Camino Animal Clinic
Camino Animal Clinic

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Addison’s Disease
Allergies
Amputation
Anal Glands
Arthritis
Aural Hematoma
Bite Abscesses
Brachycephalic                                 Breeds
Canine Pregnancy
Canine Skin Disorders
Cataracts
Chocolate Toxicity
Coccidia
Corneal Ulcer
Cranial Cruciate                                Ligament Rupture
Demodectic Mange in                Dogs and Cats
Dry Eye ("KCS")
Ear Infections
Ear Mites
Eosinophilic
               Granuloma Complex
Feline Asthma
Feline House Soiling
Feline               Immunodeficiency
              Virus (FIV)
Feline Infectious
               Peritonitis (FIP)
Feline Pregnancy
Feline Upper
               Respiratory
               Disease
Flea Anemia
Gastric Dilatation               (Bloat)
Heartworm Disease
Hepatic Lipidosis
HIGH BLOOD                PRESSURE
               (SYSTEMIC                HYPERTENSION)
               IN PETS
Poison Prevention
Rat Poisoning
Rattlesnake Bites
Snail Bait Poisoning



It is a good idea to keep track of your dog's breeding date so as to know when to expect what. The gestation period of the dog is approximately 63 days, but may range from 58-68 days. After about 35 days of pregnancy, the mother's caloric requirements will begin to increase. In general, she will require about twice as much food as usual. When she begins nursing, she will need three times as much food. The best nutritional plan is to buy a dog food approved for growth and feed according to the package. These diets are balanced and require no supplementation and they have the extra calories needed by the pregnant or nursing mother. Exercise of the pregnant dog does not need to be restricted until after the first 4-6 weeks of pregnancy. Do not supplement calcium as this can cause metabolic imbalances. Excess vitamins may be harmful to the puppies.

Some time around the 45th day, your dog should be examined by a veterinarian. At this time, the skeletons of the unborn pups will have mineralized and are thus visible on a radiograph. Your dog's abdomen can be x-rayed so that you know how many pups to expect. Ultrasound may be used to confirm pregnancy much earlier (after 25 days, the embryonic heart may be seen beating) but it is more difficult to count the number of pups using this method. A general pregnancy blood test can be performed around day 35 just to confirm whether or not she is pregnant.

A comfortable area should be set aside for whelping and raising the puppies. The female dog should feel at home here and should be able to come and go as she likes while the puppies must remain confined. The box should be large enough for the mother to stretch out in and also allow room for the puppies. Place the box in a warm area. The area should be warm enough to keep the temperature about 80 degrees. Do not use a heating pad in the box, as this can potentially burn the puppies or mother. Newspapers are an excellent bedding on the floor, as they are easily cleaned. During labor, she may choose another area. Let her deliver where she chooses.





The expectant mother will gradually require increasing amounts of food to nourish her developing litter. A food approved for growth (i.e. a puppy food) will be necessary during the nursing period and pregnancy may be a good time to transition into this new diet.

About three weeks into the pregnancy, she may experience a little nausea and appetite loss similar to morning sickness. This should resolve within a week. If an upset stomach or loss of appetite lasts longer than one week or is accompanied by listlessness, you should notify your local veterinarian.

Calcium supplementation is not recommended. As long as the expectant mother is on a quality diet, supplementation is unnecessary. Further, supplementation can suppress her natural calcium releasing hormones so that when she really needs extra calcium during nursing, she will not have the proper hormone balance. This can create a very dangerous situation which could easily be prevented by avoiding supplementation of calcium.



Regular walking helps the expectant mother keep up her strength but intensive training is not recommended. Obesity is a dangerous problem for pregnant dogs and serious blood sugar regulation problems can put the litter at risk. However, pregnancy is not the time for a weight loss program. Your veterinarian will help guide you regarding the optimal nutrition plan for your individual dog.

During the final 3 weeks of pregnancy, the mother dog should be completely isolated from other dogs at home. This means no walks in public during this stage of pregnancy.


A female dog should not be vaccinated during pregnancy. There are sera in the vaccine which could be harmful to the developing fetus. Ideally, the female should be vaccinated just prior to breeding. She will be passing on her immunity to her pups in the first milk she produces (colostrum) so it is beneficial to have her antibody levels at their peak before pregnancy.




If the expectant mother uses a heartworm preventive product, she may continue to do so during pregnancy. All heartworm products available are approved for use in pregnancy and lactation.

Flea control is important during pregnancy and is most important after the puppies are born. It is important to use a safe product during pregnancy. Capstar and Revolution are two such approved products.

Roundworms and Hookworms can both be transmitted from the pregnant mother dog to her unborn puppies. If the mother is not dewormed for these internal parasites, she can pass them onto her puppies. If this occurs, the puppies will need to be dewormed on their first veterinary visit.



Canine Herpesvirus infection causes a minor cold in adult dogs but can cause abortion in pregnancy as well as death in newborn puppies. The best way to prevent infection is to isolate the mother dog completely during the 3 weeks prior to delivery and the 3 weeks after delivery. This means absolutely no contact with other dogs.


There is always the possibility of a problem with delivery and you will need to be able to recognize labor when it is occurring, what is normal and what is a sign you need to see your veterinarian for assistance.




When your dog's due date is approaching, you should begin monitoring her rectal temperature. When her temperature drops below 100° F (normal canine temperature is 101-102° F), labor may be expected within 24 hours. Also, you may notice milk production from the breasts.


During this stage, uterine contractions begin. The female dog will appear very restless and may pace, dig, shiver, pant, or even vomit. This is all normal labor behavior. This stage of labor is very long, lasting 6-12 hours and culminates with full dilation of the cervix in preparation to expel a puppy.


The second stage is the "hard labor" stage in which the puppy is expelled. The third stage refers to the expulsion of the placenta and afterbirth. Each pup may not be followed by afterbirth; the mother may pass two pups and then two placentas. This is normal.

The expulsion of each puppy is preceded by a greenish, fluid-filled sac. Each pup is attached to a placenta by an umbilical cord. It is considered normal for puppies to be born either head first or feet first. Most mothers will instinctively break the sac covering each puppy and clean each pup. She will also bite off the umbilical cord and eat the placenta. Eating the placenta, gives the mother oxytocin (the hormone to stimulate contractions of the uterus) allowing further contractions.

If she does not eat or break open the placenta or disengage the umbilical cord, she will need assistance. You will be required to remove the sac and clean the puppies face, mouth, and nose. The umbilical cord should be tied off with thread 1-2 inches from the puppies body and cut off beyond the thread. Towel rub the puppy gently to stimulate breathing. When the puppies begin to move, place them close to the mother.

Expect one pup every 45-60 minutes with 10-30 minutes of hard straining. It is normal for mother dogs to "take a rest" partway through delivery and she may not strain at all for up to four hours between pups. If she is seen straining hard for over one hour or if she takes longer than a four hour break, a veterinarian should be consulted.

If one of the pups appears to be stuck during birth, you can gently grasp its body and gently pull the puppy in an outward and downward direction. If the pup can not be moved, call your veterinarian immediately. If the puppy appears weak or is not breathing, hold it firmly and swing it up and down between your legs with its head down. This will help drain fluid from the lungs. To stimulate breathing, rub the puppy briskly with a towel. Blow into the puppy’s nose gently to help induce breathing.



We recommend having an examination by your veterinarian within 48 hours after whelping. This will insure there is no breast infection, retained placentas, or fetuses.
CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN IF:
  • 30-60 minutes of strong contractions occur with no puppy being produced.
  • Greater than four hours pass between pups and you know there are more inside.
  • She fails to go into labor within 24 hours of her temperature drop.
  • She is in obvious extreme pain.
  • Greater than 70 days of gestation have passed.
 It is normal for the female dog to have a fever in the 24-48 hours following birth. This fever should not be accompanied by clinical signs of illness.

Normal vaginal discharge after parturition should be odorless and may be green, dark red-brown or bloody and may persist in small amounts for up to 8 weeks.

Signs of this condition are as follows:
  • fever
  • foul-smelling vaginal discharge
  • listlessness
  • loss of appetite
  • no interest in the puppies
  • decreased milk production
If these signs are noted, usually in the first day or two postpartum, a veterinarian should be consulted. Your dog may have retained a placenta or have suffered some trauma during delivery. Animals who have required assistance with delivery are often predisposed to metritis.

This condition results when the bitch has trouble supporting the calcium demand of lactation. Calcium supplementation predisposes a bitch to this condition. Usually affected animals are small dogs. They demonstrate:
  • nervousness and restlessness
  • no interest in the pups
  • stiff, painful gait
This progresses to:
  • muscle spasms
  • inability to stand
  • fever
  • seizures
This condition generally occurs in the first three weeks of lactation and a veterinarian should be consulted immediately.

Normal nursing glands are soft and enlarged. Diseased glands are red, hard, and painful. In general, the mother dog does not act sick and the disease is confined to the mammary tissue. She may be sore and discourage the pups from nursing. However, it is important to keep the pups nursing the affected glands. This is not harmful to the puppies and helps flush out the infected material. Hot packing may be helpful.



Most dogs are excellent mothers and experience few problems. The basic rule is to seek veterinary care if the mother dog appears to feel sick or if she ceases to care for her young. Care of the puppies initially is done by the mother. Our job is to keep the environment warm (no less than 70 degrees) and clean.

We recommend handling the puppies as little as possible during the first 2-3 weeks of life. As they get older and begin to wean at 3-4 weeks, give them more food on regular schedules. The weaning process should take about 2-4 weeks. This is done by gradually replacing the mother’s milk with a well balanced puppy formula. Puppies nurse until they are about 6 weeks old and then may be fully separated from their mother.

Veterinary examination of the puppies, if not done earlier, should be performed at approximately 6-7 weeks of age. They will be examined, vaccinated, and have a stool analysis for internal parasites, followed by deworming if necessary. A good age for adoption into a new home is 8 weeks or later.

Sources:
www.marvistavet.com
www.veterinarypartner.com