pups how to keep warm

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Mar 03, 2003 5:34 pm

have a litter due in 15 days it looking like its going to be cold there going to be inside my kennel inside outside runs what can i do to make sure they are warm enough thanks

chuck raab · Post by **chuck raab** » Mon Mar 03, 2003 6:36 pm

Some people use a waterbed heater, and some use a heatlamp. The biggest thing I think is to keep the wind off them. Good Luck Chuck

Beagleman973 · Post by **Beagleman973** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 9:06 am

I have pups due within the week. I have a whelping box inside my garage inside a pen. I have placed four heat lamps around the box to keep them warm. It really makes a difference.

Post by **Bev** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 10:35 am

No possible way of hemming off a small area inside your house for her to whelp? It would allow you to be nearby in case she has trouble whelping and/or caring for the pups. Many rudimentary life functions aren't working in a puppy under the age of ten days to 2 weeks. The shivering mechanism for instance (which is very important in regulating body temperature).

If you could manage them for a week or two in the house or heated garage, it would buy you some time to get their outside kennel heated and get them past the critical period. One way would be to allow mom to whelp (maybe in a spare bathroom or a private corner of a bedroom) then transfer mom and pups into a used baby's playpen. It will contain the puppies and the mess, but you'll need to make sure mom can get out or you assist her in getting out to go potty. Some folks use a small plastic swimming pool with clean towels in it.

Show Dog · Post by **Show Dog** » Tue Mar 04, 2003 4:32 pm

I whelped my bitch in the living room. I used a remenant of linoleum to portect the floor, a children's wading pool to contain pups and an exercise pen to contain mom. I also had a heat lamp even in the house in August. So a corner of the basement would work with some movable fencing or buy yourself an exercise pen and heat lamp. Good luck.

Bsbowhunter · Post by **Bsbowhunter** » Sat Mar 08, 2003 1:38 am

Looks like you've received wise advice and I concur with the recommendations. However, if having them inside is not an option I would like to add, that whelping pads are available in every pet store and provide the heat "from the propper direction". I'm not an expert but I always hear the veterans insisting on providing the heat from the floor up and allowing the pups to asorb it through their bellies. Good luck and tell us all how it turned out.

DG TX · Post by **DG TX** » Sat Mar 08, 2003 7:40 am

The most inportant thing when adding heat, is monitoring it several times until it is right. Too much can be harmful as well and cause the bitch as well as the puppies to dehydrate. Have seen some bitches not go to food or water for staying with newborns. Be carefull also about adding foriegn material such as paper, cloth, or carpet. "Trash Toximia" can result if the bitch ingest parts of these articles, and dyes or inks can cause reactions in puppies. When adding heat one should also add a cheap outdoor thermometer inside the whelping box.

dachswalker · Post by **dachswalker** » Sun Mar 09, 2003 10:17 am

If you are considering raising more pups in the future check out the whelping nest from T E Scott pet products. They are priced about the same as a well bred pup and will save the whole litter. They include plans and all needed info. The whelping nest will adjust the heat according to how much is needed which is the case when the mother is away from the pups getting water or food. I have had one for 15 years and finally had to buy another.

Don Walters · Post by **Don Walters** » Sun Mar 09, 2003 10:43 am

I agree with dachswalker. Used a T.E. Scott whelping nest several years ago, worked great. I bought one this last October, glad I did turned cold the day the pups were born. I knew the bottom heat saved pups. Quality product, well worth the price.
Don

Post by **Bev** » Sun Mar 09, 2003 11:15 am

I generally whelp all litters indoors as I did this last one, but at 3 weeks of age, it was time to go outside (January and temps in the single digits). I was worried about heat too, so I took a friend's advice about putting a double shop light mounted on a stand, up under and against the floor of the box of the above-ground kennel. It works perfectly. You can place your hand on the floor of the box and it stays body temp. warm on the coldest days, but doesn't get hot.

I might add that the shop light has two 250-watt bulbs. Got the whole thing, stand and all at Sears Hardware for $20.

DRamey · Post by **DRamey** » Mon Mar 10, 2003 6:37 pm

I have a whelping mat, heated, about 18" by 24". It has a rheostat control that was purchased separately. The instructions say that if pups are off the mat it is too warm. If piled up in the center, too cool. If they can lay scattered all over the mat, it is right. I once had a litter of 9 in a doghouse outside in snow and frost with a door on the house. Kept all 9. You can get them at most of the kennel supply stores for about $100, about the cost of one of those pups that would have frozen. Lynn Perkins has used mine for some time, let him tell you how they work. Are you there, Lynn? By the way, congrats on the win this weekend.

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