How To Prepare For An Upcoming Whelp

Did someone call for whelp?

Congratulations on your upcoming whelp! Now it’s time to get your ducks in a row before paws hit the ground! Below, we will discuss equipment, tools and supplies you may want to organise before the whelp to help you feel most in control and prepared for your litter. A one-page checklist that includes everything we discuss below is available for FREE download!

Click to access our WHELPING CHECKLIST.

Whelping Supplements

Here, we are talking about energy and calcium supplements for when your bitch is in active labour. Calcium syrups are a fantastic way to deliver calcium during the whelp, which is essential for proper contractions. Later on, during lactation, calcium supplementation ensures that your bitch is getting enough calcium to feed her pups and is not at risk of eclampsia (AKA Milk Fever).

Nutripet, Energel, and Nutri-Drops are all energy-rich nutrient supplements formulated to deliver vitamins, minerals, and energy in a concentrated form. These are always good to have on hand as it is not uncommon for bitches to lose their appetite towards the end of gestation and during the first week after the whelp. These supplements are NOT for the puppies themselves, only for the bitch who is under a lot of stress and strain.

Whelping Kits

Your whelping kit is the sum of all medical instruments and supplies you may want on hand. While you may not need everything on this list, it gives you a broad sense of what items will likely come in handy. 

Kidney Dishes

Containers, such as Kidney Dishes, keep your instruments and supplies organised and where you need them. You will want ideally more than one clean (or sterilised) container. Use one for sterile instruments, one for thermometer and lubricant, and another for used equipment or placentas, etc.

Thermometer & Lubricant

You will use a thermometer (with lubricant) to measure your bitch’s rectal temperature as she approaches her due date. Measuring her temperature aims to record a pre-whelp temperature drop, which tells you she will likely whelp in the next 24 to 36 hours. We recommend taking the bitch’s rectal temperature for a full week after whelping. This may alert you early to a potential infection. A thermometer will also be handy for preparing milk formula if you need to supplement feed.

Suction

During the whelp, once a puppy is delivered, you should use a bulb syringe or DeLee suction catheter to remove amniotic fluid around the mouth and nose (never inside the mouth or lungs). The One Puff is pricey and might sit on your wishlist for a bit, but it is an invaluable tool that clears breathing pathways and stimulates the first breaths of distressed newborns. Even if it only saves one puppy, it has already paid for itself, so it may be something to keep in mind.

Umbilical Cord Care

After addressing the airways, you will turn your attention to the umbilical cord. Use mosquito forceps, umbilical cord clamps, or dental floss to clamp or tie off the umbilical cord before cutting it with a sharp, sterile pair of scissors.

Miscellaneous

Alcohol wipes can help quickly sterilise already clean instruments and tools (do not use alcohol wipes on open wounds). Gauze swabs are a convenient and hygienic way of dabbing away fluids after cutting the cord. Once containers and instruments are dirty, you must use soap when cleaning them and break down bacteria walls. After cleaning, you can take the next step to sterilise the equipment if required (e.g., tube feeding) using a sterilising solution (such as F10 or Milton).

Examination Gloves

Whether you prefer to use latex or latex-free examination gloves, ensure you also have these on hand. Gloves ensure a higher level of hygiene and protects both you and the animal. They also prevent your hands and fingernails from placental stain (green). Clearly, gloves are also necessary if you need to examine the birth canal.

Stethoscope

Using a stethoscope requires some pre-exsisting skill to be helpful. If you are unsure if a pup is very weak or still born, you can use a stethoscope to try and listen for a heartbeat, breathing sounds or gut sounds (“life sounds”). Newborn puppies can be tricky though, as their “life sounds” can be extremely difficult to detect if the puppy is compromised. Body temperature, for instance, is a primary driver for heart function, breathing and gut motility. We always recommend providing puppies thought stillborn with the same initial care as a live puppy, keeping them warm and delivering gentle small puffs of air (10cc), as they may improve.

Whelping Box

A whelping box is always ideal to have for your litter. Your bitch will have behavioural changes as she approaches whelping, including nesting behaviours. A whelping box provides this space for her as an alternative to less ideal locations such as in wardrobes, under the deck, etc.

Line the whelping box with one large piece of waterproof material to prevent fluids from the whelp and, during rearing, from damaging the floors underneath. If you have a cold hard floor, you should also consider a layer of insulation also (foam mat, cardboard). On top of that, layer blankets and towels to create a comfortable space. Pre- and during whelp this top towel layer will become wet and soiled, and you will need to remove these items gradually. As they become affected, remove them to keep the area warm and dry. Therefore, several layers are a good idea (lots of towels!). Normal pre-whelping behaviour involves a lot of digging, so be prepared to rearrange the bedding regularly (and let your bitch dig).

Disposable absorbent pads are a good way to mitigate some of the volume of fluids making the bedding wet. Tuck them under the bitch’s bottom for each puppy, sometimes more frequently, depending on fluid output. Absorbent pads also provide a clean surface for each puppy to be born onto.

Post-whelp, we strongly recommend using Vet Bed instead of other forms of bedding. Full size vet bed provides less risk of puppies getting lost in bedding, and its design allows fluids to sink to the bottom while maintaining a dry surface. Small pieces are machine washable, and larger pieces are cleanable using a hose or pressure washer. If you have vet bed, you can layer all your whelping towels on top of it before the whelp. This will also keep your vet bed clean up until the puppies are born.

Have a water dish handy and filled, so your bitch can grab a drink without a hassle. Other things you should have on hand are a collar and lead for taking your bitch out to the bathroom, to prevent the risk of her walking away from you or getting under the house due to nesting behaviours. Bring a towel and a flashlight when you take her out, as it is not uncommon for a bitch to whelp a puppy while toileting. So, so it’s always important to both keep her on a lead, keep a close eye on her when you take her out and be ready just in case. The towel is for the potential puppy, and the flashlight is needed because often all of this will be happening in your garden at night.

Puppy Heating

Heating is crucial for the first weeks of early life for your pups. Ensuring this need is met is vital, or you may risk conditions such as fading puppy syndrome. You can find more information about the importance of heating in our blog post “The Importance of Proper Heating“. Ideally, you have some form of room heating (e.g., A/C or space heater), which gets your whelping room toasty, and any additional heating from a secondary source.

This secondary source can be a heating pad or a heating lamp. You should always use a probe thermometer close to the litter, so you know the temperature precisely where they are, in contrast to the temperature set for the room. Heat means nothing if the pups are wet, so use a towel, like a microfibre or cotton towel, to wick away most of the moisture from birth and set them down in a cosy place with mum or an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) if using.

Work Surface

The list of items in this section gives you an idea of what you may want at your workstation. That includes ID collars and scales to take the initial birth weights of your puppies and put an ID band on them, so you can distinguish them apart and continue to track their growth. You will likely also want any forms you use to track the whelp, including birth and growth forms, to be on a clipboard at your workstation. Remember to have a pen that works! If you’re interested in finding out more information about tracking the growth of your litter and its importance, look at our blog “Tracking Litter Birth and Growth“.

Another thing we’ve found handy is having a clock nearby for quick reference when your hands are tied up. Using absorbent pads on your work surface is a convenient way to keep things clean; otherwise, using wet wipes to wipe down surfaces quickly also works a charm. Of course, you should remember to be cleaning your hands regularly. For convenience, you can have a plastic basin on your workstation with soap and hand disinfectant nearby. Have your spare, clean towels and disinfectant spray at your workstation close by, so everything is within arm’s reach.

Housekeeping

Don’t forget the easy stuff! Have a bin and liner for any rubbish you produce during the whelp, including paper towels, which never go unwanted. For all the dirty towels coming, have a laundry basket close by that you can throw them in. Having a spare bucket may also be helpful for anything like cleaning, collecting rubbish, or something unforeseen! Lastly, remember to have some stuff for you in your whelping room. Some late-night snacks and a water bottle are easy things to think of, but you can also have any reading or reference material you want to have on hand.

Emergency Feeding Supplies

Fingers crossed, you will not need to do any emergency feeding, but by the time you find out, it may be hours or days before you can get supplies. We always recommend having some supplies on hand if you have a puppy failing to suckle or a bitch unwilling to feed. A 6FG or 8FG are the best sizes for neonates for most puppies, and 4FG or 5FG for kittens or toy breeds. You will also need syringes that are compatible with these feeding tubes. You can find more information about tube feeding in our blog “Tube Feeding Made Simple“.

If your puppy can suckle but is not getting sufficient milk, feeding with a nipple and syringe/bottle is more appropriate. We prefer syringe feeding with a Miracle Nipple and a Luer Lock Syringe, but others may prefer bottle feeding (which is also okay). We recommend the EnFit tube feeding system for its quality and design. For milk, Wombaroo is our #1 recommendation for all forms of supplement feeding for your litter. Prepare the milk as per instruction using pre-boiled water to ensure nutritious and hygienic milk.

The litter will need colostrum in the first 48 hours, which the mother naturally produces in her milk. If a pup cannot suckle, colostrum must be added to its milk for the first 48 hours of life to promote a healthy immune system. If you need to supplement feed until the pup transitions to solids, you have multiple syringes and teats/feeding tubes, so you are permitted a bit more flexibility with wash-up.

Finals Thoughts

It’s easy to get overwhelmed as your whelping date approaches. The key is preparation and forethought, so whenever possible, brainstorm about what is important for you to have. We have given you a broad sense of what we would recommend, but it’s up to you to decide what will be there on the day (or night). We wish you the best of luck and a happy, healthy litter!