Whelping Supplies List
Whelping box. Big enough for mom to lay down completely and not be leaning on the wall or scrunched in any way. For my giant girls I like raised garden beds from Costco. Vinyl so easy to sanitize, expandable to make the perfect size.
Blankets/towels. Enough for 6 solid layers in the whelping area. -you want to use 2 layers always, and you need 3 sets, one for in the pool, one in the wash, and one available to use as needed.
Hand towels/rags. To dry puppies as they are born.
Calcium. Tums/calcium supplement. I prefer Calsorb from Revival Animal Health.
Hemostats or unwaxed floss. To tie off umbilical cords as needed. I prefer hemostats. It is hard to tie floss around a bleeding umbilical cord on a squirming puppy.
Notebook and Pen. For charting temp before whelping, and as needed after whelping.
Heat. Either a pad made for a dog or a light. I prefer a light with a clamp so I can adjust how close/far it is from everything.
Box or Basket. large enough for all puppies in case you need to go to the vet/move them. I prefer a plastic laundry basket or a rubbermade tote lined with a fleece blanket. I like 1 basket for puppies and another to hold my supplies.
Scissors.
Digital Thermometer. To check mom's temp before whelping. And if there are any concerns with mom or puppies after whelping.
Vaseline. For taking rectal temperatures.
Garbage can.
Goats Milk Powder. You feed to mom after birth, can make puppy formula with it, and use when weaning the puppies onto real food at about 3.5-4 weeks.
Benebac/pro biotic. I prefer Benebac from Revival.
Dewormer (Pyrantel Paomate) you will need at 2 and 4 weeks old. I use Safeguard/Fenbendazole at 6 and 8 weeks. Get at Revival, vet supple, or your veterinarian.
Food scale. To weigh puppies daily. Amazon $10. Be sure it includes batteries!
Aspiration bulb. To clear the airway for puppies after birth.
Exam Gloves. so you don't hace to touch the ich with bare hands.
Eggs (optional) I feed them whole, ground in the blender to momma after birth for a few days to be sure she has enough calcium in her diet.
Be sure to save your vet's phone number AND the emergency vet's phone number and address in your phone.
I aim to have everything ready at least 10 days before I expect birth.
Blankets/towels. Enough for 6 solid layers in the whelping area. -you want to use 2 layers always, and you need 3 sets, one for in the pool, one in the wash, and one available to use as needed.
Hand towels/rags. To dry puppies as they are born.
Calcium. Tums/calcium supplement. I prefer Calsorb from Revival Animal Health.
Hemostats or unwaxed floss. To tie off umbilical cords as needed. I prefer hemostats. It is hard to tie floss around a bleeding umbilical cord on a squirming puppy.
Notebook and Pen. For charting temp before whelping, and as needed after whelping.
Heat. Either a pad made for a dog or a light. I prefer a light with a clamp so I can adjust how close/far it is from everything.
Box or Basket. large enough for all puppies in case you need to go to the vet/move them. I prefer a plastic laundry basket or a rubbermade tote lined with a fleece blanket. I like 1 basket for puppies and another to hold my supplies.
Scissors.
Digital Thermometer. To check mom's temp before whelping. And if there are any concerns with mom or puppies after whelping.
Vaseline. For taking rectal temperatures.
Garbage can.
Goats Milk Powder. You feed to mom after birth, can make puppy formula with it, and use when weaning the puppies onto real food at about 3.5-4 weeks.
Benebac/pro biotic. I prefer Benebac from Revival.
Dewormer (Pyrantel Paomate) you will need at 2 and 4 weeks old. I use Safeguard/Fenbendazole at 6 and 8 weeks. Get at Revival, vet supple, or your veterinarian.
Food scale. To weigh puppies daily. Amazon $10. Be sure it includes batteries!
Aspiration bulb. To clear the airway for puppies after birth.
Exam Gloves. so you don't hace to touch the ich with bare hands.
Eggs (optional) I feed them whole, ground in the blender to momma after birth for a few days to be sure she has enough calcium in her diet.
Be sure to save your vet's phone number AND the emergency vet's phone number and address in your phone.
I aim to have everything ready at least 10 days before I expect birth.
Extras- non essential, but nice to have
Pregnancy Doppler. You can confirm pregnancy with it, check throughout the pregnancy, and listen for more puppies at the end of whelping.
Hand Sanitizer. Can be used as doppler lubricant, nice to have easy access to is before and after handling puppies.
Nutrical/Dyne. Puppies can go down hill very fast and having high calorie puppy supplement on hand is a helpful, live saving, cheap thing to have on hand. Buy at Revival or Big R.
Liver. beef liver boiled in water can be used to help failing puppies. easy to keep in your freezer to use as needed.
Ultrasound Scanner. Costly but if you are having more then a litter or two it is worth it. Gives earliest pregnancy confirmation, can see when uterus is empty and whelp is over, can check puppies during labor.
Extension Cord. For your heat source, and your cell phone charger if you have a long whelp.
Collars/Ribbon/Fleece to identify puppies.
Hand Sanitizer. Can be used as doppler lubricant, nice to have easy access to is before and after handling puppies.
Nutrical/Dyne. Puppies can go down hill very fast and having high calorie puppy supplement on hand is a helpful, live saving, cheap thing to have on hand. Buy at Revival or Big R.
Liver. beef liver boiled in water can be used to help failing puppies. easy to keep in your freezer to use as needed.
Ultrasound Scanner. Costly but if you are having more then a litter or two it is worth it. Gives earliest pregnancy confirmation, can see when uterus is empty and whelp is over, can check puppies during labor.
Extension Cord. For your heat source, and your cell phone charger if you have a long whelp.
Collars/Ribbon/Fleece to identify puppies.