Prenatal Care
Preparing for your dog's labor and puppy care can be both exciting and
fun; still, awareness of potential problems is of paramount importance.
It is a good idea to keep track of your dog's breeding date so as to
know when to expect what.
After about 35 days of pregnancy, the mother's caloric requirements will
begin to increase. In general, she should require about twice as much
food as usual, whereas when she begins nursing she will need three times
as much food. The best nutritional plan is to buy a dog food approved
for growth (i.e., puppy food) and feed according to the package; such
diets are balanced and require no supplementation, plus they typically
have the extra calories needed by the pregnant or nursing mother.
Exercise of a pregnant bitch need not be restricted until after the
first 4 to 6 weeks of pregnancy. Do not supplement calcium as this can
cause metabolic imbalances; also, excess vitamins may be harmful to the
puppies.
Sometime around the 45th day, your dog should be examined by a
veterinarian. At this time, the skeletons of the unborn pups will have
mineralized and are thus visible on a radiograph. Your dog's abdomen
should be x-rayed so that you know how many pups to expect. Ultrasound
may be used to confirm pregnancy much earlier (after 25 days, the
embryonic heart may be seen beating) but it is more difficult to count
the number of pups using this method. A general pregnancy blood test can
be performed around day 35 just to confirm whether or not she is
pregnant but neither this nor ultrasound will tell you how many puppies
to expect; only radiographs can do that.
A comfortable area should be set aside for whelping and raising the
puppies. The bitch should feel at home here and should be able to come
and go as she likes while the puppies must remain confined.
It is important that the mother dog be isolated from all other dogs for 3
weeks prior to labor through 3 weeks after delivery to prevent herpes
infection. Herpes is spread by sniffing and licking between two dogs.
Adult dogs rarely have any symptoms but the newborn or unborn puppies
generally die.
A dog's gestation period is considered to be 63 days though this is not
written in stone and a normal range might be 58 to 68 days.
Impending Labor
When your dog's due date is approaching, you should begin monitoring her
rectal temperature. When her temperature drops below 100°F (normal
canine temperature is 101-102°F), labor may be expected within 24 hours.
It is a good practice to know how to take your pregnant dog's
temperature as her due date approaches.
The First Stage of Labor
During this stage, uterine contractions begin. The bitch will appear
restless and may pace, dig, shiver, pant, or even vomit. This is all
normal and all an owner can do is see that she has water available
should she want it. This stage of labor is long, lasting 6 to 12 hours
and culminates with full dilation of the cervix in preparation to expel a
puppy.
The Second and Third Stages of Labor
In the video below, a Dalmatian gives birth. The second stage is
the hard labor stage in which the puppy is expelled. The third stage
refers to the expulsion of the placenta and afterbirth. Each pup may not
be followed by afterbirth; the mother may pass two pups and then two
placentas. This is normal.
Puppies are born covered in membranes that must be cleaned away or the
pup will suffocate. The mother will bite and lick the membranes away.
Allow her a minute or two after birth to do this; if she does not do it,
then you must clean the pup for her. Simply remove the slippery
covering and rub the puppy with a clean towel. The umbilical cord may be
tied in a knot about one inch from the pup and cut with scissors on the
far side of the knot. Be careful not to pull on the umbilical cord as
this can injure the puppy. The mother may want to eat the placenta but
this is probably not a good idea as vomiting it up later is common; it
is best to clean away the placenta yourself.
Expect one pup every 45 to 60 minutes with 10 to 30 minutes of hard
straining. It is normal for bitches to take a rest partway through
delivery, and she may not strain at all for up to 4 hours between pups.
If she is seen straining hard for over one hour or if she takes longer
than a 4 hour break, a veterinarian should be consulted.
Expect some puppies (probably half of them) to be born tail first. This is not abnormal for dogs.
CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN IF: 30-60 minutes of strong contractions occur with no puppy being produced.
More than 4 hours pass between pups and you know there are more inside.
She fails to go into labor within 24 hours of her temperature drop.
She is obviously in extreme pain.
Greater than 70 days of gestation have passed.
It is normal for the bitch to spike a fever in the 24 to 48 hours
following birth. This fever should not be accompanied by clinical signs
of illness.
Normal vaginal discharge after parturition should be odorless and may be
green, dark red-brown or bloody and may persist in small amounts for up
to 8 weeks.
Problems to Watch for...
Metritis (Inflammation of the Uterus)
Signs of this condition are as follows: fever foul-smelling vaginal
discharge listlessness loss of appetite no interest in the puppies
decreased milk production
If these signs are noted, usually in the first day or two postpartum, a
veterinarian should be consulted. Your dog may have retained a placenta
or have suffered some trauma during delivery. Animals who require
assistance with delivery are often predisposed to metritis. She will
likely need to be spayed.
Eclampsia
This condition results when the bitch has trouble
supporting the calcium demand of lactation. Calcium supplementation
predisposes a bitch to this condition. Usually affected animals are
small dogs. They demonstrate: nervousness and restlessness no
interest in the pups stiff, painful gait
This progresses to: muscle spasms inability to stand fever seizures
This condition generally occurs in the first three weeks of lactation and a veterinarian should be consulted immediately.
Mastitis (Inflammation of the Breasts)
Normal nursing glands are soft and enlarged. Diseased glands are red,
hard, and painful. In general, the bitch does not act sick; the disease
is confined to the mammary tissue. The bitch 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 it helps
flush out the infected material. Hot packing may be helpful.
Most dogs are excellent mothers and problems are few. The basic rule is
to seek veterinary care if she seems to feel sick or if she ceases to
care for her young. Puppies nurse until they are about 6 weeks old and
then may be fully separated from their mother. A good age for adoption
to a new home is 8 weeks or later.
Source: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=678
Related links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fgwx2h6jjh8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=plqbwVAx5qc
Since the HAH’s inception it has grown to include a staff of over twenty
veterinarians and more than 100 technical and supportive staff. All of which have
been selected, not only for their compassion and communication skills but also
for their appreciation of the special roles that pets play in our lives. Each
month, we highlight one staff member that epitomize these qualities and who
makes the days at the HAH more enjoyable. However, one group of team members is
often excluded from these highlights.
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