If something goes wrong while your dog is giving birth, it can be frightful. You may be unprepared for how to handle the situation. Here are some methods you can use to guarantee your dog delivers healthy puppies.
Gather your supplies before your dog goes into labor. When you need something, you don’t want to have to search all over the house for it. You should have towels, unwaxed dental floss, a heating pad, extra bedding, and newspapers among other things. Put everything you need in a bag so you can grab it when your dog gives birth. Think of this as your diaper bag, just as you would if you had a baby of your own.
Create a box or other container so that your dog can give birth inside of it. This will increase their sense of security throughout the process. Additionally, keeping the puppies in check will prevent them from hurting themselves. Keep the top ajar so you can monitor the delivery process Use the newspapers as bedding for the actual delivery. By doing this, you’ll have less dirty laundry to deal with after the puppies arrive.
Maintaining your dog’s health requires routine medical examinations. When there are puppies to consider, this becomes even more crucial. Select a vet that has a portable ultrasound machine. This will make it possible for everyone to learn if the puppies may have a problem. Additionally, it can guarantee that the delivery will go more smoothly. When your dog gives birth, you might think about taking her to the vet if a problem is noticed.
The amount of assistance your dog will require during delivery will depend on her age. A younger dog has a lower likelihood of understanding what needs to be done or what is occurring. The umbilical cord may need to be cut off using floss. The puppies can be dried off with the towels to encourage them to breathe on their own. So that the puppies can stay warm until their mother is ready to try feeding them, place the heating pad there.
You might also want to keep your veterinarian’s contact information close at hand. This will provide you with a safety net in case a birthing process complication occurs.
Is it important that I count the afterbirths?
Due to the fact that the majority of dogs will consume the afterbirths right away, it may be challenging to count them accurately. The afterbirth usually disintegrates and exits the uterus within twenty-four to forty-eight hours if it is not passed. This usually happens when the dog defecates.
Veterinary assistance should be sought if the mother experiences bloody or unpleasant vaginal discharge twenty-four to forty-eight hours after giving birth.
What should I do to be prepared?
1. Ensure you have an abundance of fresh newspapers, sheets, and towels.
2. Select the place where you would like her to have her puppies and put a suitable whelping box in that location. The whelping box should be large enough for her to move around freely, with low sides so that she can see out and easily move in and out. A large cardboard packing case with an open top and an opening cut out of the side is ideal for smaller dogs. Be sure to ask your veterinary healthcare team for more advice on making a whelping box for your pet.
3. Fill the whelping box’s bottom with a lot of newspaper. When the baby is born, there will be a lot of fluid. If enough newspaper and cloth layers are put down before whelping, you can remove soiled layers with the mother and her young puppies suffering the least amount of disruption.
4. Newspaper can be covered with easily-washable acrylic bedding. Plain newspaper, however, is more absorbent during whelping and the puppies are less likely to get buried beneath it.
Should you be present during the whelping?
Some dogs prefer that their owners stay with them throughout labor. Others prefer to have their puppies in seclusion. Respect your pet’s wishes and don’t interfere more than is absolutely necessary.
Make certain you have a lot of fresh newspapers, sheets, and towels.
Choose the location where you want her to have her puppies. Check to see if a suitable whelping box has been installed. The whelping box needs to be big enough for her to move around without restriction, with low sides so she can see and enter and exit it with ease. For many dogs, a large cardboard shipping container with an open top and a piece cut out at the side is ideal. Ask your veterinarian’s staff for additional guidance on building a whelping box for your pet.
Put a lot of paper on the bottom of the whelping box. When the baby is born, there will be a lot of fluid. If enough newspaper and cloth layers are laid before whelping, you can remove soiled layers right away after the whelping with as little disruption as possible to the mother and her new puppies.
Although plain newspaper is probably less dangerous and less likely to hide the puppies during the whelping, acrylic bedding, which is easily cleaned, can be used to cover the newspaper.
FAQ
Can you use a cage as a whelping box?
If your dog is already crate trained, you can use a dog crate as a whelping box, as many owners do. In this manner, they might feel secure using this as their whelping box as well. Make sure the area where your box or crate is located is quiet, warm, and big enough for a lot of little puppies to move around in.
Where should I put my dog to give birth?
“Whelping or nesting boxes in a peaceful corner of the living room are preferable to a worried mother leaving her puppies all the time.” “When your pet has finished giving birth, try gently relocating her and her new family to the location of your choice. Allow your pet to be close to you if she insisted on being there with her young.
Do dogs want to be alone when they give birth?
You must ensure that she has a clean and comfortable space to give birth in, away from other pets in a quiet, private area, as most dogs prefer to do so alone and without interruption. Your dog’s rectal temperature will decrease when she is about to give birth.
What can I use instead of a whelping box?
You can also use a plastic storage container as a whelping box.