How exciting! Your own bitch is pregnant and after around 60 days – the date of birth can vary by up to 5 days – the birth of the cute puppies is due.
In this article you will find out everything necessarywhat you need to know before giving birth to a dog, about the signs, process and complications.
A small checklist for the dog birth will help you to prepare yourself and your bitch optimally.
How to prepare a bitch for childbirth?
The best way to prepare your pregnant bitch is with the right food and a whelping box in the right place.
For your bitch, the dog birth is a real strenuous process, which she can usually cope with on her own.
Nevertheless, there are a few things to consider before the dog is born, which is really important for the bitch.
Checklist dog birth:
- Feed puppy food
- Prepare whelping box
- Vaccination of the bitch against the canine herpes virus
- wormer
- How many puppies can be expected?
- Ensure calm
- Have grain pillows and clean towels on hand
- Veterinarian emergency number
- Means of transport for bitch and puppies
change feed
start your bitch at the latest from the 6th week of pregnancy to be fed with high-energy puppy food.
You and the growing pups in your belly need that energy.
Give her the food over 3 to 4 meals. Then it is more tolerable for your stomach.
Even after giving birth, this food is the best nutrition for your bitch.
litter box
Prepare a whelping box for your bitch. This should be on one quiet, well-tempered, not too bright place stand. Bitches often prefer their favorite place or the kitchen.
The box must be big enough for the litter and the bitch.
It should also have an appropriately high edge so that the puppies cannot go exploring on their own.
Inside, lay out a puppy pad, clean towels, and your dog’s favorite blanket for her to accept the crate.
Also, have a heatable grain pillow handy in case you need to support your dog during labor and care for a puppy.
This keeps the puppy nice and warm when it’s no longer with its mum.
vet check
Your bitch should be vaccinated against the canine herpes virus at the latest after mating. This is necessary to avoid pup deaths.
From the 40th day of pregnancy, the bitch should be dewormed.
An X-ray reveals how many puppies your bitch awaits. This is good to know in order to be prepared for the birth.
Be sure to get a number from your vet in case of an emergency. Often the birth is at night.
While most dog births are uncomplicated, it’s good to be prepared just in case.
What are the signs of an imminent dog birth?
The dog birth signs begin with the bitch’s abdomen sagging, progressing through refusal to feed and restlessness until the onset of labor.
The following is a list of the dog birth signs:
- Flank collapse and lowering of the abdomen
- Slight milk production already possible
- swelling of the vulva
- Slimy vaginal discharge that is constantly licked away
- Frequent defecating and urinating
- Food refusal and nausea
- nest building and restlessness
- Strong panting
- Drop in body temperature by about 1 to 2 degrees
You can see the signs before the dog is born on the body and the behavior of the bitch.
Lowering the abdomen is important for the birth canal to be optimal.
Milk production is started in good time so that the puppies are well taken care of as soon as they arrive.
The mucous discharge is not the bursting of the first amniotic sac! So do not worry! This comes out through the dilatation of the cervix.
Often you don’t even notice this discharge, because the bitch takes care of cleanliness.
The refusal to feed is due to the fact that there is no longer room in the abdomen for a full stomach.
Heavy panting is also absolutely normal. A sign that something big is going on in the bitch’s body.
Temperature is a very important clue. From day 55 you should take your dog’s temperature at least 3 times a day as long as it is stress-free for her.
Body temperature drops to 37 degrees when labor begins within the next 12-24 hours. After that it rises again.
If your dog rummages through the whelping box or drags it to another location, allow it. She prepares the nest for her puppies as she sees fit.
Important
On day 55, observe your bitch really closely for physical and behavioral changes.
Dog birth: That’s the normal process
The dog birth has a process that is reflected in 3 phases can be divided into: opening phase, expulsion phase and afterbirth phase.
opening phase
At the opening stage, you will recognize all the signs of the dog birth.
The birth will then begin in 2 to 4 hours at the latest.
Don’t worry if the bitch seems absent. She is fully occupied with herself and her body.
Disturb them as little as possible. Stress can unnecessarily delay delivery.
expulsion phase
During the expulsion phase, the bitch will either lie on her side or crouch. She doesn’t know exactly what’s happening yet.
You will see the pressing contractions on your stomach. It usually takes her 2 to 4 contractions to have a puppy.
The first puppy should be born within 60 minutes of the onset of labor.
The next puppies follow at intervals of 10 to 60 minutes.
During this time, the dog mama bites the amniotic sac from which greenish to clear liquid comes out. She also bites the umbilical cord and licks her puppy.
Licking promotes bonding and stimulates the puppy’s breathing.
postpartum phase
When a dog is born, this phase is the last for the respective puppy.
The afterbirth is expelled within approx. 5 to 15 minutes, one for each pup born.
The bitch eats the afterbirth immediately. This gives her energy and promotes milk production.
Be sure to pass an afterbirth with each pup.
Interesting:
Dogs give birth to between 3 and 9 puppies depending on the size, breed and age of the bitch.
How long does a dog birth take?
Dog birth times vary greatly, depending on the bitch’s experience and how many puppies she’s expecting.
On average, the veterinarian speaks of the fact that the dog birth a duration of 12 to 24 hours has – in no case longer.
If it lasts longer, this can be an indication of complications.
The birth is over when the bitch has calmed down properly and even falls asleep.
After that, help her do her business, clean her whelping box and help the puppies find the teats.
How can you support childbirth?
As a dog owner, you can help your bitch if, for example, she is already busy with the labor of the next puppy or is a little weak herself.
Although most female dogs can handle giving birth on their own, you can Rip and cut the umbilical cord help.
You may also rub the puppies dry and clear the airways of amniotic fluid so he can breathe.
But make sure that you don’t anticipate anything from your dog, but only if she can’t do it herself at the moment.
If you notice that she is struggling with her strength, give her some calcium. She needs this more during childbirth.
What are possible complications of childbirth and what to do?
Unless you are an experienced breeder, you should contact your veterinarian for any complications of the dog birth, such as the puppy getting stuck.
The complications include, for example, when the dog birth comes to a standstill for various reasons.
Whenever there are timing discrepancies after temperature drop, amniotic fluid loss and between puppies, call your vet.
A puppy is stuck? Don’t try to get him out yourself, even though you may already see him. A caesarean section may be necessary.
Otherwise there is a risk of injury to the bitch and puppies.
Only help your dog care for the puppies if she is okay with it.
Is your bitch pregnant? Or have you ever witnessed a dog birth? Let us share your experiences.