Umbilical Cord Clamps Puppies

Most of the time the dam manages the cord herself and you simply watch. Sometimes she does not, or she is too occupied with the next pup, or a cord bleeds more than it should. Having clamps already in the box is the difference between handling that calmly and hunting through drawers.

A clamp closes off the cord so it can be trimmed without bleeding, and it holds while the stump dries. They are small, inexpensive and usually sold in packs, which is exactly how you want them.

When You Would Reach for One

Cords that keep bleeding after the dam has finished, cords she has not attended to at all, and any cord you have had to cut yourself are the usual reasons. Leave a sensible length of stump rather than trimming close to the belly, and work with clean hands and clean instruments. If a pup has an obvious swelling at the navel, or the stump reddens, weeps or smells sour, that is a call to your vet rather than something to manage at home.

Keeping the Stump Clean

The stump dries and drops away by itself over the first few days, and your job in the meantime is simply keeping the area clean and dry. Fresh bedding matters more than any product, so change whelping pads often through those early days. Ask your vet what they recommend applying to the stump, since advice varies and this is not worth guessing at.

Keeping the Kit Together

Clamps belong in the same box as your blunt whelping scissors, a digital thermometer and a set of puppy identification collars, packed and checked a fortnight before the due date. The full range sits in our whelping kit collection. Leave packets sealed until the moment you need them.

Building your whelping kit? Explore the RPBA collection of umbilical cord clamps and have them ready before the first pup arrives.