Today Zene hit Day 50 of her pregnancy so it is time to set up the whelping box and get everything ready for the arrival of the babies. From past experience Zene loves a very dark "den like" environment to whelp and raise her pups. I have turned the spare bedroom/office into her space, I think she will be very comfortable there for the next few weeks.
Some of the whelping supplies to keep on hand are as follows:
- Digital thermometer, temperature is taken twice a day from Day 57 onward to help pinpoint the onset of labor (low temp indicates puppies will be arriving soon) and after the whelping to ensure mom does not have a life-threatening infection.
- Absorbent disposable pads for ease of clean up during whelp
- Disposable gloves
- Rubbing alcohol
- Soft receiving cloths to dry off puppy right after birth
- Aspiration bulb to clean pup's airway if needed
- Stainless steel locking hemostats to clamp umbilical cord. Stainless steel blunt scissors to cut cord
- Newborn collars to mark puppies
- Scale to weigh puppies
- Whelping chart to record time, weight and any special details/markings for each pup's arrival
- Heating discs to keep everyone warm once pups arrive
- List of Emergency Contact #'s
- Room thermometer with display to help monitor the room temp which needs to be 75-78F once the pups arrive
