# need help....



## cindy_09

hi. my party poodle mated it a **** zhu on 2/13/10(well, that was the first time). I was wondering what the signs and symptoms are for dog pregnancy? I have looked up info and it says that she should be bout 5 or 6 weeks into it. I have taken a stethascope to see if i could hear the heartbeats and i think i hear lil fast taps in her abdomen and i think that i have felt some lumps, but im inexperienced and not sure what i am looking for. Thank you for all your time.i have attached 2 photos of her...1sr one is of her n 2nd one is of her abdomen taken 2day.


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## bigpoodleperson

Im assuming this was not an accidental breeding as you let it happen more then once. Why would you go into it without a mentor or a clue what you are doing? Why are you bringing more mixed puppies into this world when millions are dying every day in shelters? Where did you get your girl? What health tests has she had done? How old is she? If she is indeed pregnant then i really hope she and none of the puppies die during birth as you have just risked her life for it. 

By the way, you should at least know how to spell the name of the breed you bred your girl to.


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## partial2poodles

She looks precious and she does look pregnant. Go get an ultrasound so you know what you are dealing with. Mine was around $30. Start preparing and start finding homes NOW. Don't get off track with everyone telling you negative stuff. What happened happened. Now deal with the situation as professionally and humanely as you can. PS. she needs groomed very badly.


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## cindy_09

really?!?!!! i was coming here to get some help and all i get is critisism! Im sorry that my spelling is a lil off....and, this was not planned! we kept them locked up away from each other when we were gone...but, a couple times, we got home and they had gotton out and stuck together! i am not going to be using this board anymore...rude!


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## cindy_09

partial2poodles said:


> She looks precious and she does look pregnant. Go get an ultrasound so you know what you are dealing with. Mine was around $30. Start preparing and start finding homes NOW. Don't get off track with everyone telling you negative stuff. What happened happened. Now deal with the situation as professionally and humanely as you can. PS. she needs groomed very badly.


i just wanted to thank you for your kindness! this was not planned and we tried our best to prevent it, but like you said, things happen! Yes, she does need groomed! I am actually calling the grommers 2mrw! Thank you again and i will keep you updated on what goes on. I am not going to let some rude person steer me away from here!


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## Locket

You should be going to a vet to see if she's pregnant, not an internet forum. Start reading all about whelping if you plan on having the litter and maybe even contact a local REPUTABLE breeder to see if they have time to coach you through the birth. If you cannot find a breeder, please take the dog to the vet as soon as there are signs that she is having the puppies. There are many things that can go wrong during a whelping even in the most experienced of hands.


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## animallvr

*Puppy Love*

There are going to be some of us who get very upset with people who..uh ... 'end up' with an unplanned pregnancy.... but this happens...ESPECIALLY when you have intact dogs..... may I make a suggestion?.... as soon as you possibly can... JUST as soon as it can possibly be done...spay her....keep one of her pups too...I know that sounds crazy..to keep one of her pups...unless you are dirt poor it really prooves to be a wise decision in the long run...and get the male fixed as well...unless he is a fancy show dog with a boatload of championships or something and his pups are worth thousands....ok?...that's my advice....


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## cindy_09

I thank you for your advice. We just had the male netured about 4 weeks ago I wanna say. Also, we have discussed it and we are def. getting her spayed after the pups! I feel horrible for this to have happened, but we all learn from our mistakes.


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## ArreauStandardPoodle

Good for you!! This is doing things the right way!


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## cindy_09

here's a pic of her belly as of tonight...just took it like 10 min ago!

i can tell the dif in her. she's still not big considering shes 6/7 weeks. or, do they all of a sudden "balloon" in the last weeks?


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## frostfirestandards

They swell more in the last couple of weeks, sometimes not at all (if the pups are all up under her ribs ) 


you can get an ultrasound any time after 30 days to see if she is pregnant. unless she has had puppies before, it looks as if she is, but could also be having a false pregnancy. 

You want to take her to a vet to get a check up...now would be a great time, before she is huge and stressed. 

She should be clipped short, especially on her belly (so puppies can nurse) her face(so it doesnt get all gunky when she delivers) and her vulva, tail and feet. (again so they dont get all gunky and matted) 


Make sure that whoever you give the puppies to understands that they have to spay and neuter them so this doesnt happen to them. 

make sure you have a vet on call 24 hours, in case (as dogs often do) she goes in labor in the night time, on a weekend, during a snowstorm and holiday (LOL)


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## cbrand

:doh: Why do people keep intact dogs and bitches together in a house?

I suggest you get and read the books: 

The Complete Book of Dog Breeding by Dan Rice DVM 
Successful Dog Breeding by Chris Walkowicz

You have a lot to learn. If you are not careful, your bitch can die in whelp. I suggest that you take your bitch to the vet and get him to whelp the litter for you. Please give special attention to the section on socializing puppies. The start you give them lasts a lifetime.


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## amerique2

Thanks, CBrand. When I was looking for books on competitive obedience training/competitions, you recommended *Competition Obedience: A Balancing Act by Byron and Yunck*. It is/was so thorough and full of information I need and will be referring to frequently. Since I'd like to learn more about breeding, I am so glad you suggested these books.


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## cindy_09

*update on her progress:*

Cindy has gotton a lil bigger and she seems very uncomfortable, poor thing. Last night, I discovered that her colstrum is in. Tonight, I was cleaning her vulva and nipples with a warm wash cloth and I noticed a clear discharge coming from her vulva...from what I have read up on, this could mean she is going into labor in a couple days??? Im very excited! We have her whelping box set up for her and she seems to like it. She hasn't started to dig at the sheets and paper we have in there yet. Hmmm....


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## shalynn

Congrats!!! its so exciting to have a new litter of pups even if they were not planned lol. Cant waite to see pics after they arrive


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## cindy_09

so, with the milk and the discharge, its probably gonna happen soon, huh? i should take her temp and see what its at......


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## cbrand

Are you taking this bitch's temperature? You need to do this to establish a baseline temp. When the bitch's temp drops and stays down, you know that your bitch will go into labor in 24 hours. How many days has it been since she was covered by your boy?

Are you ready? Where are you whelping? Do you have a whelping kit? Did you order the books?


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## cindy_09

I believe the first tie was on 2/13/10...so going by that, she would be going into her 8th week. I have not started taking her temp....I will start tonight. We have made the whelping box in our spare room...it is the warmest room of the whole place and the most calm and quiet place as well. I have most of the things for our whelping kit in the room as well. I have not ordered the books, but i have been doing a lot of research online. I am ready and just waiting on her!


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## frostfirestandards

Take her temp 2-3 times a day until she has her puppies. 

Jamie did not nest, but had a clear discharge from about her 6th week. 
she did not even act any differently (other than being really needy during the day time for a few weeks before she whelped) 

She actually had two puppies before I even knew she was whelping. 

Make sure your vet is on call, read all you can in the next week (maybe more, maybe less) 
Jamie whelped EXACTLY 8 weeks, one day after the ONE TIE she had. 

make sure you know what to do if a puppy is stuck, has fluid in the airway, ect ect 

also know how to check for a cleft palate, and other defects.


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## ArreauStandardPoodle

And be sure to have a heat lamp stationed over a corner of the whelping box. We have ours about 24" from the pups. If it gets too warm they will gravitate away from it, but they should not get chilled at all. If they huddle constantly, they are a bit chilly. My pups are usually born late August/early September and I have one on constant;y for the first three weeks.


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## cbrand

By my count you are on day 49. Typical gestation is 63 days (or so). I would start taking her temp every day, twice a day starting around day 55.

Do you have a digital thermometer for the whelping box? Puppies can not regulate their own body temperatures so the whelping box needs to be kept around 94 degrees. I do this using a system of heating pads and heat lamps. It can be tricky because you don't want to over heat the puppies either. 

Do you have a digital scale? You need to weigh puppies every day to see if they are gaining weight appropriately.

Please do get the books. Even after the puppies are on the ground there is a lot you need to do to properly train and socialize them. The books can help you with this as well as with post whelp care of your bitch.


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## ArreauStandardPoodle

If you cannot easily access a digital scale, for the first little while a kitchen scale like dieters use will work too. We have a kitchen scale then progress to an actual baby scale, and we colour code the babies with ribbon or rick-rack. We keep a notebook by the scale and notate each pups weight beside their colour (colour noted in the book, and they have a "collar" around their necks). I weigh three times a day for the first week and mark that down every time. You must be careful with the little ribbon collars because they grow quickly, and they will need these changed often so as not to hurt their necks. I prefer the rick-rack because with the waves in it, you can tie a double knot that will not slip and choke the puppy. After the first week, I only weigh any that do not seem to be gaining as well as the others this often. The others I weight once every three days.

Count the afterbirths as each pup comes out. They can retain them, which will cause serious infection. If she does retain any, when she is all done, have the vet come and give her a shot of oxytocin and this will cause her to contract and expel any left inside. Speaking of afterbirths...YUCK...try not to let her eat them all because they can cause horrid, black, tarry poops for her afterward for a few days. I do let them eat a couple because it is in their nature to do so, and I believe the nutrients in them are good for getting Mom back on her feet.


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## cindy_09

she still has the discharge and shes constantly cleaning herself. we took her temp this morning and it read 98.7....so waited a few hours and did it again and it read 100.7. so, either our thermometer is not working properly or they tied before the 13th!


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## ArreauStandardPoodle

cindy_09 said:


> she still has the discharge and shes constantly cleaning herself. we took her temp this morning and it read 98.7....so waited a few hours and did it again and it read 100.7. so, either our thermometer is not working properly or they tied before the 13th![/QU
> 
> Her temp should drop about a degree and hold there for a full 24 hours. That is how you will know that the pups are imminent. Now...this USUALLY works, but not always, so don't get too comfortable thinking nothing is going to happen if it doesn't drop and hold. Holly's temp is all over the place for about three days prior and never drops and stays there. So I have to watch her for fretting, pacing, arching her tail, digging at paper and blankets...


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## cindy_09

well, she has not gone into labor or had her pups yet. they are still moving around in there! Last night was the first night that she went into her whelping area that we have set up for her and she spent a while on digging and rearranging it. I took my stethascope and listened for the pup's heartbeats and I heard some! From what i've read, you cant normally hear the heartbeats until shortly before the birth! I sure hope its soon! I am ready for them to get here!


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## ArreauStandardPoodle

cindy_09 said:


> well, she has not gone into labor or had her pups yet. they are still moving around in there! Last night was the first night that she went into her whelping area that we have set up for her and she spent a while on digging and rearranging it. I took my stethascope and listened for the pup's heartbeats and I heard some! From what i've read, you cant normally hear the heartbeats until shortly before the birth! I sure hope its soon! I am ready for them to get here!


Keep us posted on how Mommy and the babies are once they arrive. Praying all goes well and that your girl gets through this all okay!


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## cindy_09

here is the most recent pic of her!


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## cindy_09

ArreauStandardPoodle said:


> Keep us posted on how Mommy and the babies are once they arrive. Praying all goes well and that your girl gets through this all okay!


I will def keep you posted! thank you to all that have helped me in this post!


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## cindy_09

well, its been uneventful for the last couple of days. ALTHOUGH, I just checked her vulva and there is a dried up yellow piece of something...its not very big and its light yellow in color....could this perhaps be her mucus plug? She wont let me take her temp and I am not going to force it on her and cause her stress that she doesn't need to be on right now! so, maybe this is it, maybe its not. We'll see!


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## cbrand

cindy_09 said:


> She wont let me take her temp and I am not going to force it on her and cause her stress that she doesn't need to be on right now! so, maybe this is it, maybe its not. We'll see!



Uh no. You have to take her temperature (this is where a correct foundation in handling comes in handy...) Put her on a table. Use some KY jelly and take her temperature. 

You need to know when her temp drops and stays down for 24 hours because if she does not go into active labor after this, you need to seek intervention.


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## cindy_09

I have actually taken her temp today! The very first few times I took it was starting on Saturday....her temp ranged from 100.8-101.2 for both sat and sun. today when I took her temp, it read 99.7. I have cleaned her vulva area a few times due to having a gooey discharge coming out...I believe this could be her mucus plug shedding??? She hasn't really shown an interest in eating much today and shes been laying 'round, streching out....no pacing, vomitting, etc yet....although, she has been panting on and off all day. I will keep you all posted. Thank you!


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## cindy_09

*update:*

hello! no pups as of now. she has had a snotty looking discharge that came out of her vulva...now, the past 2 days, she has been leaking out of her vulva...its not a huge amount and not all the time, its sorta random. pups are still moving round in there and i hear their heatbeats everynight! only time will tell when its time i guess!


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## cbrand

Snotty??!?! Is it green? Green discharge is a sign of infection. See a vet immediately!


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## cindy_09

no, it is not green. its clear. just got the texture look of "snot" i guess i wanna say???


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## myfunnyvalentine

Mucus


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## cindy_09

yea, after posting my last post, i thought about it and realized that "mucus" is the word i shoulda used instead of "snotty"! sorry about that. anywho, i will keep you posted. she has been panting ALL day and just recently is having to go outside to pee more. she has done this before, so we'll just wait and see.


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## partial2poodles

My last litter was only 9 weeks ago so its fresh in my mind. When labor started, her legs began quivering. Standing AND laying . No doubt in my mind that it was gonna be SOON


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## cindy_09

well, going off of her first tie, she is 60 days today! she has been going to her whelping box a lot today n is breathing a lil heavy and laying on her side a lot! think this might be the start....time will tell!


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## vwright

I used to raise AKC Labs and you can just about count the days to 63 days to whelp. There are a ton of great articles on the net about whelping, there can be problems, but dogs have been giving birth without people for a very long time. There will be signs that she is getting ready for birth, google whelping and you'll find a huge amount of info. Get her a good box where she can be away from any drafts or too many people. I always sat with my girls when they were in labor, no matter when or how long, I stayed with them. sometimes you may have to help her but read as much as you can and be ready. Make sure wherever you put her, that its warm. Things do happen and you just have to make the best of it. If you need any other info, please feel free to let me know.


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## cindy_09

THE PUPS ARE HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!! They were born between midnight and 8am this morning! We have 5 boys and 2 girls! Mommy is doing very well! The labor and births went VERY WELL! I am very pleased with the outcome. Here are a few pics that I have got so far!


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## ArreauStandardPoodle

Well they look fat and healthy! Congrats. I will bet you are glad it is over!!


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## Olie

.....Well congrats! Glad it went well. Now the big question what are your plans for all the sweet babies?


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## cindy_09

we are planning on selling em to good homes. i plan on doing a little "background" check before I let ANYONE take the pups. They are like my grandchildren and I want to make sure they go to GREAT homes! We plan on vacanating as soon as it is time to as well. They are very healthy and all eating very well. Momma is doing great!


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## frostfirestandards

aww the second picture looks like snoopy


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## cbrand

Congrats. Glad everything went smoothly.

You should consider paying to have them spayed and neutered before they leave.


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## Fluffyspoos

Are you going to get their dewclaws removed?


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## Dogsinstyle

OMG They are cute! Congratulations!
Carole


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## plumcrazy

cbrand said:


> You should consider paying to have them spayed and neutered before they leave.


This is what I did for the litter of foster puppies (and the litter of foster kittens) that were born in my house. My vet gives me what she refers to as the "rescue rate" so the surgeries were a little cheaper than if they were my own pets - I don't suppose she would've given me the discount if they were puppies born to one of my own dogs, though...

Another thing I did with my foster/rescue pups and kittens was to let the new owners know that if for ANY reason and at ANY time they were unable/unwilling to care for the pet anymore I would take them back (no questions asked) so I could rehome them. It only happened once - one of the female puppies was back by the time she was about 6 months old and I was contacted by a rescue in Canada who had multiple families waiting for small dogs. They're all in good, permanent homes now!

Good luck finding homes for the babies!


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## artsycourtneysue

Any update on these pups??


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