Having decided to tie his dog and going through it, the owner remains in ignorance for a long time: is his four-legged pet pregnant? But days add up to weeks. If it becomes known that she is pregnant, then when are the puppies to wait?
Dogs give birth on the 58-66th day after the last mating. How to prepare for
childbirth? Firstly, try to make your schedule in such a way that after the 55th day you don’t leave the dog alone for a long time.
There is the following method to determine the day of birth: approximately 24-36 hours before they begin, the temperature in the rectum drops by one to one and a half degrees in the animal. That is, it will be somewhere between 36.5-37.5 ° C. 2-3 days before the “X” moment, the abdomen descends, and “pits” form on both sides of the spine. The animal may worry, refuse to eat, delve into secluded places, breathe heavily several hours before giving birth. What needs to be done before they start:
Arrange a place for the dog where everything will happen. No need to do this on sofas and armchairs. Best suited floor. This should be a place away from windows, doors and central heating batteries. If the dog is small, a box is great. If the animal is large, a fenced area is required. Newborn babies will creep and squeak - this worries the bitch, makes her jump from her place.
Prepare the following items: clean dry diapers (rags), a heating pad or plastic bottles with warm water, alcohol, strong threads, a syringe or a small syringe, sharp scissors, oil or Levomekol ointment, or petroleum jelly, and a veterinarian’s phone.
Typically, delivery is successful for the bitch and puppies, but let it go by its own accord. The dog needs your participation and support, and sometimes you need real help.
So, how to take birth in a dog? The duration of this process is from 1 hour to 1 day. The direct expulsion of the fetus begins when the cervix is open and the fetus enters the birth canal. The dog begins to push. The puppy can go forward with the head or pelvis, this is normal. The fetal bladder can open or not, often the baby is born in the unopened fetal membranes. It tears them apart and gnaws the umbilical cord, and also the nursery usually cares for the baby . But how to give birth to a dog inexperienced or which for some reason does nothing? Do not worry, do it yourself. Free the puppy from the fetal bladder. The umbilical cord is cut, retreating 2-3 cm from his abdomen. It is necessary to clean his mouth and respiratory tract of liquid, for this a syringe or syringe will come in handy. Then wipe the puppy with a cloth. After the baby is born, the afterbirth should come out. Do not let the dog eat more than 2-3 afterbirths, otherwise it will have diarrhea. Place the puppy on the mammary glands, make sure that he finds the nipple, takes it and sucks the colostrum for 5-10 minutes. After that, it can be put back into the box or just to the side where the heating pad lies. In order for mom not to worry, she must see the babies. Recount the afterbirths, their number should coincide with the number of puppies.
If the last did not go out within a day, you need to visit a veterinarian, otherwise the dog will have serious complications.
How to take birth in a dog if something goes wrong? There may be such deviations in the process:
childbirth dragged on;
the dog stopped pushing at all, although puppies were probed in the uterus;
the animal is vigorously pushing for 30-60 minutes;
purulent or profuse bloody discharge;
the dog has cramps, stiffness (rigidity) of the muscles, seizures, pallor of the gums, abdominal pain, and a decrease in body temperature.
All this serves as an occasion for an urgent call to the veterinarian. Be prepared to urgently deliver the animal to the clinic.
How to give birth in a small dog? The process is similar. However, it should be borne in mind that in small dogs more often there are problems with weak labor and getting the babies stuck in the birth canal. If the dog is very small, it is best to invite a veterinarian in advance. Most likely, she will need specialized help or a planned caesarean section.