It is completely normal that when our dog becomes pregnant, doubts invade us. When the delivery will be, we will know how to attend to it when it begins to give birth, how long the process of giving birth lasts, etc … We must be calm, everything is much easier than it seems and if everything goes as it should, we can attend the delivery ourselves.
It is important to keep in mind some tips to facilitate the process of giving birth to our dog, observe her during the last days of gestation and support her at all times. Let’s review what are the most noticeable symptoms of an impending delivery and how to act.
Index of contents
- 1 How long does a dog’s gestation last?
- 2 How many puppies can a dog have?
- 3 What symptoms does a dog show when she is going to give birth?
- 3.1 An ideal place to give birth
- 3.2 Claim your attention and avoid other dogs
- 3.3 My bitch licks her parts and ejects liquids
- 3.4 Temperature rise and contractions
- 4 What should I do while my dog is giving birth?
- 5 How to care for a dog and her puppies after giving birth
How long does a dog’s gestation last?
The total duration of gestation period of a bitch It varies greatly depending on your age, size, and race. TO Some bitches have a gestation cycle of only fifty-five days, while others reach almost seventy days.
How should we go to the vet to perform routine ultrasounds and verify that everything is fine, he can give us some clue about the duration of our dog’s pregnancy. Since by ultrasound you can determine the development of the puppies and estimate an approximate date for delivery.
Dogs do not follow any date for this purpose, they simply begin to give birth when mother nature indicates that the time has come, when their body indicates that it is time to give birth.
Temperature rise and contractions
A good trick to determine when our dog is in labor is to measure her body temperature through the rectum (anus, ass). The usual temperature of our dog will be about 38 degrees during the days before delivery, but when the moment of giving birth approaches, its temperature will drop between one and two degrees.
Contractions are also a clear sign that labor is imminent, just as it is in humans. We can appreciate the contractions of our little dog in her gut, count the time and appreciate how the miracle of life occurs.
What should I do while my dog is giving birth?
Actually we should not do anything, although it is very important not to do anything but with our dog. When our bitch has chosen the place to give birth, we must put there clean towels or sheets, so that it feels very comfortable.
When the moment approaches, she will adopt a comfortable posture for childbirth, she can lie on her side and wait for the cubs to be born one by one or stand up and watch them fall carefully (watch the video). Sometimes it can take up to forty minutes between puppy and puppy, so we must be very patient.
When the puppy is born, the mother will begin to lick it until it breathes on its own. We should do absolutely nothing, just accompany our dog in this wonderful moment. Our dog will then take her puppy to feed her or, failing that, it will be the same puppy that goes to the dog’s mother.
When all the puppies are born, we should simply make sure that they are comfortable with their mother. She will nurture and care for them during their first hours of life, where we will only accompany our dog and we will give her love when she is finished.
Sometimes bitches eat the placenta and the remains of childbirth, it is something very normal and natural, since contains a large amount of nutrients that our dog needs.
If during childbirth we appreciate that any puppy is born dead or dies, we must remove it. If we see any complications in childbirth, such as the presence of blood that is black or very dark and smelly, we should notify the vet urgently.
How to care for a dog and her puppies after giving birth
Puppies must be suckling from their mother until at least two months of age, so our work with them will be based on ensuring their comfort and hygiene. Periodically put clean towels or sheets, clean their excrement and urine, etc …
To our bitch who just gave birth, we must give a specific food for lactating bitches. We can find this type of food in any veterinary clinic and they are highly recommended, since they contain many essential nutrients for lactation and for our dog to regain strength.
Must prevent strangers, that our dog does not know, approach her or her puppies, his protective instinct can surface and take up a defensive aptitude. Otherwise, it will be the veterinaryn who gives you the guidelines to follow depending on the condition of the puppies.
Remember to choose some nice names for your puppies and give them all the love they deserve. For them you are also part of their family, do not disappoint them.