Dog birth is a responsible and joyful event. The health 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 safely resolve itself, and kids to be born healthy and strong.
Dog preparation
What you need to know about this? How to take birth in a dog? Pregnancy lasts approximately 59-63 days. It will be easy to calculate the estimated date if the mating day is known.
Already in two to three weeks should begin preparations for the birth of puppies. It is then that you need to contact the veterinarian if the owner plans to seek help from a specialist. It is not bad to find out the doctor’s number if the owner of the animal will take birth on his own. It cannot be ruled out that something will go wrong.
How to arrange a place
Suppose that the owner plans to take delivery with the dog himself. What to do, how to properly prepare for this? Begin by arranging a 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 a new place.
How to arrange a "nest" for childbirth? You can take an old box that fits in size. Between the floor and the bottom, old magazines or books should be placed, this will provide protection from drafts and cold. It is important that the dog fits freely in the box.
What is needed
What else will be required in order to take birth in a dog at home? A standard obstetric kit includes the following:
- box for newborn puppies;
- oilcloth and sheet;
- thermometers (medical and room);
- warmer;
- syringes, tweezers, pipettes, scissors;
- cotton wool;
- tray;
- gauze napkins;
- soft diapers;
- silk threads soaked in alcohol or vodka;
- clock;
- multi-colored woolen threads;
- small scales;
- notebook with pen.
Medicines
We must not forget about the necessary medicines. This list should include:
- hydrogen peroxide;
- brilliant green;
- "Traumeel";
- 5% glucose in ampoules;
- medical alcohol or vodka.
A person who is going to take on the role of an obstetrician must necessarily shorten his nails, wash and disinfect his hands.
Where does it all start?
Inexperienced obstetricians are far from always able to determine the precursors of childbirth in dogs. What are these "symptoms"?
- Isolation of whitish mucus from the genital tract. This may occur after sleep or during urination. It can be assumed that 3-5 days are left before the fights.
- Breast swelling, colostrum leakage when pressed. This indicates that 1-2 days are left before the fights.
- The abdomen is noticeably balding. This is primarily manifested in areas around the nipples. This also means that no more than 1-2 days are left before the contractions.
This is how the precursors of childbirth in dogs look. How to understand that the process has already begun?
Signs of the 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 decreases by one or two degrees.
- The behavior of the pet changes dramatically. The dog experiences excitement, 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 host, and so on. All this indicates that about 12-24 hours are left before the fights.
- What signs of childbirth in a dog are observed 3-5 hours before labor? The pupils dilate, the heartbeat quickens, the animal trembles and often breathes.
- How to understand that before fights 0.5-1.5 hours are left? The dog hunches his back, often crouches 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 against one wall with its paws, and press against the other with its back, this helps to transfer the contractions more easily. All this indicates that the appearance of puppies is left to wait quite a bit. How long do dogs have to give birth? You can count on the fact that the house will be filled with smacking and peeping babies in 3-12 hours.
Size matters
Will the animal 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 themselves. Keep in mind that they usually have fewer puppies than representatives of "compact" breeds. To help the animal is necessary only if the birth is too long.
What can be said about childbirth in dogs of small breeds? They are also able to cope on their own. Little is required from the owner - to accept puppies, cut the umbilical cord. However, the birth process can also be delayed, which will require intervention.
How to help?
What help can the owner provide? Intervention will be required if the mother did not free 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, does not move, it is necessary to remove fluid from the nose and mouth.
It is also necessary to help if the dog has not bitten the umbilical cord independently. You should hold 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 dress the umbilical cord, an 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, host intervention is required. How to take birth in a dog?
- With an attempt, a fetal bladder appears. The owner must catch the moment and fix the puppy in the birth loops. This must be done by holding the baby's head in a bubble. If the puppy is born with its feet forward, you should hold it by the area above the hips. It is strictly forbidden to drag the newborn by the paws.
- When pulling babies, it is necessary to do this in the direction of the birth canal. Cautious and smooth "loosening" of the puppy from side to side is allowed.
What to do next?
If the dog gives birth for the first time, she may not take any action on the puppies. What should the owner do in this case?
- It is necessary to take the baby and bring it to the face of the mother.
- If the dog does not respond, it is necessary to open the bladder on its own, clean the mucus from the mouth and nose. It is also important to make sure that the tongue is not sunken.
- Next, you should bandage the umbilical cord in a couple of centimeters from the abdomen of the baby, cut it.
- Then you need to grind the puppy, make sure that he breathes. Next, the baby is applied to the mother's nipple.
- At the beginning of 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 have an idea of the possible complications. This will help not to get confused in a critical situation and timely come to the rescue of the animal.
- 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, in the birth canal, the rest of the puppies will suffocate.
- The delay of the placenta. What to do if the last 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, direct a stream of warm water on 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. To save the baby will help the injection of an antispasmodic, which is done to the mother. Then you should wait until the muscles are completely relaxed. If nothing changes, you need to insert a finger into the vagina during the next attempts (under the puppy or on the side of it).
- Wrong walking puppy. A baby can approach his mother’s pelvic opening with his neck if his head is turned inward. In this case, the dog will not be able to give birth on their own, the help of a veterinarian is needed.
- Large puppy. If the baby is too big and does not move out, you should stick your finger in the vagina and during the next attempts to push it towards you. It is necessary to act on the so-called arc - first on yourself, and then down.
- Weak labor. Weakening or termination of contractions and attempts - what to do in this case? You can use a stimulant or have a cesarean section.
Animal Care, Feeding
Suppose the birth of the dog was successful. This process takes away a lot of energy 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 newly-minted mother may worry that someone is capable of encroaching on her babies.
During the first 6-8 hours after birth, the animal needs only clean water. Then you can begin to feed the dog. Light and soft foods are preferred, 5-6 meals a day are welcome. It is important that the diet of the newly minted mother is not 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, mucous discharge with blood impurities is observed in dogs. Gradually they become colorless. If the owner discovers that the pet has abundant bloody or dark green discharge, a new mother should be shown to the veterinarian. The first can be triggered by uterine bleeding, and the second - by an inflammatory process that occurs in the abdominal cavity.
Diarrhea is considered normal after birth. It is observed during the first two to three days, passes independently. To speed up this process, dairy products should be excluded. Bone meal will help strengthen the stool, while giving bones is not recommended.
Elevated body temperature, heavy breathing, lack of appetite, exhausted appearance, weakness are alarming symptoms. Their combination is a good reason to immediately contact a veterinarian.
Feeding newborns
What else should an owner know who is about to have 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. During feeding, they are repelled by the hind legs from the floor, massage the dog’s stomach. This provides nipple stimulation, which is very important for milk production.
Colostrum nutrition is the key to the health of newborn puppies. Due to this, nutrients and globulins of proteins that prevent the development of infectious diseases will enter the body.
It may happen that the new mother does not have milk or she does not allow puppies to her. In this case, a specially adapted mixture will come to the rescue, which is sold in the veterinary pharmacy in the form of milk powder. Instructions for its preparation are on the packaging. 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 bottle for feeding can also be purchased at a veterinary pharmacy. In extreme cases, an ordinary baby bottle will do. Newborns are fed every 2-3 hours. For kids who are already a month old, 5-6 meals a day are enough.