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CAUTIONS FOR FIRST TIME BREEDERS

This is written to caution ALL first time breeders of some hazards that befall my newborn puppies.

Several times I have tried to prepare first time breeders about leaving the bitch with her whelps unattended. A Bullmastiff is a very large breed of dog that cannot control its movements when one pound puppies are squirming. When left unattended fatalities occur. You will need to put a 48" exercise pen around the whelping box to keep mom out when you are not able to be right with the pups.

The pups cannot regulate their body temperature for the first week; therefore, YOU must control the temperature. Their internal body temperature must remain above 98 degrees. If it drops to 94 degrees or below, hypothermia can set in and they will FREEZE TO DEATH.

You will need to feed them every two hours for the first week. After that, you can go to three hour feedings and extend the feeding times as they grow. The next hazard to watch for is electrical cords. If you use a heating pad for warmth, wrap the cord in heavy duty electrical tape to insulate the cord. This is not fool-proof, but will add extra protection against puppies chewing on it.

If it is winter time, and you must use a heating lamp, watch for dehydration and burning of the eyes, nose and mouth. These are highly sensitive areas and the burning can happen in just a few moments. This will cause blindness in the pups.

Puppies will tend to suck on one another’s umbilical stumps and genitals. This can cause infections such as staph and strep. It can also cause umbilical hernias or damage to their genitals.

Another hazard is bacteria due to not keeping the whelping box clean. Bacterial infections can cause fatalities in the dam and her puppies.

If the dam has a c-section, cleanse the incision before and after each feeding by using an antibacterial cleanser, such as phisoderm. Make sure all nipples are thoroughly cleaned before all feedings whether the puppies were a natural delivery or a c-section.