Whelping

Whelping is the process of giving birth to puppies. If you have a female dog that is pregnant and is about to give birth, there are a few things you can do to prepare for the whelping process and help ensure safe and successful delivery.

Here are some tips to help you prepare for your dog's whelping:

1. Create a comfortable whelping area: Choose a quiet, warm, and draft-free area for your dog to give birth. This can be a crate, a small room, or a designated area in your home. Make sure the area is large enough for your dog to move around comfortably and has enough space for the puppies to lie next to her.

2. Gather necessary supplies: Have a few essential items on hand, including clean towels, a thermometer, a flashlight, and some scissors (to cut the umbilical cords). You may also want to have a heating pad or blanket on hand to keep the puppies warm.

3. Know the signs of labor: Pay attention to your dog's behavior and physical signs as the delivery approaches. Signs of labor include nesting behavior, panting, and restlessness.

4. Know when to seek veterinary care: If your dog is having difficulty giving birth, or if more than 60 minutes have passed between puppies, it is important to seek veterinary care as soon as possible.

Whelping can be an exciting but also stressful experience for both you and your dog. It is important to stay calm and be prepared to provide support and assistance as needed. If you have any concerns or questions about your dog's whelping process, it is always best to consult with a veterinarian.

Prior to Labor

Nesting can be done before and during labor. Digging and hiding are both common behaviors of nesting. Just because a dog is nesting does not mean they are in labor, or even pregnant for that matter. A dog having a false pregnancy can also exhibit nesting behaviors. 

Stage one of labor can last 12-24 hours. You can start tracking their temperature and when it drops below 99 degrees Fahrenheit, puppies will usually arrive within  24 hours. I will say, as much as I wish there was an accurate way to track labor,  there is not. So, don’t be alarmed if the temperature is 99 degrees one day and back to 101 degrees the next. It can fluctuate up and down a bit. Other symptoms or behaviors a dog may exhibit when labor is progressing are: refusal to eat, vomiting,  restlessness with intermittent content resting, panting, digging, spinning in circles, and staring at their bottom (what the hell is going on down there?), frequent breaks outside (confusion from the pressure they are feeling), and crying or whining.

Start to take your bitch's temperature at regular intervals, 101-102 degrees Fahrenheit is normal, but a sudden drop to 97-99 degrees Fahrenheit is a sign that labor is imminent. Also, immediately prior to labor your bitch may become restless or start licking the area around her vagina, which will become swollen and may start producing a discharge. She may also lose her appetite for a couple of days before whelping commences. Don't let your bitch go more than three days after her due date before consulting a vet, he will want to check her over.

As most births take place at night it is wise to walk your bitch in a well-lit area or carry a torch, it has been known for a bitch to drop a puppy while you think she is going to the toilet. She won't want to walk very far from her bed, so don't push her and keep her on a lead so that you can see where she is and what she is doing at all times.

Prepare a box for your car, if the going gets tough you may need to take your bitch to the vet. The box should resemble the whelping box with blankets and newspaper, in case your bitch gives birth en route to the surgery.

Have your phone and the local vets number handy. Don't be afraid to ring him at any time. Complications in birth can be life-threatening for your bitch and her puppies.

During Labor

The first stage of whelping is the initial labor stage. Your bitch may start to pant a lot; she may also vomit and shake. She will be restless and feel much discomfort. As her contractions come faster and harder her cervix will dilate. Don't leave your bitch during this stage your reassuring voice will make her feel more relaxed, but don't interfere. This stage usually lasts around 4 or 5 hours, although if it is your bitch's first litter, it could take 24 to 36 hours.

During the second stage of labor, your bitch will start straining, this may be visible to you. She will continue to pant heavily between contractions. She may ask to go out, but the need to push feels very much like wanting to defecate. Keep her on a lead and walk around at her pace, keeping a close eye on her. Once a puppy has come down into the pelvic area your bitch will start to push. If your bitch has been pushing hard for more than two hours and still no puppy has appeared, give your vet a ring. Your car should be prepared and ready to go.

The water sac will appear first and break, then a puppy will follow shortly after, followed by the placenta, if it's ready. You can gently pull on the cord, but don't worry too much if it doesn't come. Never pull the cord from the puppy, if is comes off, your puppy may suffer an umbilical hernia or infection. Generally, the placenta comes out with each puppy, but occasionally it will come at the end of whelping. Make sure you have had as many placentas as you have had puppies, if any are missing, ring your vet. Your bitch may want to eat the placenta this is perfectly normal (for a dog!). Your bitch may also chew the umbilical cord, but it is preferable to do it yourself.

Once a puppy is born, your bitch can rest until the labor starts up again. Give your bitch the opportunity to clean and care for the puppy, don't intervene immediately unless the puppy isn't breathing. When the labor starts up again, move the puppy into the second prepared box, making sure it has been adequately heated. You don't want your bitch rolling onto it while she is pushing and straining. Give the mother back her puppies during each rest period. The time between the births can vary from minutes to hours, but the second, third and so on puppies should come within 30 minutes of the previous one. If your bitch has been struggling with a pup, which is not her firstborn, you need to call your vet. Offer your bitch a drink between each birth.

The third stage of labor is the expulsion of the afterbirth. The afterbirth can be born with each puppy or it may remain with the bitch and come out with subsequent puppies. Regardless of which, the umbilical cord will need to be cut with each puppy.

As each puppy is born check it is breathing. If it isn't, remove the water sac from the puppy’s nose and mouth and hold him upside down to help drain the fluid, be careful because he will be slippery. Another way to clear the fluid is to hold the puppy at arm’s length with his nose away from you and swing him to and fro. Make sure you support his head. This allows gravity to draw out excess fluid. Rub him vigorously, and intermittently, with a clean, dry towel, this will not only dry him but should stimulate him into breathing, he should begin to squeak. If he doesn't squeak, use the bulb syringe to clear his airways, continue to rub vigorously, and make sure he stays warm. Unfortunately, it is an all too often occurrence that not all puppies survive, keep repeating the procedure for fifteen minutes, if he doesn't start to breathe on his own in this time, he is unlikely to.

To cut the umbilical cord start by dipping two pieces of plain cotton or fishing line into the antiseptic solution. Tie them around the umbilical cord an inch apart with the first piece about two inches away from the puppy. Then use sharp scissors to cut through the cord in between each tie. Dispose of the placenta right away. Using cotton wool dipped in the antiseptic solution, gently clean around the cord that is still attached to the puppy. The cord will then dry and drop off in a few days. Do NOT attempt to cut the cord without first tying it off as this will cause excessive blood loss which is dangerous to a newborn puppy. Also, do NOT attempt to pull the cord away from the puppy as this can cause an umbilical hernia.

Check each puppy for deformities and weigh it. It is useful at this stage to mark the puppy in some way for identification and monitoring purposes.

Do not separate the puppy from its mother for any longer than is necessary. You bitch needs to exercise her maternal instincts.

Once satisfied that your puppy is healthy you can place him down to nurse. Like humans, the colostrum carries antibodies and will boost the puppi’s immune system. Don't worry too much if you can't get the puppy to feed immediately. However, it is worth noting that the puppies can only absorb the colostrum in the first two or three days after whelping. So if a puppy still doesn't show any signs of hunger an hour or so after it has been born, you will actively need to encourage it.

Your bitch will stop for a break in between each birth. This can be anything up to an hour. Have your second box close by, you will need to remove the puppies when labor starts up again. During any long breaks, your bitch should be encouraged to get up and move around outside. Watch her very carefully. If your bitch goes longer than an hour and you are sure there are more puppies you will need to call your vet

When your bitch has had all her pups the contractions will stop and her breathing will calm down. Give her a drink, allow her to relieve herself (still on a lead), and let her settle down for a good long rest. Now is a good time to get the puppies latched on to your bitch. She is tired and will not put up much of a fight and if this is her first litter she may be unsure of what to do. Make sure your bitch is comfortable with the puppies before you leave her. It is rare for a first-time Mum to eat or kill her puppies, but it can happen. If it does, the bitch should not be allowed to have any more litter, as she will do it again!

Offer the dam calcium about halfway through. The calcium will help stimulate effective contractions when fatigue is setting in, to ensure puppies are delivered in a safe and timely manner. We use  Oral Cal Plus.

Post Labor

Your bitch will need a lot to drink after the birth, make sure you keep offering her fresh water. Chicken soup is a good first meal after labor. Bulk it out with rice. Your bitch will be reluctant to leave her puppies, but she will probably need to urinate. Try enticing her outside by taking one of her pups out. Be sure to hold to it and keep it sufficiently warm. Then you can offer her something to eat. Try and get her to have her first meal away from the pups, she needs sustenance and you need to make sure she gets it with few, or no, distractions.

The new Mum will probably clean herself and keep her pups clean. If she doesn't mind you interfering she may be glad of a wipe down with a clean wet cloth.

Your bitch and the pups will need to be seen by a vet within a few hours of the birth, certainly not more than 24, to make sure she has not retained any placenta and that all the puppies are healthy. Your bitch may be given an injection of the hormone oxytocin at this stage. This will help the uterus contract down properly and expels its contents.

Caesarian

If your vet decides that a caesarian is necessary, your bitch will be given a general anesthetic. As a result of this, puppies born via a caesarian section are not as active, initially, as puppies born naturally. This is because a small amount of the general anesthetic is passed through to the puppies before they are born.

Any puppies that your bitch has already had naturally will need to be kept warm and dry. They can do without food for the short period that the bitch is absent, but encourage the puppies to suckle as soon as the bitch has returned.

The puppies that are born via a caesarian will need to be encouraged to suckle immediately. Bonding can take a little longer with puppies that are not born naturally.

Your bitch should continue to nurse her puppies as normal, but keep a close eye on her operation wound. Follow your vets instructions on post-op care and call him immediately if you are concerned.

Caring for Puppies During Delivery

One of the complications you may encounter during birth is bleeding from a  puppy’s umbilical cord. Some moms are intense about cord biting and causing bleeding, and sometimes during delivery, the cord accidentally rips or tears, and you have a bleeder. Whatever the cause, you will need to act fast. Immediately pinch the cord with your fingers first and determine if the pup has fluid in its mouth or lungs. If he or she does, you may end up in a bit of a predicament. You need to move quickly between i) pinching the cord, ii) patting the pup’s back with its head down, and iii) suctioning fluid out of its lungs or pushing the pup’s back legs into its abdomen in order to help push fluid out.

• Keep each puppy warm after being dried off

• Weigh Puppy and make notes on litter documents

• Have the puppy nurse directly following