Pregnancy and Whelping in Dogs

Is your bitch pregnant or due to whelp shortly?

We’ve compiled some information below to help you prepare for the months ahead. The normal gestation (pregnancy length) in a dog is 58-68 days, but is normally about 63 days.

WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW?

Diet

The first thing to do is to take 4-5 days to wean your bitch onto a high-quality puppy food. This will provide the specific nutrient requirements of a pregnant bitch, and her developing pups, and avoid life-threatening conditions such as Pregnancy Toxaemia and Milk Fever.

Please Note: Raw meat is not an appropriate food source for a pregnant bitch.

• Raw meat is low in calcium which is essential for foetal development.

• It poses an infectious disease risk.

• It is mostly water-based - the bitch cannot eat enough to obtain the calories needed to maintain a healthy pregnancy.

Your bitch will need to eat significantly more food during pregnancy and lactation than she would normally require (often 2 x normal amount during the second half of pregnancy and 3 x normal amount while feeding her pups).

This means she will need to be fed multiple times during the day; and will need to be on this diet until 4-6 weeks after birth. Ensure a constant supply of fresh water is available to her at all times.

Feel free to contact the clinic for further advice on diet during your dog’s pregnancy.

Worming

Worming tablets should be given to a pregnant bitch at approximately days 40 and 65 after mating, using Drontal worm tablets (allwormer).

The bitch and the pups should be wormed from 2 weeks of age, every 2 weeks until 12 weeks old. Drontal or Milpro worm tablets are suitable for mother and pups.

Whelping/labour

There are three stages of labour:

1. Getting ready for the delivery: restlessness, panting, abdominal contractions.

2. Delivery of the puppy (15 mins - 2 hours between puppies can be normal).

3. Afterbirth/placenta expelled.

When do I call the clinic for help?

• If labour starts earlier than 58 days or hasn’t started when expected.

• More than 30 minutes of strong contractions without a puppy born.

• More than 2 hours between puppies.

• Bitch is ill or in distress.

• Large amount of green/black discharge (more than a few splodges).

Please call the clinic asap for vet advice, a consultation may be necessary.

Pregnancy Toxaemia

Pregnancy Toxaemia can occur in the last 2 weeks of pregnancy when a bitch hasn’t eaten enough calories to meet the needs of the pups she is carrying. This leads to her mobilising her own fat and protein stores to provide them with nutrition. By-products produced from this fat and protein breakdown process (ketones) can poison her.

Early signs of pregnancy toxaemia include:

• Weakness

• Inappetence

This can progress to:

• Collapse

• Seizures

• and even coma.

Immediate intervention is needed to save both the pups and mum, so please phone the clinic for advice straight away.

Milk Fever

Very low blood calcium levels can cause ‘milk fever’ or eclampsia. This usually occurs within the first few weeks after whelping and is potentially life threatening.

Signs include:

• Panting

• Restlessness

• Tremours/shaking

• Collapse

• and seizures

Please phone the clinic asap, urgent veterinary attention is needed.

Mastitis

As the bitch feeds pups over the first few weeks, you should monitor her for any redness, abnormal discharge, or swelling of the mammary glands. These could indicate mastitis - a painful inflammation and/ or infection of the glands. A reluctance to feed the pups can also be a sign of developing mastitis.

Please phone the clinic asap, urgent veterinary attention is needed.

Puppy/neonate management

Most bitches manage puppies well on their own. However, in some cases extra assistance may be necessary.

Puppies cannot regulate their body temperature, and have low energy reserves. It is important that they feed frequently, and their weight is monitored closely in the first few weeks.

Provide a warm, draft-free environment for them where the pup cannot become isolated from the mother eg by falling between boards or bars.

When do I call the clinic for help?

• If you are concerned that the bitch isn’t feeding the pups well.

• A puppy isn’t feeding well on the bitch.

• A puppy isn’t gaining weight.

Puppies will normally start to eat their mother’s semi-solid food from about 3-4 weeks old. You can start mixing the puppy food with a small amount of water. By 6 weeks old they should be able to eat dry food.