Welcome to my short journal on pregnant dog and learn what to do when your dog labors.
Having puppies can be very exciting but also very tiresome. If you are planning for your dog to breed a litter, you must know what your responsibilities are first before allowing your pet to become pregnant. This article will provide dog owners with some valuable information on what happens during a normal delivery and what to look out for.
Pregnancy of Your Dog
Basically, the heat or estrous cycle varies in length but averages between 6 to 11 days, with an average of nine days. The end of this cycle will be noticed when your pet becomes receptive to the male and will stand to be bred. This completes the first phase.
In the second phase, the discharge becomes more straw-colored to light pink, and the vulva, still swollen, is softer. She is now receptive to males and is ready for breeding. This stage lasts from five to nine days. However, in some cases, it can last as long as 20 days and still be normal. This stage ends when the female no longer accepts the male.
The last two stages are the diestrus and anestrus. These periods last between 56 to 60 days and your dog will have two of these cycles per year. From the time your dog is bred takes about 62 days for the puppies to be born. However, this period can be as short as 58 days and up to 70 days after breeding.
Getting Ready Prior to Delivery
At about 45 days after breeding, you should take your dog to the veterinarian to determine the number of pups to be delivered. This will be helpful on the actual day of delivery in case of any problems with the birthing of the pups should occur.
Food
Starting in the second month of pregnancy, you will need to change her diet over to a good quality puppy food. This will provide her with the proper calories and nutrition. You do not need to supply her with additional calcium through supplementation at this time. During this period up to delivery, she will be eating twice her normal food level.
Temperature
About a week prior to her due date, take her temperature. The normal rectal temperature for dogs ranges from 100 to 102.5F. About 24 hours prior to birth, the female's rectal temperature will drop a few degrees. By recording her daily temperature, you will know when it's time for her to give birth to the pups.
Supplies
Pregnancy of Your Dog
Basically, the heat or estrous cycle varies in length but averages between 6 to 11 days, with an average of nine days. The end of this cycle will be noticed when your pet becomes receptive to the male and will stand to be bred. This completes the first phase.
In the second phase, the discharge becomes more straw-colored to light pink, and the vulva, still swollen, is softer. She is now receptive to males and is ready for breeding. This stage lasts from five to nine days. However, in some cases, it can last as long as 20 days and still be normal. This stage ends when the female no longer accepts the male.
The last two stages are the diestrus and anestrus. These periods last between 56 to 60 days and your dog will have two of these cycles per year. From the time your dog is bred takes about 62 days for the puppies to be born. However, this period can be as short as 58 days and up to 70 days after breeding.
Getting Ready Prior to Delivery
At about 45 days after breeding, you should take your dog to the veterinarian to determine the number of pups to be delivered. This will be helpful on the actual day of delivery in case of any problems with the birthing of the pups should occur.
Food
Starting in the second month of pregnancy, you will need to change her diet over to a good quality puppy food. This will provide her with the proper calories and nutrition. You do not need to supply her with additional calcium through supplementation at this time. During this period up to delivery, she will be eating twice her normal food level.
Temperature
About a week prior to her due date, take her temperature. The normal rectal temperature for dogs ranges from 100 to 102.5F. About 24 hours prior to birth, the female's rectal temperature will drop a few degrees. By recording her daily temperature, you will know when it's time for her to give birth to the pups.
Supplies
- Two weeks prior to birth, get your whelping box and supplies together.
- Have as many clean towels as pups. One towel for each pup and a few extra.
- Sharp scissors (to cut the cords).
- Dental Floss (for tying off cords).
- Providone iodine (for disinfecting the cord ends)
- Whelping box – The whelping box should have sides that are high enough so that four to six week-old puppies cannot get out. It is also important to have a ledge of some kind all around the inside edge so that no puppies are inadvertently smothered by the mother—the pups should be able to slide under the ledge so that they won't get squashed. Place the box in a familiar but private area and line it with towels.
Delivery of the Pups
On the day of actual birthing, it will come at a time you least expect it. Usually around 10PM. Whelping is a messy business and you will want to wear clothes that can be thrown away when it's over. Have those clothes ready.
Three Stages of Labor
- Stage one. This stage may go by undetected, occurs when the cervix is dilating and there are some uterine contractions. You may notice some shivering, restlessness, panting, vomiting, and an unwillingness to eat, and she may seek out a private place. If you notice this stage (lasts six to 12 hours), encourage her to go to the whelping area.
- Stages two and three. Active and placental expulsion, conclude with the expulsion of the fetus and the placenta, respectively. If your dog should have more than one puppy, she will alternate between stages two and three.
Puppies being delivered. The first puppy is usually delivered within 10 to 20 minutes. Many dogs rest between puppies for an hour or so.
Delivery of Puppies
It's normal for puppies to be born either heard first or breech (rear first). If trying to assist in delivery, never pull on an ear or a foot; instead, try to hook your fingers behind the shoulders or over the hips and use very gently downward traction. Some dogs will squat to have puppies; others may lie down.
Most puppies are born with the amniotic sac intact. Mom usually attends to this. However, if mom doesn't attend to this within the first two minutes, it is time for your intervention. The membrane must be ruptured so that the puppy can breathe. You can use a child nasal aspirator to clear the fluid from the mouth and with a clean dry towel, dry the puppy and gently rub near the umbilicus to stimulate respiration. Use the dental floss to tie off the cord about an inch from the puppy's body, and then cut it with scissors and dip the end of the cord in the povidone iodine.
Caring For The Puppies and Mom
Delivery of Puppies
It's normal for puppies to be born either heard first or breech (rear first). If trying to assist in delivery, never pull on an ear or a foot; instead, try to hook your fingers behind the shoulders or over the hips and use very gently downward traction. Some dogs will squat to have puppies; others may lie down.
Most puppies are born with the amniotic sac intact. Mom usually attends to this. However, if mom doesn't attend to this within the first two minutes, it is time for your intervention. The membrane must be ruptured so that the puppy can breathe. You can use a child nasal aspirator to clear the fluid from the mouth and with a clean dry towel, dry the puppy and gently rub near the umbilicus to stimulate respiration. Use the dental floss to tie off the cord about an inch from the puppy's body, and then cut it with scissors and dip the end of the cord in the povidone iodine.
Caring For The Puppies and Mom
- Once all the puppies are born, make sure they all get a chance to have their first meal. The mother's milk is rich with protective antibodies that really help them to start of right. You will want to offer mom a light meal and a potty break.
- The next morning, be sure to contact your veterinarian to apprise him or her of the results of the event. Many vets will want you to bring in the litter so mom can have a quick check up to make sure everything is normal and that there are no more puppies inside.
- The puppies will nurse until they are about six weeks old and then may be fully separated from their mother. A good age for adoption is 8 weeks old or later.
- The next six to eight weeks, the mother will be producing a reddish brown to bright green odorless discharge called lochia. This could last up to eight weeks after birth. This is normal. If your dog should have a bright read bloody discharge, call your vet right away. Take your dog's temperature and inspect the mammary glands daily so that any uterine or mammary infection can be caught and treated early.
- After delivery, you will need to feed your dog up to three times or four times her normal level until the pups have been weaned. Lactation increases her caloric needs by three to four times. It's time to bring on the extra meals. Be sure the babies are on a high-quality puppy food too. You can begin to supplement calcium to the mother's diet from the vet or by adding some cottage cheese to her food. Be sure to have plenty of water available, but do not place it in the whelping box where puppies may drown.
- After the puppies have been weaned, you will need to reduce your dog's intake of food by going back to her normal level. Be sure to watch for obesity during this period.
Call Your Veterinarian If:
30 to 60 minutes of strong contractions occur with no puppy being produced.
* Greater than four hours pass between pups and you know there are more inside.
* She fails to go into labor with 24 hours of her temperature drop.
* She is in obvious extreme pain.
* Greater than 70 days of gestation have passed.
* If she is sick and ceases to care for her young.
It is normal for the female to spike a fever in the 24-48 hours following birth.
Problems To Watch For…
Metritis (Inflammation of the uterus)
Signs of this condition are:
* Fever
* Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
* Listessness
* Loss of appetite
* No interest in the puppies
* Decreased milk production
Contact your veterinarian if you notice these signs in the first day or two of postpartum.
Eclampsia
This condition results when the dog has trouble supporting the calcium demand of lactation. Dogs in this condition demonstrate:
* Nervousness and restlessness.
* No interest in the pups.
* Stiff, painful gait—which can lead to muscle spasms, inability to stand, fever and seizures.
This condition occurs in the first three weeks of lactation. If you should see these signs, call your vet immediately.
Mastitis (Inflammation of the breasts)
Normal nursing glands are soft and enlarged. Diseased glands are red, hard, and painful. This disease is usually confined to the mammary tissue. The dog may be sore and discourage the pups from nursing; however, it is important to keep the pups nursing the affected glands. This is not harmful to the puppies and helps flush out the infected material.
Always contact your veterinarian if you should observe any of the above signs and changes in your pet's behavior.
* Greater than four hours pass between pups and you know there are more inside.
* She fails to go into labor with 24 hours of her temperature drop.
* She is in obvious extreme pain.
* Greater than 70 days of gestation have passed.
* If she is sick and ceases to care for her young.
It is normal for the female to spike a fever in the 24-48 hours following birth.
Problems To Watch For…
Metritis (Inflammation of the uterus)
Signs of this condition are:
* Fever
* Foul-smelling vaginal discharge
* Listessness
* Loss of appetite
* No interest in the puppies
* Decreased milk production
Contact your veterinarian if you notice these signs in the first day or two of postpartum.
Eclampsia
This condition results when the dog has trouble supporting the calcium demand of lactation. Dogs in this condition demonstrate:
* Nervousness and restlessness.
* No interest in the pups.
* Stiff, painful gait—which can lead to muscle spasms, inability to stand, fever and seizures.
This condition occurs in the first three weeks of lactation. If you should see these signs, call your vet immediately.
Mastitis (Inflammation of the breasts)
Normal nursing glands are soft and enlarged. Diseased glands are red, hard, and painful. This disease is usually confined to the mammary tissue. The dog may be sore and discourage the pups from nursing; however, it is important to keep the pups nursing the affected glands. This is not harmful to the puppies and helps flush out the infected material.
Always contact your veterinarian if you should observe any of the above signs and changes in your pet's behavior.
Source: G Haas
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