock on wood, I have not had a mom come down with pyo, either my own or the dogs of others whom I’ve assisted.

Mucus Plug

A gross name, for a gross thing, at the beginning of a beautiful experience. The mucus plug is the official barrier between gestating puppies and the outside world. It is thick, whitish, and translucent. During pregnancy, small amounts of mucus can be expelled. These small amounts are nothing to worry about. Pre­labour moves to labour when that plug comes out.

This step can be missed, but don’t worry, there are other signs of labour, such as robust panting.

Ear Temperature

I am constantly checking temperature manually. The quick technique I use is the ear flap temperature check. Flip over mom’s ear and put your inner wrist on the inside of the ear leather. A dog’s body temperature is just slightly higher than ours.

If the ear feels very hot or very cold, time to start checking for a source.

Practice this technique on your other dogs to familiarize yourself with what a normal temperature feels like.

Still use a physical thermometer to get an accurate read if you think something is going amiss, but for those quick checks, use the ear flap method. This can help you to catch conditions such as pyometra and mastitis before they take hold.

DO THE SHUFFLE!

As more pups are born, the risk of getting stepped on increases. Some breeders use a separate box or container to move puppies into. I’ve found, with our breed, the moms don’t really like that. They want to see puppies and if they can’t see them, they can become frantic and halt contractions. Instead, I make a big cirlce with my arms and when the next pup is about to be born, I encircle the delivered puppies and draw them away from mom, so they don’t get stepped on. As soon as that new pup is out, all the other puppies go back to mom. This is much faster than moving pups in and out and helps to keep mom calmer.

Stepping In

I really enjoy watching other breeds deliver puppies. I end up helping a lot with the Ridgebacks because they generally have big litters and are sometimes not particularly graceful with puppies. One of my Whippet breeder friends laughs about how she just sits there and her females do all the work. Some breeds are like that.

Some of my girls can be quite dramatic, and rightfully so, during the first couple of puppies. Sometimes I hold them as they push against my shoulder with their chest, crying out as the first puppy is born. This is normal, though not all dogs do it. Just be prepared that it could happen and don’t panic when it does.

I do open the sack, if not already open, once they are born and wipe clear the face. Mom will be cleaning away afterbirth, etc., hopefully. Keep a close eye on the umbilical cord. Don’t let mom take it off too short. If she’s not interested in cutting the cord, you will have to do it using the hemostat method that I described earlier.

Rub puppy with clean, dry rag to help clear lungs and start the drying process.

You can help the pup latch on to a nipple, but in most cases, they can do it better themselves.

Try to weigh and record birth information as soon as possible after delivery.

Reminder, if you have a puppy that is not breathing and it has an umbilical bleed, stop the bleeding first, then work on reviving the puppy.

Whelping Book

I have a binder for every litter I’ve bred. Every puppy has its own birth page where I record their birth number, time of birth, weight, colour, number of dew claws (I can get rears and sometimes double rears), pattern of white on chest, and other notations.

This notation section is very helpful if any future problems develop. I will note things such as slow start, strong start, raspy noises, listlessness, etc.

I have several blank pages in the binder where I can start taking notes. I usually start note taking from the time I get mom situated in whelping room. This is helpful when you have multiple females that each have their own idiosyncrasies. For example, a female I co­owned with a US breeder had pre labour that lasted for days! Because this was noted, there wasn’t a panic on her next litter when she had another drawn out pre­labour.

As you can see, there are many things to know when whelping. You won’t use every skill in every litter, but it helps to be prepared.

Happy whelping to friends far and wide. May all your litters exceed your expectations!

WRITTEN BY ANDREW H. BRACE