Pregnancy Care & Large Litter (10+ puppies) - Page 1

I have an older (8yrs) normally 60lb female who is confirmed pregnant with 8-10 puppies possibly more....vet said they are "packed" in there. It's been 3yrs since I had a litter & it was only 6 puppies (different female). Female is half way thru her pregnancy & has gained 10lbs & just can't seem to get enough to eat. Vet said not to increase her food too much & then feed her puppy food 2 weeks before due date. Normal exercise for the female being careful not to let her over due but multiple mini walks with plenty of water & rest. Any other advice or suggestions?

She looks huge to me…I can tell she’s pregnant…female has had large litters in past without any complications or help needed but this is her first & last litter for me….what preparations should I be doing other than normal whelping prep work? Also what about spaying her after this litter - yes/no? If yes, when?

I personally wouldn't restrict her food intake.  not if she is already 1/2 thru the pregnancy and already huge.  I would start the puppy food now.

Why would anyone breed an 8 year old Female?

I gradually mix in puppy food also amoung other things.   I give mine all the excersize she wants, it wont hurt her.  She'll let you know when she's done. 

No jumping walls, just a good free walk, maybe a swim.

I  would not hold back on the food either, I'd make no radical changes either way.   Lots of FRESH water.

8 is not young, but if she's healthy and active it should not be a problem,  I wouldn't do it again spay or not.

Ask your vet about the when if you choose that route.

Not that I need to explain my decision but female is in excellent health with complete vet clearance & recommendation as this IS her last litter. Plus, she had over 1 yr off from her last litter.

My bitch loves her belly rubbed and a little for her back and hips.

She's spoiled.

So is my dog....LOL

LOL...Moons.

no need to explain, my "A" litter was 11 puppies from an extremely healthy, robust 8 yr old bitch, V rated, SCH3 import.

I am kinda "freaking" out about so many puppies....I just want to be sure my girl has the best & puppies get the best first step in life. Good quality food with Vertex & Structure supplement for mom....she lives in the house, is a very valued member of the family & spoiled (she got 4 new toys after the vet visit ultrasound) LOL.

Uber....With your "large" litter of 11 - what did you do for your female during pregnancy & whelp preparations?

I am thinking of having her spayed as I have heard of "oops" litters from breeders with females over 8yrs...like 9 & 10 yrs old which I wish to avoid but don't want to endanger my girl. She acts like a 2 yr old & no one thinks she's 8 other than if you look REALLY close at her muzzle there is a little "graying".

PRENATAL CARE

Preparing for your dog's labor and puppy care can be both exciting and fun; still, awareness of potential problems is of paramount importance.  It is a good idea to keep track of your dog's breeding date so as to know when to expect what.

After about 35 days of pregnancy, the mother's caloric requirements will begin to increase.  In general, she should require about twice as much food as usual whereas, when she begins nursing, she will need three times as much food. The best nutritional plan is to buy a dog food approved for growth and feed according to the package; such diets are balanced and require no supplementation plus they typically have the extra Calories needed by the pregnant or nursing mother. Exercise of the pregnant bitch need not be restricted until after the first 4-6 weeks of pregnancy.  Do not supplement calcium as this can cause metabolic imbalances; also, excess vitamins may be harmful to the puppies.

Some time around the 45th day, your dog should be examined by a veterinarian.  At this time, the skeletons of the unborn pups will have mineralized and are thus visible on a radiograph.  Your dog's abdomen should be x-rayed so that you know how many pups to expect. Ultrasound may be used to confirm pregnancy much earlier (after 25 days, the embryonic heart may be seen beating) but it is more difficult to count the number of pups using this method.  A general pregnancy blood test can be performed around day 35 just to confirm whether or not she is pregnant but neither this nor ultrasound will tell you how many puppies to expect; only radiographs can do that.

A comfortable area should be set aside for whelping and raising the puppies. The bitch should feel at home here and should be able to come and go as she likes while the puppies must remain confined.

It is important that the mother dog be isolated from all other dogs for three weeks prior to labor through 3 weeks after delivery to prevent Herpes infection. Herpes is spread by sniffing and licking between two dogs. Adult dogs rarely have any symptoms but the newborn or unborn puppies generally die. For more details on this infection click here.

The gestation period of the dog is considered to be 63 days though this is not written in stone and a normal range might be 58-68 days.