[macksmom]

Well Ava and the pups are are still doing great :D

Some good news... we called the shelter to reschedule her spaying appt that was set for next week. We told them she was pregnant when we adopted her, and asked was there anything they could do to help.

They said once the puppies are weened, we could bring them in and they would vaccinate them all for free :) So that will help since it's such a large litter.

Also, Ava's top lip is getting red and chapped from all the licking of herself and the puppies... is there anything I can do to relieve it?

[labman]

Not sure what to do about the lip, perhaps her own Chap Stick?

On dewclaws. Dogs are just as well without them. Owners more so. Even with good instructions, removing them might best be left to the experienced. No sense learning skills on them you don't plan to need in the future.

[RubyPitbull]

I would hope that MM will have the vet take care of the dew claws! I wouldn't even want to try that. MM, you should call the vet about the lip issue. I don't know if they would recommend using Panalog ointment to help heal it. Years ago, my vet gave me that for irritation that looked like sores around Ruby's mouth when I first brought her home. It cleared up the problem. I use it whenever she has distressed skin areas, small cuts & chapped skin in the winter.

[flcutiepye]

I've heard from someone else that they used to remove the dew claws b/c when they were used for hunting, they would often get snagged on things & rip off! I didn't do anything to modify Tyson, Sasha, or any of the 11 puppies. We love them just the way they are! I know a lot of people like to crop the ears and/or tail, but I think it makes the dogs look "mean". I think they are much cuter looking w/ both their floppy ears & long baseball bat, table clearing, tail! Tyson's tail is a freaking whip! He can knock almost anything off a table w/ one swipe!
I saw the pics & THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE!!!! I've never heard that because she had 9 puppies, there could be as many as 9 fathers!!
Sasha had 11 puppies all from Tyson alone! And we had a mix, just like you! That's because Sasha's brindle & Tyson's rednose. We got only 4 regular brindle, 1 really really really light tan colored rednose, 2 tiger-striped rednose, 1 light chocolate reverse brindle, 1 normal reverse brindle, 1 rednose w/ a white stripe b/t it's eyes & down its nose & then one like your #7 puppy-- a brindle w/ white socks, white stripe down it's nose & head & white chest. So WE DEF HAD A DIVERSE MIX OF PUPPIES!!!! But they were all from the same daddy!!
I wonder b/c the vet said you might have 9 baby daddies... IF Sasha had so many puppies b/c Ty & Sasha made sexy time like 4 different times!!

[flcutiepye]

Ok, so here's the deal.

I adopted a dog from the shelter last month. They were not sure if she was spayed but scheduled her to be...her appt was for December 6th. This last week my husband and I have been noticing what we thought might be pregnancy symtoms. I asked around on here and finally got her into the vet today.

Sure enough she is pregnant, and is only about 3 weeks away from delivering!!!!!!:eek:

The vet said through Xray, they could see at least 2 puppies...but there could be more.

I need ANY and ALL help/advice on what I need to do to get ready!!!!

That was really nice of the shelter to offer to vaccinate them all for free!! Most places wouldn't give a crap if they sold you a pregos dog!! They would say, too bad, it's your problem! I'm glad there's still some nice, caring people out there!!!
I KNOW that their first vet bill for their vaccanations is REALLY REALLY EXPENSIVE!!!

Also, the vet told me that most puppies are born w/ worms. I'm not sure if that meant most pit puppies or just puppies in general. So I would ask the shelter about deworming them for you too! Hopefully they will do this for you free of charge!

What I recommend to help find the puppies homes is. MAKE A FLYER w/ PICS OF ALL THE PUPPIES!!! Include one of the mother. Bring them to different vets offices & post them up so hopefully some people will buy them from you, so you don't have to take them to the shelter! Also, I posted a flyer up at Publix & Walmart.. And I even went to Best Buy & Circuit City & asked an employee to post up a flyer in their breakroom! I REALLY HOPE YOU FIND GREAT HOMES FOR ALL 9 PUPS & don't have to bring them to the shelter =/

[macksmom]

On dewclaws. Dogs are just as well without them. Owners more so. Even with good instructions, removing them might best be left to the experienced. No sense learning skills on them you don't plan to need in the future.

I would hope that MM will have the vet take care of the dew claws!

Oh I would definitely have a vet do the removing of the dewclaws... no way I would try that myself!! LOL

But I just wasn't sure if that was something necessary or just cosmetic.

I didn't do anything to modify Tyson, Sasha, or any of the 11 puppies.

So did any of your dogs or puppies have problems with the unremoved dew claws?

I will check with my vet Monday Ruby and see what she recommends for the chapped lip... its probably because I have a space heater in her room, and with all the licking and dry air. I just wasn't sure if there was a home remedy, like vaseline or A&D or something like that.

The vet said to bring the puppies back at 2-3 weeks to get wormed... not sure how much all that will cost, but I will check with the shelter and see if they will offer to do that too... worth a shot :)

My vet gave me a few numbers of people/organizations that work with trying to get dogs, more specifically, pregnant dogs... out of shelters. She said they maybe could help find homes for the puppies. I already have 1 for sure buyer and 2 maybes... but just never thought there would be 9 puppies lol, so I may need to look into advertising them once they become of age.
My vet said she also does pediatric spaying and neutering, so that would be an option if we have trouble finding homes.
It shouldn't be too hard to find homes though, because I am not looking to make a profit off these puppies. Just break even with the vet visits. It's a joy to have them, and Ava takes the most care of them... so its not like I was "put out" by them. So I will ask for them what I paid in shots, worming, and general vet care costs.

My vet suggested something that I thought was cool... she said the 2 numbers she gave me are people that work at getting pregnant dogs out of shelters. She said I could be a foster mom for pregnant dogs, and take care of them until they have their litter... ween them, then this organization finds homes :) I thought that was pretty cool :)

[froggy7]

About the dew claws... I poked around the net some, and it seems to be an "it depends" kind of thing. Apparently dew claws run the gamut from dangly-mostly-just-nail to entire extra toes with bone. If they are loose dangly ones, you run the risk of them getting caught and torn in normal life. And those are fairly simple to remove, especially when the pup is young. The ones that are more like extra toes are less likely to be damaged by normal life, but are also much more difficult to remove, especially when the dog is older.

So sometimes it's strictly a cosmetic procedure, and sometimes there is a medical reason for doing it.

[macksmom]

About the dew claws... I poked around the net some, and it seems to be an "it depends" kind of thing. Apparently dew claws run the gamut from dangly-mostly-just-nail to entire extra toes with bone. If they are loose dangly ones, you run the risk of them getting caught and torn in normal life. And those are fairly simple to remove, especially when the pup is young. The ones that are more like extra toes are less likely to be damaged by normal life, but are also much more difficult to remove, especially when the dog is older.

So sometimes it's strictly a cosmetic procedure, and sometimes there is a medical reason for doing it.

Hmmmm... thanks froggy... that is some interesting information.
I noticed last night that Ava still has her dew claws, my older sister has 2 yorkshire terriers and she said she never got their dew claws removed.

Guess I'm just torn as to what to do... I mean if it is something that most definitely needs done, then of course I would do it... but if its something that doesn't NEED to be done, and can be done later if I see the dew claws causing problems then I would just as well wait and see.

Ugh lol:o

[RubyPitbull]

MM, I would say to work with your vet on this decision. It appears that your pups have a bit more hair than most pitbulls & pb mixes. Dogs with very short hair have more of a tendency to tear the nail on the dew claw when running around outside than dogs with longer hair, which seems to protect it. Tearing the nail is very painful for them. If you live in a more urban area, I would say that it is not a necessity. Unfortunately, the older a dog is the more complicated and painful the surgery. It is considered a very minor and painless procedure when they are new borns. But who really knows that. I am of the school that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I don't agree with tail and ear docking. Yet, because of where I live, in the boonies where there are brambles & creepers on my property, my rescued pit tore her dew claws three times. It was awful to see her suffering each time. After speaking with the vet about it, I promised myself after the first time, if it happened more than twice, I would get it done. Well, she was about a year and half by the third time she tore another one. It was major surgery, very painful for her, and the vet who was supposed to be the best in my area, did a lousy job. If I had to do it over again, I probably wouldn't. But, if the vet I have now who I have full trust in, recommended doing it to a new born, I would probably have it done to avoid the possibility of future problems. Bottom line is, it is not an easy call.

[macksmom]

Ugh lol

Well the weird thing was when we took Ava and all the puppies to the vet Friday, the vet mentioned the worming of the puppies and such but never mentioned dew claws. From all the reading I had done when Ava was pregnant I knew it mentioned removing dew claws within the first week of life. So when the vet was finished with us and getting ready to walk out the dog... it was my husband that piped up and asked about the dew claws.

Guess I will try to do some more research on it.

[labman]

I would start with American Veterinary Medical Association, Articles, and American Kennel Club - akc.org. It is much easier to find material on the net about dogs than know if it is to be trusted. The net is full of sites put up by kooks with an agenda. Even otherwise well meaning people don't understand that there is better information available, and just go on repeating the myths of the 50's.

Dumb, dumb, dumb! I didn't bring the subject up at the party I was at this afternoon. The one lady there had the mother of 2 of the puppies I raised. The hostess breeds Welsh Corgis. Instead we talked about how to mark puppies so you can tell which is which. It is tough telling a whole litter of black Labs apart. I know years ago some of the puppies I raised had their dew claws removed, but not the more recent ones. If the dog guide school isn't doing it now, it must not be that important.

[macksmom]

Thanks for the links labman :)

It is helpful to know, in the case of your labs, that they aren't removing the dew claws anymore.

I don't in anyway want to be neglectful, just wasn't too sure if it was needed.
Thank you.

[macksmom]

Update for everyone... the puppies are doing great!

It looks like they have already doubled in size! Haha

Ava is doing great as well... kind of weird seeing her so small, she was big and muscular when we adopted her, then just got bigger and bigger haha now she looks really small lol.
But she is eating well and being a great mom.

She is seeming more that she is wanting some time to herself, away from the puppies... I will let her roam around the house for a little bit but then try to get her back to the puppies. And if she hears any of them cry she runs for them anyway :)

[macksmom]

Well everyone can you believe it... the puppies are 2 1/2 weeks old! :D

I will post pictures of them in a bit.

Their eyes are open and they are starting to walk :)

A few things I need some advice on...

Ava is still stimulating them to go to eliminate (although they really don't need it anymore, I have seen them go by themself), but she is cleaning up after them and not taking them to the newspaper. It that okay to expect because they are so young? Is there anything I can do, now that they are starting to walk, to try and get them to start going on the paper?

Also, I will start weaning them next weekend. I wrote down the recipe for the formula flcutiepye gave... but labman mentioned not to include the egg. Should I make the formula or just buy puppy milk replacer at the store?
And should I just do milk for a little bit, or do you suggest softening food in it from the start. (I think the books said start with just milk until they all are lapping it, then add food but I thought I would see if anyone had suggestions).

They are all doing so great... nice and fat haha. I clipped everyone's nails today too :)

[macksmom]

[macksmom]

[macksmom]

[labman]

The dog guide school likely knows more than most people that write books. Where do the people that write books get their info?

They skip the milk, egg, etc. Just wet the dry puppy chow down good with water. You want a soupy mush at first. If they don't eat it, get some on your finger and stick it in their mouth.

Since your box was so small, the mother may feel she has to clean up after them rather than remove them to eliminate.

[macksmom]

Ok so no formula... just puppy food soaked in milk? That makes sense to me because they will still be nursing from Ava, just not as much... so they will be getting their milk from her.

I've read two differnet things, one said to serve the mush at room temp, one said heat it up... any suggestions on that?

Well as far as the box goes, I did what you said after she had them. I knocked off one side and put newpaper out that side. Yesterday, since they have started walking, we knocked off the front side and laid carpet so they would have a little play area. I just wasn't sure was there something I could be doing to get them paper trained.

[labman]

No, no, no, water, not cows' milk. Cows milk has indigestible lactose in it.

I can't remember on heating it. Don't see how having it lukewarm or a little more at first could hurt.