Whelping - Page 1

What kinds of food or meds do you give your bitches while they are whelping?

None, just water if she wants.

Normally I don't give anything extra.  There is always water available. BUT this time she's expecting at least 14 pups according to xray so I'll be looking to have ice cream, pedialyte or Karo syrup to keep her energy up.

After the whelping is all over and you think she has had all of them  or possibly its been 5 hours since last , I give a clean out shot....According to some now vets , they dont do that anylonger,but my mentors in the breed, have told me they still and will always give one,,,Oxitoxsin.....my vet gives me the dosage to have on hand as its usually the middle of night when every thing finnaly ends and you have to give it before 8 hours after last pup......I had one female that I didnt give a clean out shot, and she cropped up with an infection about 5 weeks later....never have had any bitch with any infections or problem ., no c sections or the like but the only one I didnt use the oxi on.....enough proof for me to continue it.......

I have a bottle of oxytocin on hand and always do a clean out shot. 

I keep really good vanilla ice cream on hand (Haagen Daaz or Ben and Jerry's, not the cheap stuff!) and about halfway thru, in addition to water (or chicken bullion broth) breaks if she wants them, she can have some... the glucose gives a little extra boost of energy and they just like it!! By that time, I've been up so long and haven't eaten right so I usually have agida (heartburn) and it helps with that too!! So, it's soothing for man (and woman) and beast alike !

I, too, keep oxytocin on hand and will use it if I think we need some helping along as things get later into the process.... however, I will still haul mom over to the vet for a good lookover and another shot (they give it I/M, I do SubQ) and if you don't have oxy on hand and haven't had to make a trip to the vets, your bitch needs one within the first 24 hours....Have heard from a friend that a couple vets refused to give him one and I don't understand why, because sure enough mom spit out a dead pup who had been sitting since whenever some 12 hours later..... THAT is exactly why we do it!! So, tell your vet to just hush and give the shot!! Unless they have done this before (old school), they don't know anything.. most vets are neither nutrition or reproductive specialists!! Remember that!! 

Denise

AMEN AMEN AMEN  DKIAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!