[doganjo]

Maybe watch putting a heat pad in with older puppies - from 4 weeks on they are chewing things like crazy. 

What is the bulb pipette for?  I got you some baby feeding bottles if it's for top up feeding.  I don't tie the cords, best the bitch does it, so I don't use a clamp, but I know Liz does. Pads I guess are to help train the puppies to wee on there instead of their beds?  I use newspaper but the pads are impregnated with something to encourage them I think.  I believe they work quite well.

What are the coloured ties for? 

[sandy]

THe bulb pipet is for clearing any nose or mouths, as she is having a lot of puppies she may need some help clearing their mouths and noses, better safe than sorry, we intend to have pups again so I need most of the  kit.
The pads are for her to have her pups on, they are more absorbant than newspaper, I don't intend to use them for the pupies when they are older, just the first weeks/days in the box. The ties and for me to monitor them...anyway, I am happy with the stuff I have, I like to be prepared.

[doganjo]

Just didn't occur to me you'd need some way to identify them!  They'll all be black!!!  Duh!!!
I must admit I've never had a problem clearing mucus if they are born naturally, but you are right, better safe than sorry.  What you will need is pieces of towelling to hold the pups as they are born because they are very slippery.  Remember to count the placentas, and if she has 10 or 11, don't let her eat them all or she will have diarrhoea for weeks.   She will need some of them though for instant energy.  I expect Beccy will keep you right as she has bred quite a lot

[sandy]

I thought I may need forcepts to help her out and then save her from eating all the placentas!! I have loads of old towels and shall have them ready for our long night!!!! we are half excited and half anxiouse, they are going to be very noisy, a lot of poo's and wee wee's.....I think I shall make up some milk to help out, the idea is to pick one put at a time and give it a top up feed.....poor Islay, what a handful for her. I intend to put the heat pad firstly in the kitchen and then in the dog room but I shall cover it well and thread the cable through the cadge which I will enclose with cardboard......I need to clean out that room as it is a bit of a mess!!!

[little blue]

Use goats milk, unless you can get special formula for puppies (?!) Its easily absorbed, less lactose and less fat  and is brilliant for all kinds of babies...

Bet you can't wait, good luck to Isaly and you

[sandy]

Thanks, I shall stock up on that, I suppose it freezes OK like cows milk? Isaly cannot tollerate milk, if she has any food with milk in/on it, she is quite sick, all other food is fine with her.....she is on puppy food now and I also give her either scrambled duck eggs with her food or some cod or sardines!!!!! I feel sorry for her having so many pups, we shall certainly be entertained and I just hope we don't get bookings, we already have 2 guests for over the Christmas period but they eat at work as they are out at 6.30am......anyway, nearly ready, need loads more newspapers and some more paper towels and the old disinfectant for the floors!!!!

[doganjo]

pick one put at a time and give it a top up feed..

She must suckle them first to give them colostrum, so don't feed them as soon as they are born!

Don't buy goats milk or puppy formula - I have quite a lot in my freezer and my pups are past the milk stage, and I'm sure Beth can give us more if needed. It freezes better than cows milk.

If there is a need for forceps it's time for the vet.  Don't hesitate to call him out if you or worried - better that than lose pups or worse still Islay.  I'll be on call too if you need me.

[sandy]

  ;Dwrong word...I did not mean forceps I meant a clamp if I have to cut a cord or is Isaly is too enthusiastic...no way would I use forceps...silly me!!!

[Rosemary]

I haven't looked at this thread for ages. What a laugh! Reminds me of when I was expecting Lorna and making lists from the Mothercare catalogue - I was stressing over whether to buy 50 cottonbuds or 100 and her Dad asked what I was going to use them for. I confessed I didn't know but if they were in the catalogue, I must need them for something. He suggested I only buy 50 meantime. We just finished them and Lorna's 17. 

A friend of ours ahd pups from her Labrador - all black. She marked them with tippex on a part of their body and that became their name. FLora had tippex on her Front Left shoulder. Can't remember the rest, though.

[sandy]

I remember those day's, those big white colars and bows, what was that all about?

[doganjo]

What white collars and bows?  I don't remember them.  You must be older than me

[sandy]

My children are older than Rosemary's, my eldest 35 now but I came from the puritan eara....no one told you where babies came from but we all wore navy big dresses with either white colars or big bows on the neck to make us look "pure"

[doganjo]

i didn't have big bows on my dresses or white collars.

[sandy]

You must have shopped at posher shops than me...I had about 3 dresses I plain green tent and about 2 navy andfor my last pregnancy a wounderfull tartan full length pinafore dress that worked for the first few months with my youngest 30 years ago...I "made" tartan pinafores for both my elder 2 daughters,  dare not touch a sewing machine now!!!

[sandy]

Islay needs some bra's me thinks