NOTE: If you are thinking of breeding your male or female dog, please contact your veterinarian about important steps that need to be taken to ensure safe and healthy breeding practices. While your dog may not need as many doctor appointments as humans do during pregnancy, you will need to know how to care for a pregnant dog before, during, and after she gives birth. This guide will tell you how to prepare a whelping area, what to feed pregnant dogs, what to expect during dog births, how to provide postpartum care, and how to care for your new puppies.
In the first few weeks, you may not notice any changes in your dog's behavior. Some dogs will seem more tired, some may vomit, and some and may eat less. You may notice that your dog is gaining weight and that her mammary glands are becoming more prominent. Late in pregnancy, many dogs will exhibit nesting behavior. Methods of confirming pregnancy include a dog pregnancy ultrasound, which should be done on day 25 of the pregnancy, as well as blood tests, which can be done on day 35, and abdominal x-rays, which can be done on day Please discuss these methods with your veterinarian for more information.
False pregnancy in dogs, or pseudopregnancy, is believed to be caused by hormonal imbalances that allow nonpregnant dogs to show symptoms such as lactation and behavioral changes. These changes usually occur one to two months after her heat is over and can last for up to a month.
The gestation length in dogs dog pregnancy length is around 63 days, or just over two months, although it may range from days. The pregnant mother should be examined by a veterinarian days into pregnancy. Pregnant dogs should be transitioned to a higher-calorie diet at four weeks of gestation about a month into their pregnancy. This can be a commercial diet labeled for pregnancy and lactation, or a diet labeled for puppies. There are several high-quality, over-the-counter, veterinary-recommended diets labeled for pregnant dogs.
Bitches should be kept on this higher-calorie diet through weaning. It is important to note that puppy foods designed for large breeds are generally not recommended for pregnant and lactating dogs because of their lower calcium, phosphorus, and energy levels. Pregnant and lactating bitches have a much higher metabolic demand associated with growing, birthing, and feeding puppies, so these diets can help ensure sufficient nutrition. It is recommended that you have a fresh stool sample checked by your veterinarian, as intestinal parasites can be spread to the puppies both in utero in the womb and during nursing.
Do not use over-the-counter dewormers in your pregnant or nursing dog, as some of these could be dangerous. Your veterinarian can prescribe the appropriate medication if her stool sample shows evidence of parasitic infection.
Female dogs should not have vaccinations, so make sure your dog is up to date on her shots and flea, tick, and heartworm prevention before she becomes pregnant. This area should be warm and comfortable, and your dog should be able to get in and out as she pleases while keeping the puppies contained. It is also important for the mother to be isolated from other dogs three weeks prior to labor and three weeks after delivery to prevent herpes virus infection.
This virus rarely causes disease in adult dogs, but can be deadly for puppies. The temperature should be taken rectally for the most accurate reading. There are three stages of dog labor. Contractions in the first stage can last hours. Puppies are usually born minutes apart, but the mother dog may take a break of up to four hours between puppies. The first stage is defined as cervix relaxation and the start of intermittent contractions.
However, you are not likely to see the contractions at this point in the birthing process. During this stage, your dog will act restless, travel in and out of the nesting box, pant, dig, and sometimes even vomit. This stage can last as long as hours. The second stage of labor begins with stronger, more frequent uterine contractions that eventually lead to the birth of a puppy. The next puppies are usually delivered every 30 to 60 minutes, although up to 3 hours between puppies can be normal.
A green-black discharge is normal once the first puppy has been delivered. The third stage of labour involves passing of the placentas. It is important to allow your dog to give birth to her puppies in a quiet area without being stressed by her surroundings.
You should be observing your dog enough to know that she is safe and that her labour appears normal, without adding to her stress, as this may cause her labour to stop. There are many reasons why problems can occur in the birthing process. Problems may occur after the first few puppies have been delivered, with more still requiring to come.
If your dog is having problems with labour, or you are uncertain whether things are progressing normally, it is important to seek veterinary advice as soon as possible. The ideal treatment for difficulties in birth differs depending on why your dog is unable to deliver all her puppies normally. Examination of the patient, blood tests, ultrasound and x-rays can be used to help determine what is the best course of action for the individual patient.
When this occurs, expect labor to begin within 24 hours. Once active labor begins and the first puppy is delivered, you can expect a delivery every 45 to 60 minutes.
If your dog is having a large litter, it is common for her to take breaks in between puppies. These breaks can last as long as two to four hours. The abdomen tenses and the bitch begins straining. This action will appear similar to the bitch trying to have a bowel movement.
The first puppy should be delivered within 1 to 2 hours of the onset of contractions and straining. Veterinary assistance is strongly encouraged if the first puppy is not delivered within 2 hours after the onset of contractions. After delivery of the puppy, the bitch may enter a resting phase that can last up to 4 hours.
Active straining will begin again and more puppies will be delivered. If you know there are additional puppies yet to be born and the resting period is longer than 4 hours, veterinary assistance is necessary. This resting phase may not occur after each delivery.
Sometimes, several puppies may be born rapidly. After delivery of a puppy, the bitch may enter stage III labor. This is the time when the placenta, after birth, is delivered and usually occurs 5 to 15 minutes after delivery of the puppy. If multiple puppies are born rapidly, several placentas may be expelled together.
After the passage of the placenta, the bitch will return to stage II labor. She may continue the resting phase or begin contracting.
Throughout whelping, the bitch will fluctuate between stage II and stage III labor until all the puppies are born. It is very important to keep track of the number of placentas.
There should be the same number of placentas as puppies. If a placenta is retained in the uterus, the bitch will eventually become quite ill. As soon as the puppy is born whelped , the mother should immediately start cleaning the puppy. She should begin vigorously licking the puppy, remove him from the amniotic sac if still present and chew the umbilical cord.
The bitch may even ingest the placenta. This is not necessary and, sometimes, can lead to vomiting and diarrhea.
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