Miriam has already given me some advice, as has the vet, but... I am looking for any advice I can get!
Starting tomorrow, I am fostering an extremely pregnant basset girl. The vet says the puppies are full term and she could deliver "any day". (Father unknown, of course...)(I'm kinda hoping she'll still have them while at the vet's before tomorrow!)
Anyway, any advice? Here are my concerns:
Does checking her temp really work, as far as 24-hour notice of labor?
How do I know if a pup is stuck, or she otherwise needs vet help while in labor?
How do I know if she has mastistis, or a uterine infection (afer birth)?
Anything special I should: do/give the pups/look for to make sure they get a good head start, and stay healthy? Can I /should I give them Nutrical or something else during those first days?
My other concern: Noel and I both work during the day - there's no help for it, almost all of our foster parents do. So that mom and pups will be alone for at LEAST 6-7 hours per day. Should I separate them, so the mom doesn't crush the pups accidentally? Or leave them together, so the pups can nurse? what's best?
Thanks in advance for any help!
Oh, and yes, I still have Gilligan the cripple, and Opus, my young male foster, in addition to my own three - ack! Miriam, how do you do it?
Starting tomorrow, I am fostering an extremely pregnant basset girl. The vet says the puppies are full term and she could deliver "any day". (Father unknown, of course...)(I'm kinda hoping she'll still have them while at the vet's before tomorrow!)
Anyway, any advice? Here are my concerns:
Does checking her temp really work, as far as 24-hour notice of labor?
How do I know if a pup is stuck, or she otherwise needs vet help while in labor?
How do I know if she has mastistis, or a uterine infection (afer birth)?
Anything special I should: do/give the pups/look for to make sure they get a good head start, and stay healthy? Can I /should I give them Nutrical or something else during those first days?
My other concern: Noel and I both work during the day - there's no help for it, almost all of our foster parents do. So that mom and pups will be alone for at LEAST 6-7 hours per day. Should I separate them, so the mom doesn't crush the pups accidentally? Or leave them together, so the pups can nurse? what's best?
Thanks in advance for any help!
Oh, and yes, I still have Gilligan the cripple, and Opus, my young male foster, in addition to my own three - ack! Miriam, how do you do it?