Childbirth in dogs: signs of onset, how long it lasts, how to accept puppies

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Childbirth in dogs is a responsible and joyful event. The he alth of the mother and puppies directly depends on the actions of the owner. Therefore, it is necessary to prepare for childbirth in advance, to understand how to recognize their beginning. This will allow a person who has taken on the role of an obstetrician to remain calm at a crucial moment, an animal to be safely resolved, babies to be born he althy and strong.

Preparing for childbirth in dogs

What do you need to know about this? How to take birth in a dog? Pregnancy lasts approximately 59-63 days. Calculating the estimated date will be easy if the mating day is known.

As early as two or three weeks, you should start preparing for the birth of puppies. This is when a veterinarian should be contacted if the owner plans to seek help from a specialist. It’s also good to know the doctor’s number if the owner of the animal will take birth on his own. It is forbiddenrule out something going wrong.

How to arrange a place

Suppose the owner plans to deliver the dog himself. What to do, how to properly prepare for this? You should start by arranging the place where everything will happen. This should be done in about 1-1.5 weeks. The animal will have the opportunity to get used to the new place.

How to equip a "nest" for childbirth? You can take an old box that fits the size. Old magazines or books should be placed between the floor and the bottom, this will provide protection from drafts and cold. It is important that the dog fits freely in the box.

What you need

What else do you need to give birth to a dog at home? Standard OB Kit Includes:

• box for newborn puppies;
• oilcloth and sheet;
• thermometers (medical and room);
• warmer;
• syringes, tweezers, pipettes, scissors;
• cotton wool;
• tray;
• gauze pads;
• soft diapers;
• silk thread soaked in alcohol or vodka;
• clock;
• colored wool threads;
• small scales;
• notebook with pen.

Medicines

We must not forget about the necessary medicines. This list should include:

• hydrogen peroxide;
• brilliant green;
• "Traumeel";
• glucose 5% in ampoules;
• rubbing alcohol or vodka.

The man whois going to take on the role of an obstetrician, he must definitely shorten his nails, wash and sanitize his hands.

Where does it all begin?

Inexperienced obstetricians are not always able to determine the harbingers of childbirth in dogs. What are these "symptoms"?

• Isolation of whitish mucus from the genital tract. This can happen after sleeping or while urinating. It can be assumed that there are 3-5 days left before contractions.
• Swelling of the mammary glands, leakage of colostrum when pressed. This indicates that there are 1-2 days left before contractions.
• The belly is noticeably balding. First of all, this manifests itself in the areas around the nipples. This also means that there are no more than 1-2 days left before contractions.

This is how the harbingers of childbirth look in dogs. How to understand that the process has already begun?

Signs of onset of labor

The "symptoms" described above make it clear that puppies will be born soon. What are the signs of childbirth in a dog?

• It all starts with a drop in body temperature. As a rule, it drops one or two degrees.
• The behavior of the pet changes dramatically. The dog experiences anxiety, which can manifest itself in different ways. The animal "digs" the floor, rushes from corner to corner, actively licks the genitals, does not leave the owner, and so on. All this indicates that there are approximately 12-24 hours left before contractions.
• What are the signs of labor in a dog 3-5 hours before labor? The pupils dilate, the heart rate increases, the animal trembles and oftenbreathes.
• How to understand that there are 0.5-1.5 hours left before contractions? The dog hunches its back, often squats and urinates, but still walks.

Duration

So, the animal lies down and begins to push, you can see the contractions of the peritoneum. If the process takes place in a limited space, the pet can rest with its paws against one wall, and press its back against the other, this helps to endure contractions more easily. All this indicates that the appearance of puppies is left to wait quite a bit. How long does a dog birth take? You can count on your house to be filled with smacking and squeaking from babies in 3-12 hours.

Size matters

Will the pet need help from the owner? Childbirth in dogs of large breeds, as a rule, does not require intervention. Such individuals are quite capable of resolving on their own. It should be borne in mind that they usually have fewer puppies than representatives of the "compact" breeds. It is only necessary to help the animal if the birth is too long.

What can be said about childbirth in small breed dogs? They are also able to cope on their own. Little is required from the owner - to accept the puppies, to cut the umbilical cords. However, the delivery process can also be delayed, resulting in the need for intervention.

How can I help?

How can the host help? Intervention will be required if the mother did not release the puppy from the bubble in which he was born. This shell prevents the baby from breathing, so it must be quickly broken. If after this the puppy does not begin to breathe, do notmoves, fluid must be removed from the nose and mouth.

You need help even if the dog has not chewed the umbilical cord on its own. You should pinch the umbilical cord with your fingers at a distance of about 2-3 centimeters from the baby's abdomen, make a second grip at the same distance, and then tear it. To tie the umbilical cord, alcoholized silk thread is required, this is necessary when blood appears.

The smallest

Dwarf Pinschers, Chihuahuas, Yorkshire Terriers and other representatives of the smallest breeds are not able to push puppies out of the birth canal on their own. In this case, the intervention of the owner is required. How to deliver a dog?

• When you try, a fetal bladder appears. The owner must seize the moment and fix the puppy in the birth loops. This must be done by holding the baby's head in the bubble. If the puppy is born feet first, you should hold it by the area above the hips. It is strictly forbidden to drag a newborn by the paws.
• When pulling babies, you need to do it in the direction of the birth canal. Gentle and gentle "loosening" of the puppy from side to side is allowed.

What to do next?

If a dog is giving birth for the first time, she may not take any action on the puppies. What should the owner do in this case?

• You need to take the baby and bring it to the face of the mother.
• If the dog does not respond, you must open the bladder yourself, clear the mouth and nose of mucus. Also importantmake sure the tongue is not stuck.
• Next, bandage the umbilical cord a couple of centimeters from the baby's belly, cut it off.
• Then the puppy needs to be rubbed to make sure he is breathing. Next, the baby is applied to the mother's nipple.
• When starting new attempts, you need to place the puppy in a box that is in full view of the female. It is important not to forget to put a heating pad in it.

Possible Complications

What else do you need to know about the birth process in dogs? The owner should also be aware of possible complications. This will help you not to get lost in a critical situation and come to the aid of the animal in a timely manner.

• Dead puppy. If during attempts you can see a baby who does not show signs of life, you need to pull him out during the next series of attempts. Otherwise, the rest of the puppies will suffocate in the birth canal.
• Retained placenta. What to do if the afterbirth has not departed? In this case, two to five hours after birth, it is necessary to give the mother an injection of oxytocin. Then you need to put the dog in the bath on its hind legs, send a stream of warm water to the stomach. In parallel, you need to do a light massage of the abdomen, moving from top to bottom.
• Stuck puppy. Such a nuisance can occur as a result of spasms of the vaginal muscles. An injection of an antispasmodic drug given to the mother will help save the baby. Then you should wait for the complete relaxation of the muscles. If nothing changes, you need to insert a finger into the vagina during the next attempts (under the puppy or to the side of him).
• Wrong waypuppy. The baby can come with his neck to the mother's pelvic opening if his head is wrapped inward. In this case, the dog will not be able to give birth on its own, the help of a veterinarian is needed.
• Big puppy. If the baby is too big and does not move outward, you should stick your finger into the vagina and push it towards you during the next attempts. It is necessary to act along the so-called arc - first on yourself, and then down.
• Weak generic activity. Weakening or cessation of contractions and attempts - what to do in this case? You can use a pacemaker or have a caesarean section.

Pet care, feeding

Assume that the birth of the dog was successful. This process takes a lot of strength from the mother, so she needs rest and peace. It is important that the pet is in a dry and warm place, and the owner has the opportunity to look after him. The presence of strangers is not allowed. A new mother may be worried that someone might attack her babies.

During the first 6-8 hours after birth, the animal needs only clean water. Then you can start feeding the dog. Preference is given to light and soft food, 5-6 meals a day are welcome. It is important that the new mother's diet does not include high-calorie foods. This can lead to an excess of milk and inflammation of the mammary glands.

Discharge, diarrhea

During the first two weeks after birth, dogs have a mucous discharge with blood impurities. Gradually they becomecolorless. If the owner finds that the pet has copious bloody or dark green discharge, be sure to take the new mother to the veterinarian. The former can be triggered by uterine bleeding, and the latter by an inflammatory process occurring in the abdominal cavity.

Diarrhea is considered normal after childbirth. It is observed during the first two or three days, passes on its own. To speed up this process, dairy products should be excluded. Bone meal will help strengthen the stool, while giving bones is not recommended.

Increased body temperature, heavy breathing, lack of appetite, exhausted appearance, weakness - alarming symptoms. Their combination is a good reason to contact the veterinarian without delay.

Feeding newborns

What else should an owner know about giving birth to a dog for the first time? Puppies are born blind and deaf. However, this does not prevent babies from finding their mother's breasts from the first days of life. In the process of feeding, they push off the floor with their hind legs, massage the dog's stomach. This provides nipple stimulation, which is essential for milk production.

Nutrition with colostrum is the key to the he alth of newborn puppies. Thanks to this, nutrients and protein globulins will enter the body, preventing the development of infectious diseases.

It may happen that a new mother does not have milk or she does not allow puppies to come to her. In this case, a specially adapted mixture will come to the rescue, which is sold in a veterinarypharmacy in the form of powdered milk. Instructions for its preparation are on the package. You can also beat a chicken egg and mix with one hundred grams of fresh cow's milk, and then strain the mixture through several layers of clean gauze. If newborns are weakened, you need to add 3 ml of ascorbic acid, 20 ml of glucose and a little cream to this recipe. A special feeding bottle can also be purchased from a veterinary pharmacy. In extreme cases, an ordinary baby bottle will do. Newborns are fed every 2-3 hours. For babies who are already a month old, 5-6 meals a day are enough.