The Family is Getting Bigger!

Preparation before parturition
Begin preparations for the birth of the puppies around the 58th day of gestation. A nesting box should be made available to the female to allow her to get used to it and use it to give birth to her puppies, in an area of your choice. This box should not be too big, with sides 15-20 cm high to prevent the puppies from getting out of it. Place the box in a familiar but isolated area of the house, away from family traffic; this will provide both solitude and rest to the female.

Newspapers are perfect to line the bottom of the box since they can easily be changed, are very absorbent and can be shredded by the female as she prepares her “nest”. If you wish use old carpets, blankets or towels but these must be washed often.

The rectal temperature of the female should be checked twice a day, beginning on the 58th day until she begins labour. Normal rectal temperature varies between 38° and 39.5° C. During the last 24 hours prior to parturition, body temperature will drop by almost 2 degrees.

Labour and birth 
Labour is divided in 3 stages. The 2nd and 3rd stages are repeated at the birth of each puppy.

Stage 1: During this first stage, the female appears very agitated. She will be very nervous and will often seek to be alone. She may refuse all food, even her favourite goodies. This stage may last between 6 to 24 hours. This is an ideal time to give the expectant mother a little exercise and to make sure she urinates and defecates before contractions begin.

Stage 2 : During this second stage, contractions and expulsion efforts will begin. Normally, a little greenish bag filled with fluid will appear first in the vulva area, followed by the first puppy then by the placenta to which he is attached. The normal presentation of a puppy is nose first, lying on his tummy. However, about one-third of puppies are born with their posteriors first. This presentation is considered normal but is often mistaken for a breached birth.                  

Stage 3 :The 3rd stage of the labour is the rest period following the birth of each puppy. Light contractions and the expulsion of foetal envelopes occur during this period. The normal duration of this stage is from 10 to 30 minutes but may vary from a few seconds to an hour.

Obstetric care           
After the birth of each puppy, remove all the membranes that cover him, clean his face and remove any mucus from his mouth and nose. Rub the puppy with a clean towel to dry his coat and stimulate his breathing and circulation. After massaging him for a few minutes, the puppy should begin to move and whine loudly. The umbilical cord should be tied with a string, about 2-3 cm from the puppy’s body, then cut with scissors (cut while ensuring that the ligature stays on the puppy’s end of the string). Apply a drop of iodine on the umbilical cord after it has been cut

Helping with the birth
.If a puppy seems stuck in the pelvic canal and the bitch is unable to expulse the puppy, quick and immediate help is needed. Often there is not even enough time to call your veterinarian or to make it to the hospital. Hold on to the puppy with a clean towel and pull firmly but steadily for a maximum of 5 minutes. Above all, never pull abruptly. If you are unable to get the puppy out, call your veterinarian.

The mother’s behaviour
Your animal may behave differently than she usually does while giving birth and while nursing her puppies. She is very nervous and very protective of her new family. Any aggressive behaviour on her part during this period will slowly decrease as the puppies get older.
           
Contact your veterinarian if one of the following occur:

• You are unable to dislodge a puppy from the pelvic canal.
• The bitch has strong contractions and pushes for 30 minutes without a puppy being born.
• Labour is intermittent for 6 hours, without any results.
• There is a greenish-black secretion without one single contraction or puppy within 3-4 hours.
• The gestation period lasts more than 65 days.

[<< File Your Dog]
[<< Other technical files]