Jon-An's Yorkshire Terriers Puppy birth 2

**Whelping kit**
Hemostats	At least two. Four is better. Get the curved ones.
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Dental floss	Not waxed.
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Alcohol	For sterilizing.
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Shallow dish for alcohol	To put hemostats and scissors in between births.
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Scissors	To cut the cords.
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K Y Jelly	To lubricate the gloves if necessary.
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Gloves	For your hands if necessary.
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Iodine	To put on the end of the cord.
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Quick stop	To stop bleeding.
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A bunch of washcloths and towels	For delivering puppies.
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Pan for hot water	To wet washcloths.
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Cotton balls	To pee and poop puppies
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A roll of paper towels	To clean up after birth and whatever else.
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Bed for pups	To keep puppies cozy while you're working on the mom.
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Heating pad	To keep puppies warm while working on the mom.

Finally, the time arrives. You notice the mom is starting to

push. She may lay down or sit in a squatting position like

she's peeing to do this. At first her contractions will be

light and not too close together.

Now is the time to get all your whelping kit together. The

hemostats should have already been boiled and put in a

clean container. Now is the time to take them out and fill

your shallow dish with alcohol and drop them in along with

your scissors. Put them back in the alcohol after each use.

Wash your hands thoroughly with a good antibacterial soap.

As long as my bitch is in light labor, I let her go about 3 or

4 hours. But if she's pushing hard and it goes longer than

an hour, I'm on my way to my vets for a C-section.

The first thing you'll see is the water sack. It's black and

will look like a big bubble. The way to tell if it's the water

sack or a puppy is to lightly press on it and see if it's soft.

If it's hard, it could be a pups head. Sometimes you see the

bubble and sometimes it breaks inside and you don't see

it. Do not break the water sack.

When I see the puppy's head pop out, I take a wash rag and

start cleaning the pups face and head. The quicker it's out

of the sack the better for the pup. Then, with the washcloth

I start gently pulling the puppy out. Sometimes it doesn't

come out right away and you have to wait for the next con-

traction and then pull. Remember to only pull during the

contraction.

Once the puppy is all the way out, break the sack and release

the puppy. Then rub it good with the washcloth. Then, with

the hemostats I clamp off the cord about an inch from the

puppy and with another hemostat I clamp about an inch

more toward the afterbirth. Then I take my scissors and

cut the cord in the middle of the 2 hemostats.

Next I have someone hold the mom and the hemostat that

is still attached to the afterbirth and I go to work on the

puppy. Puppies sometimes have a lot of fluid in their nose

and mouth.

I used to sling my puppies to get it out, but now I've learned
a new trick that is much safer. There is a suction divice called
Dee Lee Mucus Trap 8 fr They're around
$5.00. Be sure to do the throat first and then the nose.

Then I lay the puppy on a towel and go to work on the cord.

I tie the cord off about a quarter of an inch from the puppy's

tummy with the dental floss. This is when I find out if it's

a girl or boy. :))) Then I take a washcloth and dip it in the

warm water, wring it out and wipe the puppy down to clean

most of the afterbirth off. Then I use a towel and dry it as

much as I can. I cut the cord right past the dental floss,

dab a little iodine on it and put the pup in it's bed on the

heating pad. Remember to cut the excess cord on the side

of the dental floss AWAY from the puppy.

Now it's time to take care of the mom. Usually my helper

has used the hemostats that are left on the afterbirth and

gently pulled till the whole afterbirth comes out in one

piece. This is then put in paper towels and thrown away. I

don't let my mom's eat the afterbirth. I also use warm wash-

cloths to clean the mom off between births. Then I hold the

puppy up to the mom's mouth so she can lick the puppy's

bottom. This is how a new mom learns to clean her babies

and help them to pee and poop. The pups can't do it on their

own. Then I take a cotton ball and gently rub it over the

puppy's bottom to make sure there's nothing left. Then I

put the puppy on the mom to nurse till it's time for the

next puppy to be born.

Well this is how an easy delivery goes. But then there are

the nightmare deliveries. When the puppy comes breech

(backwards) and the head gets stuck, or it's a dry birth

(when the sack breaks inside the mom and there's no

placenta), or the puppy comes out and it isn't breathing and

I have to put my mouth over it's nose and mouth and suck

the fluid out of it's lungs, or I have to put on my gloves and

use the K Y jelly and get my hand up inside the bitch and

literally pry the puppy out. There are many, many other

things that can happen, but I don't want to totally freak

you out. I get goosies just thinking about all the things

I've been through birthin' puppies.

My best advice to the new breeder is to find a good breeder

in your area and ask them if they'll let you watch and

maybe help deliver their puppies. There's nothing like

hands on experience when it comes to birthin'.

One last thing..... this is the way I do it and not to be taken

as the only way. Everyone has their own way of doing

things. And above all, follow your vets advice over mine.

How to take care of new born puppies

Once a day you should take a cotton ball and poo and pee them. Usually the mom
does this, but I do it just to make sure she's taking care of them. If nothing
comes out, that's good. You just gently rub a damp cotton ball over their anus
and pee pee for about 20 seconds. If mom won't clean them at first, take a pup
any rub it's pee pee over the mom's nose until it pee's. She will lick it and then
get the idea she's supposed to be cleaning her babies.
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You should have their tails and dewclaws removed when they're between 3 and 5
days old. See your vet. Tails are cut 1/4 inch into the black. There should be
a black tip on the tail. I use a curved hemostat, clamp and then twist the
tail off. Apply Quick Stop. I'd suggest you have your vet do it this way instead
of using a scissors and having to stitch them. It's easier on the pup and
less bleeding.
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Pups open their eyes at around 10 days but it can be longer. Usually if they
aren't open by 12 days I take a cotton ball, dip it in warm water and gently
wash their eyes. Sometimes they have some after birth left in them or they've
gotten milk in them and they're stuck. Don't try to pry them open. They'll
open in their own good time. After 15 days though, see your vet. Also check
with him if you see any swelling or oozing of the eyes.
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Check toenails to make sure they're not getting too long and sharp. Cut them
right at the curve if they need it.
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When they're 3 to 4 weeks old I start weining them. I feed my pups Science Diet
Growth food in a can. Mash it up and add some canned creme (Pet milk) and warm
water so it's lickable.

Brushing is important for a well groomed Yorkie. Brush often so they get used
to it and won't fight you as they get older.
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I also shave their ears, around their anus (so they don't get poopsie ornaments)
and the pads of their feet (so they don't slip on the hair) at this time. Start taping
the ears at around 5 weeks. Here's how....
http://jonanyorkies/ears.html
Check the anus often to make sure they're not stopped up.
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Give them their shots at 6, 9, and 12 weeks. Don't sell until they're 3 months
old.

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