Pregnant GSD 1st litter! - Page 1

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Cavalier K9

by Cavalier K9 on 30 December 2011 - 04:12

Hello, I'm new to the breeding world. I bred my 2 1/2 female German Shepherd Reign Van Tiekerhook and this is mine and her first litter.  She is at day 57 and we did x-rays yesterday. Between the 3 vets they counted 9-14 puppies!!!! They said because of how many puppies there are that it is hard to tell. There were several places that looked like there were hiding puppies. I have been leash walking her this morning and noticed that there was a thick clear discharge after she finished she was also picking at her food. I've been taking her out every couple hours and she is constantly urinating. Tonight she inhaled her food but is panting and pacing some. Started taking her temp at 5:30pm it was 100.4 and at 9pm it was 99.7. She is a very energetic dog and always on the move and that hasn't changed. I'm I right to believe from everything that I read that she will probably be having her pups in 12 to 24 hours? Does anyone have any suggetions or pointers for me.  I bought the Dura Whelp Large whelping box, Dura-whelp delux whelping kit and also the digital scale. The whelping kit came with the records to record the puppies weights and progress and the little ribbons to mark them. How snug do I place the little ribbons. Any recommendation on another way to mark them in case Reign tries to remove them?  Any help/pointers would be much appreciated :-)

Thanks

Victoria 

BlackthornGSD

by BlackthornGSD on 30 December 2011 - 04:12

In my experience, you should be looking for a temperature drop below 99 degrees. I suspect you have another 24-48 hours to go.

Christine

yellowrose of Texas

by yellowrose of Texas on 30 December 2011 - 04:12

Just make sure you stay right close to make sure she doesn't roll on one or hurt one while in whelp.

You will need to keep dry cloths to help move them to one side as she has each pup..THe first litter she doesn't know if she sits or steps on one it may hurt them

Just move them to other end and if you have a brooder light over them they will be happy while she squats or pushes out another one., with all the mess that flows out of her...just put dry papers or clothes or what ever you are using, and keep pups dry as possible..Watch her reaction to pups and hopefully she is not so high drive as to be excessive about cleaning and making them do what she wants. It is normal for her to do lots of cleaning and licking..very important to keep puppy breathing and pooping and bonding for pup to find her and respond..

My Tiekerhood last bitch  had problems not being able to settle down ..she cleaned them so much they couldn't suck..usually the pup finds dinn dinn immediately

I am sure someone will be on here to help if you need it.

If she takes more than 4 hours inbetween pups be ready to call your vet for advice

Things ought to go smooth, and you just need to get your radio on a nice station and coffee or tea or snacks close by for a long night ...they always have them at night...lol

Offer her water outside the box, and after the 5 or 6th pup, a little cottage cheese or small amount of vanilla ice cream to cool her off...

no food

YR




Cavalier K9

by Cavalier K9 on 30 December 2011 - 15:12

Thanks for all the advice! She is in the garage in a 10x5 kennel run with the Large dura whelp box and she has a 5 gallon bucket of water that is in the kennel. Walked her several times through the night and she is now starting to have diarrhea, called vet this morning and he said not to worry about it. Her temp was 99.4 around 3am and is now 100.1. She ate her usual breakfast fine. Did your tiekerhook bitch still eat before giving birth. Reigns food drive is insane so I'm not sure if its going to slow down. Though yesterday morning she was picking at it but still ate.  I will be sure to watch her carefully with the pups and make sure she isn't to rough with them! I have a heat lamp set up over the whelping box and also have a smaller one over a big box just in case I need to take them out of the whelping box (hoping that everything goes smoothly).  Any other suggestions? 

Psycht

by Psycht on 30 December 2011 - 15:12

I used this list when I had my first litter.  Did not need all of the stuff but it does cover most, if not all, of the bases:
http://www.phi-vestavia.com/whelplist.htm

Judy P

by Judy P on 30 December 2011 - 16:12

I will second YR they usually wait for night after everything has calmed down.  I have had them whelp during the day but usually it is after the morning rush here and when everyone is calm and quiet.  Be sure you have a nice stack of clean towels to help dry puppies and a nice nesting box to put puppies in while Mom is having another.  Be ready to assist if needed but let her try it all on her own.  My biggest litter has been 13, I had a litter of 13 Malinois, a rescue litter of 13 Beagle puppies and a rescue litter of 13 Lab puppies - out of these 3 litters all puppies did wonderfully. 

As you are new to this I would let your vet know time is close and be sure you have a number to reach him/her after hours.  I am fortunate to have a vet I can call anytime day or night, on holidays and even while he is on vacation.  I have even called him in Spain. 

Good luck on the delivery and be sure to keep all of us posted, we will want pics!!





Cavalier K9

by Cavalier K9 on 31 December 2011 - 03:12

So my vet recommended that I use a permanent marker to # each pup on the inside of their back legs. He was saying alot of the times the mother will remove the ribbons and that it will be hard for nail polish to last or show up on their black fur. What do you guys think? 

by gsd39mr on 31 December 2011 - 22:12

Everybody I know uses something around the neck that are different colors. I used yarn myself and never had any problems. You can't make it too loose or the little buggers can get their front feet between it. It makes record keeping very easy, I had a file on each puppy by color, you can tell at a glance who is who, so notes could be made. The personalities come out immediately, "red is a whiner", "blue is first out of the box" etc. I weighed my pups frequently in the beginning,especially with a large litter, always had yarn cut to change as needed. I've never heard of permanent marker on pups and I wouldn't do it, people get high from sniffing that stuff. Mom never bothered with the yarn. Do you have anyone to help you? I've only whelped 3 litters of my own but I always had help, and I helped them with many litters. Another person really helps, someone can walk mom between puppies while the other cleans up the box to get ready for more-remember to ALWAYS walk her with a leash and carry a clean towel, mine squirted out two puppies in the snow when walking during her last  February litter. Pups can be weighed and recorded quickly with a helper. We always watch first-tme moms closely-it can be exhausting if there is a large litter. Good luck hope you have puppers soon.

Jo Ann

Jenni78

by Jenni78 on 31 December 2011 - 22:12

I honestly think less intervention is better. Don't tamper with nature until there's a good reason. I was nervous my first litter, but I was quickly told that she did not need my help, wouldn't allow it, and all was fine. She cut the cords a tiny bit too short the first time and there were 2 bleeders, but she took care of it quickly and the next time, left them much longer. I don't do ANYTHING but watch if things are progressing normally. I will give her little licks of vanilla ice cream as a calcium treat, but they do NOT need our help or interference unless there's an emergency. 

I certainly wouldn't put chemicals on newborn puppies. I don't mark them that early; she won't allow any kind of ribbon, so I don't worry about it anymore.

amysavesjacks

by amysavesjacks on 31 December 2011 - 23:12

Isn't 57 days a bit early?  Gestation is 63 days... I think you have at least another several days if not almost a week.  I know every dog is different... mine always whelped on day 64.






 


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