Temperature Control

Why temperature control is important

It is imperative that the whelping box be kept at the correct temperature. Puppies cannot regulate their temperature until well after the age of two weeks. With a normal litter in a temperate climate the body heat from the dam would be fine for the pups, but of course an orphan litter does not have this.

The pups temperature during the first two weeks should be around 36C. This goes up as they mature to an average of 38C as adults.

How to control temperature

An infra-red heating light hung over the whelping box is my method of choice. The light can be raised and lowered depending on the puppy's needs.

It is possible to take the pup's temperature to determine whether the box is suitable heated, but a much better indicator is the puppies behaviour. If they are huddled in a group and noisy, it is too cold. If they are spread out to the edges of the box and lying with limbs stretched out and they behave sluggishly is it too hot. If they are spread comfortably in a roughly circular pattern, lying on their sides and active when awakened then the temperature is correct.

Too cold
Too hot	No photo available
Correct temperature

I have found through bitter experience that it is better to have the pups a bit cold than a bit hot. Whenever my pups got too hot they became dehydrated and hypoglycemic causing serious problems.

Chilled puppies

A chilled puppy generally is sluggish and unresponsive. I found that a precursor to chilling/hypoglycemia was shaking and a strange little chirping noise (often when the pup was sleeping).

Never feed a chilled puppy! The puppy's temperature needs to be slowly brought up by keeping him against your skin. Once his temperature is around 36C and he starts behaving more lively. Feeding a chilled pup can be deadly.

Tips

	Make sure you have spare lamps
	In the event of a power failure (of which we have many) you can climb into the box with the pups and let them make contact with your skin. You will end up scratched to pieces and covered in pee and poop.
	Another option is to place them all into a blanket lined box and pop another blanket on top. They keep each other warm and this works quite well for a short period (apart from the poop-covered pups)!
	In a pinch you could take the pups in a box into your car and turn the car heater on. Have fun sleeping in the car.
	Keep a min/max thermometer in the room - the variance in the room's daily temperature could be quite astounding.
	If possible house pups in a north or south facing room. The temperature varies much less than in an east or west facing room.

Page last updated: 18-09-08 11:02:04 PM

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