| WHELPING - NORMAL BIRTH IN DOGS |
WHELPING - NORMAL BIRTH IN DOGS
PREPARATIONS:
Begin preparations for delivery of puppies before the female
gives birth. A whelping box should be provided for the mother
to begin sleeping in to ensure birth of puppies in the area
you have chosen. This box should be relatively small, with
sides 6 to 8 inches high to keep the pups from crawling out of
the nest. Place the box in a secluded yet familiar area of the
home, away from the family traffic, to allow the mother
solitude.
Newspapers make excellent bedding because they can be
changed easily, are absorbent and can be shredded by the
mother as she makes her "nest". If such materials as old
quilts, blankets, rugs or towels are used, they must be
washed frequently. One pet owner has suggested
short-napped bathroom throw rugs as the most convenient
bedding material.
If you want to know more precisely when delivery is near,
check the mother's rectal temperature twice daily from the
58th day of pregnancy until labor begins. Normal rectal
temperature varies between 100.5 and 102 F. Within
twenty-four hours before the onset of labor, the rectal
temperature drops nearly two degrees.
LABOR AND DELIVERY:
Labor in the female dog can be divided into three stages.
The second and third stages are repeated with the birth of
each puppy.
STAGE 1: During the first stage, the mother seems extremely
restless and very nervous, and often seeks seclusion. She
may refuse food even if offered her favorite treats. This
stage may last 6 to 24 hours. This is a good time to exercise
the mother to allow her to urinate and defecate.
STAGE 2: In the second stage, contractions and expulsion of
the puppies begin. Usually, a small greenish sac of fluid
protrudes first from the vulva, and the puppy and its attached
placenta follow. Most pups are born nose first, but about 1/3
are "breech" (hindquarters first). This does not usually cause
problems in the dog. Some dogs will vocalize during
contractions.
After or during delivery, the mother opens the sac, cleans off
the pup and severs the umbilical cord. You may have to
perform these functions for the mother. Make sure the sac is
removed from the puppy immediately if it is unbroken during
delivery.
STAGE 3: The third stage of labor is the resting stage, which
follows each delivery. Mild contractions and delivery of the
afterbirth occur in this phase. This stage usually lasts 10 to
30 minutes, but it may range from a few seconds to an hour.
After a pup is delivered, remove all membranes covering the
puppy, clean the face and remove mucus from the mouth
and nose. Rub the puppy with a clean towel to dry it and to
stimulate respiration and circulation. After a few minutes of
rubbing, the puppy should begin to squirm and cry loudly.
The umbilical cord can be tied about an inch from the
puppy's body with fine thread and then cut on the side of the
knot away from the puppy. Apply a drop of betadine or
alcohol to the cord end after it is cut.
ASSISTING WITH THE BIRTH:
If a puppy seems to be lodged in the birth canal and the
mother cannot expel it, rapid assistance is necessary. There
may not be time to call the clinic.
Grasp the puppy with a clean towel and exert steady, firm
traction. DO NOT JERK or pull suddenly. Traction may have
to be applied for as long as five minutes. If you cannot
remove the puppy, you need veterinary assistance.
BEHAVIOR OF THE MOTHER:
During whelping and nursing, your pet may not be her usual
self. She may be very nervous and filled with a sense of
protectiveness for her new family. Any aggression she may
exhibit usually fades as time passes.
NOTIFY US IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING OCCUR:
* You cannot remove a puppy lodged in the birth canal.
* There is a strong, persistent labor for sixty minutes without
delivery of any puppies.
* There is weak, intermittent labor for six hours without
delivery of any puppies.
* It has been more than five hours since the last birth and it
is probable that more pups are still inside.
* There is a greenish-black discharge and no labor or
puppies within three to four hours. The greenish-black color
is normal, but such a discharge should be followed very soon
by the delivery of the pups.
We recommend checking your dog and her puppies within 24
to 48 hours after whelping to detect any problems and to give
her an injection to help her uterus begin returning to normal
size (involute) with as few problems as possible.
PREPARATIONS:
Begin preparations for delivery of puppies before the female
gives birth. A whelping box should be provided for the mother
to begin sleeping in to ensure birth of puppies in the area
you have chosen. This box should be relatively small, with
sides 6 to 8 inches high to keep the pups from crawling out of
the nest. Place the box in a secluded yet familiar area of the
home, away from the family traffic, to allow the mother
solitude.
Newspapers make excellent bedding because they can be
changed easily, are absorbent and can be shredded by the
mother as she makes her "nest". If such materials as old
quilts, blankets, rugs or towels are used, they must be
washed frequently. One pet owner has suggested
short-napped bathroom throw rugs as the most convenient
bedding material.
If you want to know more precisely when delivery is near,
check the mother's rectal temperature twice daily from the
58th day of pregnancy until labor begins. Normal rectal
temperature varies between 100.5 and 102 F. Within
twenty-four hours before the onset of labor, the rectal
temperature drops nearly two degrees.
LABOR AND DELIVERY:
Labor in the female dog can be divided into three stages.
The second and third stages are repeated with the birth of
each puppy.
STAGE 1: During the first stage, the mother seems extremely
restless and very nervous, and often seeks seclusion. She
may refuse food even if offered her favorite treats. This
stage may last 6 to 24 hours. This is a good time to exercise
the mother to allow her to urinate and defecate.
STAGE 2: In the second stage, contractions and expulsion of
the puppies begin. Usually, a small greenish sac of fluid
protrudes first from the vulva, and the puppy and its attached
placenta follow. Most pups are born nose first, but about 1/3
are "breech" (hindquarters first). This does not usually cause
problems in the dog. Some dogs will vocalize during
contractions.
After or during delivery, the mother opens the sac, cleans off
the pup and severs the umbilical cord. You may have to
perform these functions for the mother. Make sure the sac is
removed from the puppy immediately if it is unbroken during
delivery.
STAGE 3: The third stage of labor is the resting stage, which
follows each delivery. Mild contractions and delivery of the
afterbirth occur in this phase. This stage usually lasts 10 to
30 minutes, but it may range from a few seconds to an hour.
After a pup is delivered, remove all membranes covering the
puppy, clean the face and remove mucus from the mouth
and nose. Rub the puppy with a clean towel to dry it and to
stimulate respiration and circulation. After a few minutes of
rubbing, the puppy should begin to squirm and cry loudly.
The umbilical cord can be tied about an inch from the
puppy's body with fine thread and then cut on the side of the
knot away from the puppy. Apply a drop of betadine or
alcohol to the cord end after it is cut.
ASSISTING WITH THE BIRTH:
If a puppy seems to be lodged in the birth canal and the
mother cannot expel it, rapid assistance is necessary. There
may not be time to call the clinic.
Grasp the puppy with a clean towel and exert steady, firm
traction. DO NOT JERK or pull suddenly. Traction may have
to be applied for as long as five minutes. If you cannot
remove the puppy, you need veterinary assistance.
BEHAVIOR OF THE MOTHER:
During whelping and nursing, your pet may not be her usual
self. She may be very nervous and filled with a sense of
protectiveness for her new family. Any aggression she may
exhibit usually fades as time passes.
NOTIFY US IF ANY OF THE FOLLOWING OCCUR:
* You cannot remove a puppy lodged in the birth canal.
* There is a strong, persistent labor for sixty minutes without
delivery of any puppies.
* There is weak, intermittent labor for six hours without
delivery of any puppies.
* It has been more than five hours since the last birth and it
is probable that more pups are still inside.
* There is a greenish-black discharge and no labor or
puppies within three to four hours. The greenish-black color
is normal, but such a discharge should be followed very soon
by the delivery of the pups.
We recommend checking your dog and her puppies within 24
to 48 hours after whelping to detect any problems and to give
her an injection to help her uterus begin returning to normal
size (involute) with as few problems as possible.
| McMillan Veterinary Clinic |