Swimmers

[gabbagabbahey]

I never understand when someone asks for advice or help, then argue when it is given. it is better for someone just to "think" someone is foolish, than for that person to speak and remove all doubt.

Don't believe i asked for advice or help EK. I asked for opinions & Jack kindly gave me his. If as Jack said,that every dog owner should be educated on that problem,then you,being a breeder could have gave me your thoughts on the subject.

[gabbagabbahey]

I find it hard to believe you have brought up so many points Jack. I sure must have upset you,of which i must apologise.
I also find it hard to come back with so many responses to many of your assumptions of the events talked on,so i won't trouble you no more.
I don't think i asked anyone for advice or help. I asked for opinions on those who had any experience & Jack kindly replied. Only Jack,so i guess we are the only two members who have been negligent in the past with this problem.
If anyone has assumed that i said i have only lost one pup in a lifetime then they are wrong & it don't seem like i am implying it.
If anyone finds this post argumentive or offending,then i can only apologise as it is not intended.

[Officially Retired]

I find it hard to believe you have brought up so many points Jack. I sure must have upset you,of which i must apologise.

I find it hard to believe you miss/refuse-to-concede so many points.

I am not upset, you are.

I also find it hard to come back with so many responses to many of your assumptions of the events talked on,so i won't trouble you no more.

Of course you find it hard to come back from basic logic. It is impossible. I don't mean to downtalk you, as I have been negligent myself. We all have. But the situation is caused by negligence, and I believe your practice of not looking after the pups at all, until 3 weeks is also negligence. Not being disrespectful, just honest.

I don't think i asked anyone for advice or help. I asked for opinions on those who had any experience & Jack kindly replied. Only Jack,so i guess we are the only two members who have been negligent in the past with this problem.

If you didn't ask for advice or help, then I am curious as to what made this for then?

No, you and I aren't the only people who have been negligent in our care; you are just the only one having a tough time coming to terms with your own negligence in this issue. When I have had swimmers, it was because I created the condition for it to exist through not paying attention to how fat the pups were getting, and by having them on a slippery surface. I don't see why you're having such a tough time admitting this about your own situation. It's not that big of a deal. However, killing the pup for being a swimmer would be a pretty lame thing to do.

If anyone has assumed that i said i have only lost one pup in a lifetime then they are wrong & it don't seem like i am implying it.
If anyone finds this post argumentive or offending,then i can only apologise as it is not intended.

Please stop and leave it alone now. I am sorry if I offended you also.

Thanks,

Jack

[act284]

What are good examples of solid bedding material?

Any early clues or hints of Swimmers being developed in a pup besides being fat?

Would blankets and bed sheets potentially cause issues?

I've been advised to stay away from cedar shavings due to the potential inhaling of "dust"...and I was told that shredded paper is not great when the mother is cleaning during whelping because she would have eaten a lot of paper

[Officially Retired]

In an outside pen, straw (not hay) is good usually. However, the bottom wood of a pen/house can get awfully greasy/slippery sometimes.

When I keep them inside, in a crate, if the bitch is not a blanket-eater I will use a blanket (not sheet) in the crate. Sheets are slippery, whereas blankets give traction.

I take the top off the crate, lay the blanket down on the bottom and up the sides, and I use a drill to screw-in the blanket up the sides, a screw every 4", so that the pups don't get caught under the blanket. A mother will "dig up" a loose blanket, and pups can get trapped underneath. But a blanket that is spread-out over the bottom, and up the sides, and secured by screws (inside-out), will always provide traction for the pups.

Jack

[gabbagabbahey]

I use a vet blanket with a fine layer of greased shredded paper which is changed several times a day,along with vet blanket if needed.
Swimmer pups will try to stand up but will look as though they are swimming when moving. Watch the back legs especially. Very similar to new borns moving around. I believe an overheated whelping box to be a main threat. If you use a lamp then
raise it until you get that correct temperature.
Bed sheets/linen will cause problems if consumed
by any dog. It should never be used as bedding.
I don't know about the shavings but paper will
eventually produce dust if left long enough. I don't
believe a dam would eat too much paper by
cleaning up. Long as you clean that paper up
regulary then i don't see a problem.