Mjosa Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 What a wonderful outcome for Reba and you, six gorgeous babies and all well, after such a dramatic turn of events a couple of weeks ago, just goes to prove with quick action and a wonderful vet you have this amazing result. Reba you are an and so are your beauitful babies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aziah Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Wonderful news to start the day :) hope everyone thrives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Fantastic outcome. Pleased all is well for you & Reba & babes. I cannot imagine how scared & worried you must have been Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aetherglow Posted February 2, 2014 Share Posted February 2, 2014 Oh my gosh, 6 live babies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLF Posted February 3, 2014 Author Share Posted February 3, 2014 I need some ideas please. I cannot tell these baby puppies apart. Mostly they are dark brown with white toes and chests atm. I have the puppy Velcro bands, but Reba keeps taking them off. She doesn't like me fussing with them so I need to be able to take a look and see who is feeding when. Especially as I have concerns about one of the girl pups but I keep losing her amongst the others. any ideas on marking the pups to tell them apart? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 bright nail polish - a dab on tail tip :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airedaler Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 White out on different parts of the body works well on darker coloured dogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynst Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I am thrilled that all has gone well for you, Reba and all the babies. What a wonderful outcome. Big hugs to everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretel Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Yes I've used a spot of liquid paper or nail polish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 non toxic marker on their naked tummies? Just call them 123456 :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Danni Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Artline white paint marker, they are non toxic, don't smell like nail polish can and last a while before mum can lick the numbers off. Either put a mark in a specific location and write the location in your record book, or put a number on the top of their heads. Congrats on the safe arrival of your brood! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JessicaM Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 Yay well done congratulations! Now hope everything goes smoothly for yous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLF Posted February 4, 2014 Author Share Posted February 4, 2014 Things are not going so well here, we lost a puppy this morning. A small female, who hadn't been right since birth. The other 5 pups are healthy, but very dehydrated and lethargic. Poor Reba has minimal milk, and is super stressed at the moment. She is constantly shifting the pups, licking them and huddling them under her chin. She wont let them feed properly because she keeps moving them to the front of her and almost hugs them in her front legs. So I am now bottle feeding the 5 remaining pups. They will of course get time with her too hopefully she will be able to pass some antibodies on to them. The vet also said I need to give the pups sometime away from her, she will not let them rest, as she is constantly fussing with them. I hoping to be able to do this when she is outside for toileting and I thought maybe if I feed her at these times also that will keep her occupied a while longer. She barks constantly and scratches when you take a pup away. Im not sure how Im going to manage feeding them and keeping everyone calm - inc myself I'd love any tips or advice you might have Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Give her more calcium, 3 times a day. Get some fenugreek powder or capsules for her as well. Maybe a sheet over the box to make it more cavelike which is hard with this hot weather. Rescue remedy for you. Breathe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alyosha Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 Lack of milk is hard, and stressful. Keep at it, you're doing well. But yes - try to give them time away from her. Will she settle if you give her a couple at a time and let the other few rest? If you can put two or three aside in a warm box to sleep for a couple of hours - even in a separate quiet room, then let her out to toilet/eat and swap them for the couple she has had with her. She comes back to rested pups ready fora drink. I also top up the ones going off to bed - with a bottle or tube feed. That way they start getting a couple of hours solid sleep at a time, with full tummies. This rest and digestion will pick them up faster than anything, but she will also get almost constant milk stimulation and contact which helps her stay settled and brings her milk in. I too have used fenugreek to help boost milk supply. I also give the bitch milk replacer, like Biolac or Divetelac, or my favourite - Palastart Lamb & Kid milk replacer. I soak fenugreek seeds to make a tea, then strain and use that warm tea to mix with the milk powder. In the meantime, keep up the bottle feeds. Do you have anyone nearby that is experienced with tube feeding that could give you a hand? It's great for weak pups as it is quick and doesn't expend any energy. They get filled up and go back to sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 YES to some more calcium .. as much liquid as she will take - to also help her body deal with all the residual effects milk chicken soup raw beef tea Rescue remedy DAPTIL poor girl - IMO , the residual nerve damage + hormones + plus her knowing teh babies are 'different' = a lot for her to cope with . How did she go with a post whelp check? All Ok? Just thinking as well.. if there is anything retained , it could affect her as well.... BIG to you both ... tough times . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madredeperros Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 (edited) I can mainly only echo what everyone else has suggested, as to bringing her milk in, but as to her stressing when you take a pup....is there room enough in her whelping box to sit with her while you bottle feed? I found with my own bitches (ACDs), that if I sat with them, and nuzzled them, all the while keeping that pup in their line of sight, that they were okay with me taking a pup. I'm not sure why, but the nuzzling seemed to work wonders. Aunt-bitch behaviours with wolves? (By nuzzling, I mean using my face like a cat would do, and rubbing around their head, crooning soothingly.) I know that the first day she was super protective of them...is she still? Can you distract her, while moving the pups one at a time to the "milk-bar" and away from her front legs? And I mean one at a time, as in you take a pup to her teats, but leave the others in place, and then switch out pups. I'm so sorry that you're having to deal with this Edited February 4, 2014 by madredeperros Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirislin Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 You need to keep their fluids up because when puppies become dehydrated they loose the sucking reflex. Be really oganised when you bottle feed them. Make a list with each pup, how much they drink at each feed so you can catch it quick if one starts to fade. Good luck with it all. I was a first time breeder and had to hand raise 3 pups, that was hard enough. I also had to burp them after each bottle feed or they'd get a belly ache. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airedaler Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 So sorry to hear you have lost a pup but hey that happens and is not necessarily tied into the circumstances of the snake bite. I too would give liquid calcium to Reba and keep her fluids up with whatever takes her fancy. Egg flips are usually happily consumed. It is early days and her milk may take a few days to come in. The first 48 hours are always particularly stressful I find as there is no pattern or routine set but usually things settle after that. I'm sure the hot weather is not helping either. Good luck hope things settle quickly and you can all be a bit more relaxed.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLF Posted February 4, 2014 Author Share Posted February 4, 2014 (edited) Thanks for the tips. The first bottle feed session, Reba hated it was barking like crazy, scratching and biting the pups and really stressed. I had to put her outside. She barked the whole time. It was horrible Second session, she was much calmer. Let me take one pup at a time, she watched intently but was much more understanding. I offered her food as a distraction this time, she devoured 2 bowls full the most she has eaten since having the pups. Its amazing since putting full content pups back in with her, how much calmer she is. She is laying on her side, relaxed. Not huddling them up. Not fussing at them and moving them about. Do you think that she knew the pups were stressed, bc they were hungry and that was inturn stressing her? Its only been 2 feeds but I cant believe the change in her temperament. ( yes she vet checked fine ) will see what the night brings oh --- can I give raw cows milk ? I can get plenty of that Edited February 4, 2014 by SLF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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