pregnant rhodesian ridgeback
There are many aspects to properly caring for a pregnant dog. This article will assume nothing as perhaps some of you obtained an already pregnant dog from a rescue situation versus a planned pregnancy.
As I have no idea at what stage you obtained your pregnant dog, I will begin with the the earliest stages of pregnancy.
Instructions
1. If you suspect any dog of being pregnant, the first thing I recommend is a vet checkup. Especially if you have no idea as to the stage of pregnancy the female is in. You will need to know about where your female is at to know what special care needs to be given at different times.
2. When your female dog (bitch) is first bred, your number one concern should be that she is kept in as stress free of an environment as possible. It is normal that a female reabsorbs many puppy fetus's early in the pregnancy. Her stress level being kept in check is one way to preserve life. And by early, I am talking before she is even showing physical signs of being pregnant.
3. If the vet has determined that your female is very freshly bred, I would ask about getting her vaccinated. This can be touchy as to when your female was bred so go under advise of your veterinarian.
I personally vaccinate my expectant mama's when they come into a heat cycle which I know ahead of time I will be planning to breed her. This helps protect the puppies once born for up to 8 wks when a puppy's system is better able to process a vaccination and gain better protection. Kind of a 'filling of the gap' let's say.
4. The 2nd thing which is just as important, if not more so, is a proper diet.
Once you know your dog food is a good nutritional choice, you need to know how much to feed.
Do NOT overfeed a newly pregnant dog. This can lead to problems in whelping (giving birth) both in that the puppies can get too large and that the female can build up too much fat around her reproduction organs... both of which can lead to the necessity for a cesarean section.
5. When your female has approximately 3-4 weeks left in her pregnancy, you should start gradually increasing her feed intake by up to 40%. At this stage, the puppies are starting to demand more and more nutritionally from their mother and you need to protect her from becoming underweight.
6. Do NOT feed an extra calcium source despite what you may hear to the contrary. Doing so can place the female at increased risk of eclampsia (milk fever) which can prove fatal very quickly. See my other eHow article on Detect Canine Eclampsia. Please don't wait until it's too late, once eclampsia hits, it's too late to start reading about it.
7. A dog's gestation is approximately 63 days (see my article on Calculate Your Dog's Due Date here on eHow as well).
When your female is approximately 3/4 way through her gestation, I worm my females. Please get a GOOD wormer like a pyrantel paomate based wormer such as Nemex-2 or ask your vet or a trusted dog breeder for recommendations. I NEVER recommend wormers sold at department stores and the like... they usually sell lower quality wormers. Don't worry, buying quality elsewhere should not cost you more money...
** I personally despise Hartz products.
Not only is this vital for the dam (mother) but for her puppies as well. Round worms can be passed from dam to puppies very easily via the milk, you want to ensure the puppies get as clean a slate to begin with as possible.
**It is NOT SAFE to worm a dog before the halfway point in her gestation. The puppies are developing brain, lung and circulatory systems at this time which can be hampered by the administration of wormers. Confer with your vet if you are unsure of timing.
8. I worm the female again the day the puppies are born for the same reason. Puppies do not get their first worming until 1 week old and then with a puppy safe pyrantel paomate based wormer. (I prefer Nemex-2 myself)
9. Watch for physical signs of impending labor.
This could include some/all or even none of the following:
"Hollowing out" of the hip area. That area just inside the hip bone. A dog's 'waistline' if you will. This will appear to dip in and the belly to either sag downward or appear to have erased all visible signs of a pregnant belly. This means that your girl has 'dropped' and puppies are getting into place for birth.
Take your girl's temperature rectally. A normal dog's temp is around 101. If her temp goes down to around 97-98 she is ready NOW. Don't leave her side. It may toy with you at around 99-100 and bounce up and down. This is normal but still indication that labor is impending within a couple days time.
WARNING: Some females will drop from a normal temp to labor temp within a matter of minutes! I had one girl start giving birth just 15 minutes after having a normal temp taken so do not take a normal temp as a safe zone... it's not. It only means if you get a low temp, it's definitely pending very soon.
If her temp goes up, please consult with a vet to ask advice in the case she develops an infection, etc that may require his/her intervention.
NESTING: Your girl may start frantically digging at covers, hiding or acting determined to spend more time in one spot than another. This is her trying to decide where to give birth. Means her hormones are kicking in. The same hormones that will trigger the actual labor.
SHIVERING: Many dogs will shiver during labor. This is actually them having contractions. Do not take this sign lightly. On the flip side, it could be eclampsia but if she is otherwise calm or just nesty, it's likely labor. Eclampsia at this stage is not as common as after the puppies are born.
SPACING OUT: Your girl may get this far away look in her eye. This, also, is a sign she's in labor.
IRRITABILITY: Don't be surprised if she gets a little testy. Nerves can kick in for her just as it can for people going into labor. Be kind, do not reprimand her but instead do what you can to ease her stress.
NEEDINESS: You may find she's more needy of your direct attention and affection. This could last the entire pregnancy or during labor. In any case, it will usually end abruptly with the birth of the first puppy.
10. Once your female starts having her puppies, she should not go longer than an hour in hard labor. If she does, confer with your vet over the phone(take good notes on temps, times, etc for your vet's sake and yours).
Once you feel your female is done whelping, it is best if your able to take her and the puppies in for an exam to be sure nobody else is lurking inside waiting to come out and rule out any problems and get those puppies checked over good.
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