The vast majority of whelpings occur in
the very early hours of predawn
darkness!
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 the
puppies are born in the area you have chosen. This box should
be relatively small with sides 6-8 inches high to keep puppies from
crawling out of the nest. Place the box in a secluded yet
familiar area of the home, away from 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
materials such as old quilts, blankets, rugs, or towels are used,
they must be washed frequently. I used old blankets, nothing
is too good for my Cookie or my
grandbabies.
Labor and
Delivery:
Labor in the mom can be divided into
3 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 treat. This stage may last 6-24
hours. This is a good time to exercise the mother to
allow her to urinate and defecate. Let her walk off the
pain. Stay with her. Stage 2: In the second
stage, contractions and expulsion of the puppies begin.
Usually, a small greenish sac of fluid protrudes from the
vulva. This is followed by the puppy attached to its
placenta. About two-thirds of all puppies are born nose first,
stomach down, and one-third are born hindquarters first. Both
presentations are considered normal in dogs. After 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
(see Obstetric Care below). 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 10-30 minutes, but it may range from a few seconds to
an hour.
If the delivery proceeds normally, a few contractions will
discharge the puppy; it should exit the birth canal within ten
minutes of being visible. Following delivery, the mother should lick
the newborn's face. She will then proceed to wash it and toss it
about.
Her tongue is used to tear the sac and
expose the mouth and nose. This vigorous washing stimulates
circulation, causing the puppy to cry and begin breathing; it also
dries the newborn's haircoat. The mother will sever the umbilical
cord by chewing it about 3/4 to 1 inch (11/2 to 2 cm) from the body.
Next, she will eat the placenta. The pup has about six minutes of "grace period" before it
must breathe, otherwise brain damage or death will
occur.)
If
the puppy or a fluid-filled bubble is partially visible
from the vagina, the owner should assist delivery. A dampened gauze
or thin wash cloth can be used to break the bubble and grasp the
head or feet. When a contraction occurs, firm traction should be
applied in a downward (i.e., toward her rear feet) direction. If
reasonable traction is applied without being able to remove the
puppy, or if the mother cries intensely during this process, the
puppy is probably lodged. A veterinarian's assistance should be
sought withoutdelay.
IT IS NOT
UNUSUALfor a bitch to whelp a pup after a few
hours of mild or occasional contractions. However, if the
contractions are intense and are repeating approximately every 3-4
minutes and no pup is presented within 1/2 hour--CALL. Also,
if the "water bag," the grayish-blue sac enclosing the fetus, passes
through the vulva and breaks, a pup should follow within 20 minutes.
If no pup is delivered--CALL. Sometimes there will be enough
discomfort that the bitch will yelp (especially during her first
delivery). If the yelping proceeds to definite cries of pain at each
contraction and no progress is being made at producing a
pup--CALL.
Obstetric Care:
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.
Newborn puppies may aspirate fluid into the lungs, as
evidenced by a raspy noise during respiration. This fluid can be
removed by the following procedure. First, the puppy should be held
in the palm of your hand. The puppy's face should be cradled between
the first two fingers. The head should be held firmly with
this hand and the body with the other hand. Next, a downward
swinging motion will make the puppy gasp. The fluid will flow
out of the lungs, this may need to be repeated 3 or 4 times.
Next use the aspirator bulb in the puppies nostrils to clear the
fluids, this too should make the puppy gasp. Do this until the
lungs sound clear and the puppy is breathing
easy.
The tongue is a
reliable indicator of successful respiration. If the puppy is
getting adequate oxygen, it will appear pink to red. A bluish
colored tongue indicates insufficient oxygen to the lungs, signaling
that the swinging procedure should be repeated.
The umbilical cord should be tied about
an inch away from the puppy’s body with a fine thread and then cut
on the side of the knot away from the puppy. Apply a drop of
iodine or merthiolate 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 your veterinarian and
drive to the hospital. . 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 5
minutes. If you cannot remove the puppy, call the
veterinarian. .
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 the
veterinarian if any of the following
occur:
You cannot remove a puppy lodged in
the birth canal.
There is a strong, persistent labor
without delivery of a pup.
There is weak, intermittent labor for
6 hours without delivery of a pup.
It has been more than 4 hours since
the last birth and it is probable that more puppies are still
inside.
There is a greenish-black discharge
and no labor or puppies within 3-4 hours. The greenish-black
color is normal, but such a discharge should be followed very soon
by the delivery of pups.
The pregnancy lasts more than 65
days.
During the delivery
process you are about to experience an emotional but exhilarating
and exhausting next few
hours.
Sunday morning
at 03:00 a foot appeared! Hey Amigo! Your
breech. A breech birth is not as unusual for dogs or
as complicated, as it is for humans.
Breech
birth Normal birth
That extra protein really did the
trick! The puppies were big and fat. Twenty minutes
after Amigo was born, Star came into the world in a blaze of
glory. She was already talking, yelping, she must of had
a lot built up inside her, just waiting for the first chance
yelp. And yelp was what she
did.
Potential Problems
An undelivered placenta or
two, which can contribute to a serious postnatal infection
for mom.
A dog's straining to get her
pups out.
More than a two-hour delay
between pups.
Dark green or bloody fluid
passed before the first birth instead of
afterward.
More than 30 minutes between
the breaking of the amniotic sac and
delivery.
A puppy's head emerging
during a contraction, then slipping back into the birth
canal afterward.
Also, if your dog goes into
labor less than 57 days into gestation, the pups may be too
immature to survive.
The new mother indicates the
conclusion of the birth by relaxing and nurturing her babies.
She curls protectively around her puppies and takes a well deserved
nap.
