How to Tell for Sure Dog is in Labor

Member

By Alrady
eHow Community Member

Article Rating: (17 Ratings)

Dog Nursing 10 puppies

One of the most asked questions that I have answered is how to tell if a dog is in labor. This is usually asked by people that are first time female dog owners and they thought their dog had been kept away from others just enough to not get pregnant.

Things You'll Need:

• Observation skills
• A book listed in Resource Section for preparation

1. Step 1
   

   Observe your dog and write down all the things you think might be indicative of being in labor. From swollen belly, voracious appetite, restlessness, nesting instinct, extreme affection, seeking out dark places to lay down, excessive panting, mucous discharge, to nipple discharge. All are signs of labor and soon to give birth, or WHELP.

2. Step 2
   
   Temperature indicates possible Labor

   Take temperature rectally with digital thermometer. If the temperature is below 99 or below that is indicative of labor starting within 48 hours. Also, if it has been 61 days from tie day you are probably close to labor.

3. Step 3
   
   Veternarian Whelping C-sectoin

   Call your vet and let them know what is happening and ask if you need to take to animal hospital, if there is any problem during whelping. Depending on the dog she mated with, there are safety issues to consider. Especially if you own a small or a large head breed of dog. Many dogs require c-section or veterinarian assisted whelpings.

4. Step 4
   
   BOOKs on Breeding Read up

   If you are asking this question you MUST read up and have material on hand, if your dog is soon to whelp. If you are in time sensitive situation check your library or local bookstore!This book will be useful even after whelping. Check the resource box and look at barnes and noble for book.

5. Step 5
   
   Bathtime

   Get ready, because normally if you have to ask this question, the dog IS in labor. After all you already determined she is pregnant. I do have an article on false pregnancy that you can read. There are exceptions, but it is best to be prepared for whelping today!

INQ Phone Review

INQ Phone Review

Pros

First phone built for Facebook - designed specifically for social media
Easy to use for social media people
Handles Email, Facebook, Twitter, Windows Messenger Live, and Skype

Cons

Not available in the USA - used in UK, Hong Kong, Italy and now Australia! !

Full Review

This may seem odd: reviewing a phone that is not available to the USA, - yet. However; in this day and age with media, Twitter and all the global social sites, you can learn a lot and put together a pretty good picture. Usually I am slow to change and receive the hand me downs of cell phones, as the family members upgrade. After learning about this phone, I will leading the pack to buy it.

In the social media world with marketing and the need for speed and reliability a phone that delivers what it promises is important. On one airline trip I saw that 17 out of the 35 -40 passengers in the area, were talking or texting on their cell phone. Email and Facebook are important tools for business people and having a social phone is a great tool!

The popularity of Facebook, Twitter, Linked in and other social media intensifies the need for applications to share photos as well as text.

This Social Mobile Phone has won the Meffy Awards for it's ease of use for social media. It has won several other awards as well. When I read about the INQ I was impressed because I am daily hearing complaints about IPHONE. The INQ is going to give the IPHONE and other smartphones a run for its money when it arrives in the USA.

What is different is that this phone was designed to use for social media. It is a tool. Right now it is only available in Britain and Hong Kong. The British users seem to like it and have increased use of email and windows live messenger as well as increased use for Facebook. It is even being used for SKYPE.

If you are looking at new phones, my recommendation is call your cell phone carrier and ask them when this phone will be coming. Limp along a little longer and be ready when this INQ Social Phone comes to the USA.

If you are fortunate and live in Hong Kong, Italy or the UK, and have the need for a social media phone, buy it now! My final recommendation is that as soon as this phone becomes available in the USA - RUN, don't walk to nearest vendor and buy it!

Feeding a Newborn Puppy can be Scary

Friday, October 10, 2008

Feeding a Newborn Puppy can be Scary

Tube Feeding a Newborn Puppy
If you have no vet or mentor to instruct you should really consider using a glove's finger or a small puppy bottle for bottle feeding. Check the resource box below for video link.

Things You’ll Need:
• Tubes (ask vet for correct sizing)
• Food - milk replacer.
• patience
• instruction preferred
If you have no vet or mentor to instruct you should really consider using a glove's finger or a small puppy bottle for bottle feeding. Check the resource box below for video link.
When feeding either by bottle or by using a latex glove finger, weigh the puppy before and after. Make sure not to overfill. Get help so that you can feed every hour or two. Syringes are available at most feed stores and pet stores. An eyedropper if you are desperate would also work.

Our veterinarian recommended that we tube fee our failing puppy. It was very scary and our puppy never did thrive. A puppy whose mom is refusing to nurse or that is a failure to thrive puppy should always be seen by vet. Our vet not only instructed us but allowed us to practice and provided the tubes at no extra charge.

Esbilac is the most popular milk replacement formula. You can buy it at Wal-Mart and pet stores. If you are unable to locate it, there are recipes on the internet for emergency milk replacement.

To Tube feed, make sure you have instruction from vet or mentor and watch the video linked here. Print out these instructions and keep them handy.

1) Lay puppy flat out on towel. Having two people is easier. Take the tube and measure it: using rounded tip place it behind the last rib of the puppy then stretch along chest and nose to just in front of puppy's muzzle. Mark it with pen for measuring.

Measure 2x to be sure: too long, and you can puncture something, and too short the puppy will choke and suffocate on fluids. THIS IS IMPORTANT, as tummies are very small and should not be overfilled. Mark the tube at the spot where it hits the rib. Make sure milk formula is barely warm about 100 degrees.

2) Attach the syringe to the catheter (tube). Put the catheter into the formula and withdraw the syringe from the plunger. Fill the syringe just a trifle above the amount recommended by vet.

3) Keep the catheter tip pointed down as you do not want air to come in. Get a feel for how fast or slow the drip is by slightly pressing on plunger. It may be easier to now do this with the puppy lying on a towel on your lap. The pups head is elevated slightly. Using one hand you can stroke the edges of the mouth (with thumbs and fingers) and hopefully the pups mouth will open.

5) Gently insert tube in mouth down the throat DO NOT ANGLE. You will stop for a split second as you pass the back part of the palate. If there is resistance - stop - Never force it. Force makes it go down windpipe instead of stomach. Try again if you have to and gently apply just a bit of pressure to the tube and the pup will swallow it pretty much and allow you to slide the tube down to tummy. Now, SLOWLY depress plunger and feed pup slowly. You don't want pups belly to swell nor to remain flat.

Feed 1/2 formula then withdraws tube and burp. Watch puppy carefully to make sure all is going well. Use a cloth to wipe him and stimulate his reflexes.
Resources
• Milk replacement from Dr. Foster
• how to tube feed video
Photo/Video Credit
megrocksphotography

Posted by Darla at 8:12 PM 0 comments Links to this post