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Beloved Dog Birth Memo: Notes on Dog Breeding

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A dog's pregnancy from fertilization to birth lasts about 63 days in total. During this period, owners should read up on how to care for a pregnant female dog and newborn puppies, so as to be well prepared to welcome the arrival of new life. But as a responsible dog owner, it is still best to have your beloved dog spayed. An overweight female dog makes birth difficult. Signs of a female dog during pregnancy include increased appetite, weight gain and enlargement of the chest, but even if a female dog shows these signs, it does not necessarily mean she is pregnant, so if there is any doubt, consult a veterinarian.

A dog's pregnancy from fertilization to birth lasts about 63 days in total. During this period, owners should read up on how to care for a pregnant female dog and newborn puppies, so as to be well prepared to welcome the arrival of new life. But as a responsible dog owner, it is still best to have your beloved dog spayed.

An overweight female dog makes birth difficult

Signs of a female dog during pregnancy include increased appetite, weight gain and enlargement of the chest, but even if a female dog shows these signs, it does not necessarily mean she is pregnant, so if there is any doubt, consult a veterinarian.

In the four weeks after the start of pregnancy, the female dog should be fed as usual with the same amount of high-quality dry dog food. In the later stages of pregnancy, the female dog will have an increased need for protein, requiring 50 percent more than usual, but she must not be allowed to become overweight, because a female dog with excessive nutrition will give birth to overweight puppies, making birth difficult.

In the last three weeks of pregnancy, the female dog should be given smaller, more frequent meals, because the puppies take up a lot of space inside her, so she should not eat too much at one time.

A few days before the puppies are born, the female dog may refuse food and begin building her own nest. The owner should prepare a whelping box, otherwise she may give birth to the puppies in your room. The whelping box should be twice the size of the female dog, with rails on all four sides, tall enough to prevent the puppies from falling out, and the box should be placed in a warm place.

Be fully prepared to welcome new life

When the birth process is underway, the owner may need to prepare a bulb syringe to suction secretions from the puppies, forceps to handle the bloody umbilical cord, dental-floss-style cotton string to tie off the umbilical cord, disinfectant, scissors, clean towels and plenty of newspapers.

A few minutes after each puppy is born, its placenta will rupture, and the female dog will eat all or part of the placenta. The owner must make sure the number of placentas equals the number of puppies, because if any placenta remains, problems may arise later.

When another puppy is about to be born, the owner should place the previously born puppy in a pre-prepared small basket at a temperature of 85 degrees Fahrenheit; this is very important, because the leading cause of death for most puppies is cold.

Seek help from a veterinarian if the following occur:

1. The birth process has lasted more than three hours and no puppy has yet been born;

2. When the first puppy is born, dark green or blood-colored fluid comes out;

3. The membranes have ruptured, but no puppy has yet been born within 30 minutes;

4. Labor stops, and the female dog appears restless, anxious, weak and tired.

In addition, before the female dog gives birth, you should discuss with the veterinarian whether to perform a cesarean section to deliver the puppies.

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