1.    Pregnancy

Pregnancy lasts for 63 days after ovulation. The problem is, that unless your bitch has had a pre-mating test, you will not know when ovulation occurred. Therefore we tend to take the day of mating (or middle day if 2-3 matings occurred) as ‘Day 0’ for measuring our 63 days. Since eggs and sperm can survive several days unfertilised, this can lead to a pregnancy appearing to last 60 to 65 days or so.

Your bitch's body shape will begin to change at around day 56 and some foetal movement may be noted. Mammary development occurs and nipples enlarge and darken during the second half of pregnancy. Shortly before whelping a small amount of opaque or white mucus may be noticed coming from the vulva; if this is blood stained then please contact the vet.

Ultra sound scanning is available for diagnosis of pregnancy at over 21 days, though we usually recommend 28 days unless there is any urgency to know.

2.    .Feeding

Pregnancy places extra demands on the body and it is essential that feeding before and during  pregnancy consists of a  good quality, balanced diet designed for adult maintenance.

For the first 4-5 weeks of pregnancy  normal meals of  a good quality food can be fed, as long as the bitch’s body condition is normal. If she is over- or under-weight please ask the vet for advice. At 5 weeks pregnant you can begin to increase the quantity of food slightly to maintain body condition. Alternatively at 5 weeks pregnant you could  gradually introduce a puppy food to replace the usual diet, which will be higher in vitamins, minerals and more energy dense. By the last 2 weeks the puppies will be taking up more room in the abdomen,  a more concentrated diet will enable smaller  more frequent meals to be given whilst still maintaining adequate nutrition. Your bitch's weight should ideally be 20% more than at the start of pregnancy.

Poor nutrition can contribute to low conception rates, foetal abnormalities and poor milk production. Animals not in peak condition at the time of mating will have inadequate body stores of nutrients and energy to sustain growing foetuses, ending the pregnancy in an even poorer condition, particularly when poor quality diets with low digestibility continue to be fed throughout this period.

Persistent diarrhoea may occur if extra low-quality food is given in an attempt to satisfy  increasing energy demands. Excessive intake and low digestibility will overwhelm the gut resulting in diarrhoea. Detrimental to both mum and pups, inadequate nutrition often results in anaemia. Lactation can also be affected; inadequate amounts of colostrum and milk will be produced, reducing growth rates and the viability of the new born pups.

3.    A normal birth & how you can help.

Ensure that your bitch has a quiet, warm, draught free area with  minimal disturbance. A high sided box is ideal with newspaper and washable bedding. If you introduce your bitch to this cosy refuge up to 2 weeks before whelping hopefully she will settle in and feel comfortable and safe.

It may be a good idea to arm yourself with:

Old towels for drying pups

Notebook, clock & pen for recording time intervals between pups and contractions.

Scales for weighing puppies at birth and after.

Prepare the car in case you need to go to the vets during whelping,  i.e. cover the back seat.!

Signs of imminent whelping

As a series of hormonal changes begins to bring about birth the bitch’s temperature will often drop by 1 or 2° to 97-99°F; this can indicate that whelping will occur within the next 24hrs.

During the last 2-3 days before whelping you may notice the bitch becomes restless and does not want to eat. Just prior to whelping you may notice a slight vaginal discharge.

As a general rule if the bitch is fit and well no action need be taken for 2-3 days after the estimated whelping date. If there is vomiting, loss of appetite, excessive thirst or vaginal discharge without other signs of birth a vet must examine the bitch without delay. If 3 days elapse help should be sought anyway.

Labour can be roughly divided into 3 stages:

1 st stage—Relaxation and dilation of the cervix

2 nd stage—Production of puppies

3 rd stage—Expulsion of afterbirths

1st stage Lasting about 4 hrs (can be up to 36hrs in first litters), the cervix relaxes and dilates. The bitch becomes more restless, and may shiver and pant, due to pain from muscle contractions in the uterus .Milk is   released from teats.

2nd stage Characterised by strong contractions of the womb and  visible abdominal straining. Once a puppy’s head enters the bitch’s pelvis, strong abdominal straining begins. The duration of the stage is very variable-as a general rule if a puppy does not appear after 1 hour of straining from regular contractions please consult the vet.

The interval between births can be similarly variable, 2nd and subsequent puppies should be produced with no more than 30 minutes of straining, though the bitch may stop straining and even go to sleep for sometimes hours between pups. It is not uncommon for a large litter to take up to 24 hours to be produced. Bitches that take to motherhood will lick their pups clean to stimulate breathing and suckle the puppies between each successive birth. Use your judgement as to when to help - remember some bitches may be very protective of their pups.

3rd stage This is the stage when the afterbirths are expelled. Puppies may be born still attached to their placentas, but generally they will be expelled separately either before, with or after subsequent births. Left to their own devices the bitch may eat the afterbirth, this is not harmful but in multiple births it may be unwise to leave her to eat them all, as it can result in green diarrhoea! Once whelping has ended the bitch will visibly relax and start to nurse her puppies.

As a general rule if the bitch is fit and well no action need be taken for 2-3 days after the estimated whelping date. If there is vomiting, loss of appetite, excessive thirst or vaginal discharge without other signs of birth a vet must examine the bitch without delay. If 3 days elapse help should be sought anyway.

Newly born puppies are unable to control their body temperature efficiently and chilling can be rapidly fatal. A hot water bottle wrapped in a towel under the puppies will help until mum is ready to nurse them.  Remember to keep the ambient temperature warm & constant, however a healthy bitch and puppies nesting together do not need excessive heating; if it is comfortable for you it will be fine for them.

Small amounts of fluid can be offered to the bitch between  successive puppies, this will help to replace fluids lost during whelping. The fluid surrounding the pups is usually green/brown; this is quite normal.

The delivery in summery

Puppies are born either head first or hindlegs first (breech). Breech births are common and do not necessarily cause a problem, though the birth process may be slower if this is the case.

Puppies which are half born may be assisted by applying gentle

traction. CARE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN HERE!

Normally the bitch will lick the puppy to remove the sac,  stimulate breathing and break the cord.

If this does not happen you will need to help. If necessary break open the fluid filled sac surrounding the puppy, ensure the nose and

mouth are clear of mucus – Hold the puppy slightly downwards and gently squeeze the nose towards the nostrils. Break or cut the cord

near to the placenta taking great care not to pull on the end near the puppy's stomach.  Tie it with a piece of cotton if necessary. Rub the

chest quite firmly with a towel, and clear away any fluid from the mouth and nose until it starts to breathe and cry - then mum will

hopefully want to take over.

4.    Difficult births and when to ask for help.

In as many as 25% of whelpings there is a hold up that can lead to the death of one or more puppies. Difficult births fall under the heading of “dystocia” and there are various causes, including uterine inertia, and oversized or malpositioned puppies.

Whatever you think is the cause ALWAYS seek veterinary attention if:

·       your bitch is overdue by more than 3 days,

·       she has abdominal contractions for more than an hour without producing a puppy

·       she has a green/black vulval discharge but no puppies produced.

If a caesarean is needed after some puppies have been born, they should be kept warm in a covered box.  So long as there are no    complications they will be quickly re-united after the operation. The surgical wound will be between the line of her teats and will not  prevent her from nursing the pups.

5.    After the birth

You should keep a close watch for signs of illness. A greenish discharge from the vulva is normal for about 24hrs, followed by a brownish –red discharge for about 3-4 weeks. If the discharge becomes black and foul smelling contact the vet immediately.

Keep a check on the mammary glands - swollen, hot glands are indicative of mastitis and prompt treatment is needed. If the bitch becomes feverish and stops eating, her milk will dry up and you will need to feed the pups.

6.    Feeding the bitch post partum

The energy needed for producing milk is even greater than that needed for pregnancy as the puppies feed and sleep all day and night doubling their own weight in 8-9 days. At about 3 weeks after birth the demand for milk is at its greatest and the bitch should be receiving 3-4 times her normal requirements (gradually increase from 1.25 times normal at the birth to 3-4 times greater ). The food should be energy dense, high in good quality protein and highly digestible. Feeding should be ad-lib and large quantities of fresh water should always be available.

Look out for ECLAMPSIA caused by falling levels of calcium and a failure of the body to compensate for the calcium lost in milk (often linked to a poor diet). Eclampsia frequently affects bitches with large litters and is more common in small breeds. It usually occurs 3-4 weeks after birth i.e. peak time of demand for milk. Symptoms may vary from restlessness and panting in mild cases through to muscle tremors and convulsions. Often the bitch will appear to abandon the pups, because weaning them will cure the problem. Eclampsia is an emergency and treatment is with calcium supplementation. Intravenous treatment may be needed in severe cases.

Prevention is better than cure and feeding an energy dense growth/puppy diet ad lib during lactation will lessen the chances of eclampsia.

7.    Weaning the puppies

Puppies should be encouraged to take solid food from 3 weeks onward particularly if the litter is large, as this will decrease the demand for milk. A good quality growth/puppy food (the same as you have been feeding your pregnant bitch) will have the correct balance of all nutrients to ensure correct growth. As the puppies are weaned the stimulating effect of suckling will be removed and the mother’s food and fluid intake can be reduced-this will discourag further production of milk. For the bitch, a gradual change back to a maintenance diet can be implemented over the next 3-4 weeks unless there has been a great loss in weight and/or condition.

Pupp should be offered food in shallow bowls and supervised to ensure they all have access to food, especially if the litter is large. They will come to it when they are ready, and by the time they are ready to be rehomed at 7-8 weeks they should be eating 4 meals a day.

Treatment for roundworms should begin at 2 - 3 weeks and every 2 weeks thereafter until they are 3 months old; then  routinely at 3 monthly intervals.

Vaccinations and socialisation are the next milestones but that’s another story!

Adapted from a factsheet written by Lis Oram RVN.