Posts Tagged ‘puppy whelping’
Preparing for a Dog to Give Birth
Once you have determined that your dog is pregnant you have approximately 62 days from the date of conception before the puppies arrive. This is just a generalization, some females will whelp earlier and some may whelp later. What you will need to look for is a change in behavior or nesting behavior, along with a frop in body temperature. Start taking her temperature two to three times a day at the same time each day when she is calm and relaxed at about day 58 to day 60. A regular (normal) temperature is between 100 to 101 degrees Fahrenheit. When her temperature drops to 98 to 99 degrees the puppies will typically be born within 24 hours.
After an initial drop in body temperature, it is important to give your vet a call to check in. You need to let him or her know that whelping will happen with a day so that he or she is prepared should you need to bring the dog in. You’ll want to make sure you have transportation available and someone that can either drive or help move the dog. A good idea is to line the backseat or the crate with heavy towels and remove any or all dog dresses she might be wearing, as this can be a very messy time to move the dog. You’ll want to
Prepare a whelping box that has sides high enough to keep the puppies in but low enough to allow the mother dog to get out. An indoor doggie gate may be used to keep puppies from wandering. Use some kind of disposable absorbant material, such as papaer towels, during the whelping process. Don’t use anything that may irritate the female or the puppies and avoid using anything with chemical treatment such as fabric softener or deodorizers.
Although most females will know what to do you should also have thread, sharp scissors, iodine or antibacterial solution, surgical gloves and several towels on hand. If the mother does not lick the puppies the towels can be used to dry them and clear the mucus and materials from their nose after whelping. The thread and iodine is used to tie off and disinfect the umbilical cord and the scissors are used to cut it if the mother does bite through the cord.