There should be exactly as many afterbirths as there are puppies, no more and no less. In order not to make a mistake, the placenta should be placed in some kind of bowl. If you don’t really like saving them, then you can throw them in the toilet, and make notes on their number on some piece of paper, although there is a risk that in the bustle you will forget to mark the next placenta, and then you will panic, thinking that one of them is not came out because such a situation is fraught with bad consequences for the bitch.
As for whether to let a dog eat one or more afterbirths, this is a personal matter for each owner. There is an opinion that after the bitch eats the afterbirth, she will not have problems with milk. But, firstly, many drugs are now sold for lactating, that is, nursing bitches, and secondly, Pekingese have the opposite problem, since their litters are often small and small puppies do not require a large volume of milk. That is why you have to constantly monitor the nipples of a nursing bitch, in order to prevent mastitis, in time to knead the lumps, which, as a rule, appear in the first days after birth. You will have to do this until the dog’s body begins, based on the number of puppies in a given litter, to produce as much milk as required, and not more.
It often happens that a puppy is born, but the afterbirth remains inside. It could simply break off when you tried to pull it out after the puppy. If this happens and one or even several placenta remains in the bitch after the end of labor, you need to try to remove them.
First, inspect the bitch's loop, where you can sometimes see some part of the torn placenta. In this case, carefully pull it outward, gently, so as not to break it again.
Second method: put the dog on its hind legs, holding it in a vertical position with your hands by the body, and lift it quite sharply several times, and then lower it to the floor. After this, take the dog on a leash and quickly walk or run with it around the room or apartment. In this case, the bitch should not lie down, but move vigorously. Of course, there are certain difficulties here. Most likely, the Pekingese will not want to leave her small children. Then pick her up and take her to the far corner of the apartment; let her, through physical effort, pull you towards her children.
The third method: place the dog on its hind legs in the bath and, while pouring warm water on its belly from the shower, at the same time massage it clockwise. It's better to do this together.
When a bitch has just given birth, regardless of whether there is a placenta left or not, she must receive one injection of oxytocin (0.3 cc). If there is an afterbirth, the medicine will help expel it; if not, it will have an effect on the fastest cleansing and contraction of the uterus.
If, nevertheless, at least one of the afterbirths does not come out, you can try to get rid of it yourself within 24 hours; Later you should contact your veterinarian.
While the uterus is not closed after birth, you can inject the dog with oxytocin every 2-3 hours, starting with 0.5 cc. After two or three injections, the desired result is usually obtained. If the bitch is very large, you can inject 0.7 cc.
However, do not overdo it and do not give your dog oxytocin for the entire 24 hours. No more than 3-4 injections in combination with physical exercise and massage. After taking a break for 5 hours, you can return to oxytocin injections.
When the birth is over, be sure to wash the dog and dry its fur. At first, especially if the discharge is strong, this procedure must be done daily. Normal discharge the bitch's hair after giving birth (after you have washed her and laid her on a clean sheet) can be of any shade - pink, brown, brownish. If the discharge is black or green in color, and the smell of the discharge is unpleasant, then most likely there is something left in the uterus: either a puppy or an afterbirth, and in this case you cannot do without consulting a doctor.
What to do if the dog does not have an afterbirth? and got the best answer
Answer from Natalya Lebedeva[active]
No where, no pressure. Inject oxytocin. How much does a dog weigh? The injection can be repeated after 1-1.5 hours. Inject intramuscularly, into the thigh. Are you sure she didn't eat it?
Natalia Lebedeva
Connoisseur
(446)
Then monitor the temperature and discharge. If you are so sure that it has not come out, then you need to do an ultrasound. My dog can eat the trail when I'm treating the puppy. In general, according to the idea, there is a puppy, then an afterbirth, then a puppy again. Maybe you still looked?
Answer from *Made_in_PARADISE*[active]
help, try to feel the puppy and press on the stomach!
Answer from Irina Ubozhenko[guru]
After all the puppies are born, inject Oxytocin.
Twice with a break of 15-20 minutes.
Answer from nail puller[guru]
If it has grown in, it will not come out until it rots or is operated on.
There the temperature has to be monitored to know that sepsis is not starting.
Answer from Cholly[guru]
Did she give birth to everyone? It happens that labor begins, several puppies are born, then there is a break, sometimes even several hours. And then again she will give birth to a couple or three puppies. In general, a shepherd dog is a multiple-bearing dog, maybe there are 8 puppies or more? Maybe the afterbirth and then come out. Once I saw how, after giving birth, the owner went to take the dog out to pee, and she sat down and all the placentas came out in a heap. I was very surprised, then I talked to the doctor, he said that this happens, but rarely. Go for a walk with her, just let her move around and go for a run. Moreover, the injection was
Answer from Oksana Nazarova[guru]
Inject oxytocin according to the scheme
Answer from Galina Chislova[newbie]
a Pekingese is giving birth, 5 years old, did not come out before the last placenta, oxytocin, set whether to massage the belly or not
Answer from Elena Rozhdestvenskaya[newbie]
Yorick gave birth to her first puppy - the placenta did not come out - what to do?!
The placenta is considered to be retained when it does not come off in sheep and goats within 4-5 hours, and in pigs, bitches, cats and rabbits - within 2-3 hours after the birth of the fetus. Among small domestic animals, retention of the placenta most often occurs in sheep and goats, less often in pigs and very rarely in dogs, cats and rabbits.
Etiology. Retention of placenta in small domestic animals occurs as a result of:
- insufficient contractions of the uterus (uterine hypotension) or absence of contractions (uterine atony). Hypotonia and atony of the uterus in animals is caused by inadequate feeding, exhaustion or obesity of a pregnant animal, lack of active walks during pregnancy, overdistension of the uterus caused by a large number of fetuses, fatigue of the woman in labor and the uterus itself as a result of a long period of gestation of the fetus (fetuses).
- connection too tight choroid with the mucous membrane of the uterus, as a result of swelling of their tissues and inflammatory processes (plantentitis). As a result of swelling, the chorionic villi are tightly clamped in the crypts of the uterine mucosa and do not come out of them even as a result of strong contractions. Swelling and adhesive inflammation of the fetal and maternal parts of the placenta in small domestic animals can occur when they are infected with pathogens of specific infectious diseases (, etc.) and nonspecific infections, as well as as a result of various injuries.
- the presence of mechanical obstacles to the expulsion of the placenta: narrowing or closure of the cervical canal or the openings of the horns at the places where they enter the body of the uterus (as a result of uterine spasms or rapidly occurring involution); kinks or intussusception of the uterus, etc.
Clinical picture. In sheep and goats external inspection We note the presence of membranes partially hanging from the genital slit. Sheep and goats arch their backs and constantly push. In some animals, strong straining can cause uterine prolapse. On the first day, animal owners do not notice any other deviations from the norm.
If the placenta does not separate, and no therapeutic measures were taken for sick animals, then complications begin to develop on the second day. In the uterus, putrefactive decomposition of the placenta occurs, the placenta becomes flabby, acquires a gray color, and a reddish liquid with an ichorous odor is constantly released from the genital slit. The uterine cavity is abundantly populated by microflora, causing inflammation and the development of endometritis. The decay products of the placenta, lochia and the resulting toxins of microorganisms that enter the uterus are absorbed into the blood and lymph, leading to intoxication of the animal’s body. A sick animal’s body temperature rises, general malaise appears, we notice a decrease in appetite, the chewing process is disrupted, and colostrum secretion decreases.
As the disease progresses, discharge from the external genitalia becomes ichorous. As a result of the pressure of the placenta membranes on the lower wall of the vagina, foci of necrosis appear. On the 4-5th day, as a result of the development of severe intoxication, gas phlegmon, sepsis and, especially in goats, death can occur.
In pigs the retained placenta very rarely protrudes beyond the external genitalia, manifesting itself with slight straining and some anxiety. Subsequently, the pig develops symptoms of body intoxication, manifested by increased heart rate and breathing, decreased appetite, foul-smelling discharge from the external genitalia, and impaired milk production. If the process of retention of the placenta in a pig is not complicated by septicemia, then the symptoms of intoxication that arise gradually decrease, the placenta retained in the uterus undergoes melting and turns into liquid contents, which are gradually released out.
Forecast. As a result of endometritis, which often takes chronic form, endometrial atrophy occurs and the sow may remain infertile.
In dogs and cats When the placenta is retained on the first day, the owners do not notice any violation of the general condition. In some animals, the afterbirth is expelled within 24-36 hours and the female eats it immediately, so owners usually do not see this. If the animal does not expel the placenta, then already on the 2-3rd day the animal develops intoxication of the body, manifested by general depression, increased body temperature, deterioration of appetite, lochial discharge becomes ichorous. If the outcome is unfavorable, the animal may develop sepsis, which ends in death.
Diagnosis. In sheep and goats, when the membranes do not protrude beyond the external genitalia, they can only be detected by vaginal examination. In some animals, sometimes the hanging part of the placenta comes off, and the placenta itself remains attached to the caruncles in the uterus. If the cervix is sufficiently open, the veterinarian, during an intrauterine examination, detects a retained placenta in the uterus.
In pigs, owners must take into account not only the number of piglets born, but also the number of fetal placentas delivered. If the owners and service personnel do not keep such records, then it will be very difficult for a veterinary specialist to diagnose the retention of the placenta, because a retained placenta usually cannot be detected either during vaginal or intrauterine examination.
In dogs and cats, owners may suspect retained placenta when the number of puppies (kittens) born is greater than the number of placenta released. Very rarely, a veterinarian finds retained membranes in the vagina. When palpating the uterus through the abdominal wall, it is sometimes possible to detect a focal fleshy thickening in the uterine horn, and if there is more than one retained placenta, then there are several similar thickenings in the uterus. In veterinary clinics, retained placenta is determined by X-ray and ultrasound of the uterine area.
Forecast. If treatment measures are taken in a timely manner, the prognosis for the life of animals is favorable. With the development of intoxication of the body, sepsis, the prognosis should be cautious. It must be borne in mind that goats, dogs and cats are especially poorly tolerated by retained placenta. As a result of the retention of the placenta, animals may develop complications in the form of acute and chronic endometritis, cervicitis, oophoritis, salpingitis, mastitis, as a result of which the animals subsequently become infertile.
Treatment. Owners of private household plots and peasant farms separate the goat and sheep in which the placenta is retained from the rest of the livestock and carry out treatment, and the place in the shed or yard where it was located is disinfected.
First, when the placenta is retained, veterinary specialists use a conservative method of treatment. With this method, in order to raise the general tone of the body and enhance the contractility of the uterus, sheep and goats must be given 50-60 g of sugar, which must first be dissolved in 0.5 liters warm water. Even better is the intravenous administration of a 40% glucose solution in a dose of 2 ml per 1 kg of animal weight simultaneously with a 10% solution of calcium gluconate (2 ml/kg), or calcium chloride (0.5-0.75 ml/kg) . At the same time or 30 minutes after this, we begin to apply medications, stimulating uterine contractions: oxytocin, hyfotocin or mammophysin (5-10 units), vetrazine or zilain (1% -1.5 ml), proserin (0.1% 2 ml) or other remedies, as in the treatment of weak contractions and pushing.
In order to normalize the trophism and motility of the uterus, prevent the development of inflammatory edema of its wall and accelerate the separation of the placenta, it is advisable to perform a suprapleural novocaine bdocade according to V.V. Mosin (once), suprapleural novocaine blockade according to V.G. Martynov or according to L.Ya. Alferov or inject a 1% solution of novocaine into the abdominal aorta at a dose of 12-15 ml (0.2 mg/kg) according to D.D. Logvinova (if necessary, intra-aortic injections of novocaine can be repeated every 48 hours).
In the event that the conservative treatment didn't give positive result, then 12 hours after the birth of the fetus it is necessary to begin surgical separation of the placenta (manual separation of the placenta). This operation can only be performed by a veterinarian whose hand is thin and freely passes through the cervix into the uterine cavity.
Before starting the operation manual separation after the placenta, the external genitalia and the hanging part of the placenta are washed with one of the available disinfectant solutions. The veterinarian prepares the hands as for obstetrics: washes them thoroughly with soap, treats them with alcohol, burns damaged areas of the skin (wounds, scratches) with a 5% alcohol solution of iodine and covers and covers them with collodion; Rub sterile Vaseline or 10% ichthyol ointment into the skin of your hands.
The procedure for separating the placenta consists of the following: the veterinarian grabs the membranes hanging from the genital slit with one hand, twists them one or two turns and pulls slightly. The other hand is inserted along the stretched placenta into the uterine cavity, searches for nearby caruncles, grabs one of them with the fingers and gradually, at the base or with a nail, separates it from the recess of the caruncle with the thumb or middle finger. Then the doctor moves on to the next caruncles. The separation of the placenta should be carried out by a veterinarian carefully, avoiding damage to the caruncles. Violation of the rules for separating the placenta can lead to uterine bleeding and the penetration of infection into the animal’s body.
Some veterinary specialists, in order to facilitate the procedure for separating the placenta, resort to preliminary introduction into the uterine cavity of 300-500 ml of a warm solution of potassium permanganate, furacillin (1:5000) or another antiseptic solution in a weak concentration. After the procedure for separating the placenta, the solution injected into the uterus must be removed by pumping or massage abdominal walls and lifting the animal by the forelimbs. With uterine atony, the placenta in animals can be separated without even inserting your hands into the uterus, by gradually twisting it around its axis.
In each case, after removing the placenta, a veterinarian must examine it and then take measures to destroy it, and introduce tricillin (2-3g) in the form of a powder or suspension, or a mixture of penicillin with streptomycin (500 thousand units each) into the uterine cavity. and norsulfazole (1-2g), or other antimicrobial drugs in the form of tablets, sticks, capsules, etc.) that prevent the development of endometritis. In cases where it seems impossible to surgically separate the placenta from a goat or sheep, it is necessary to continue conservative treatment, which should be aimed at preventing the placenta from rotting and the development of endometritis in the animal. The veterinarian should, simultaneously with the use of the above general tonics and uterine contractions, thoroughly wash the hanging part of the placenta and the vestibule of the female’s vagina 2-3 times a day every day. disinfectant solution. At the same time, antimicrobial drugs are injected into the uterine cavity at intervals of 24 hours, as in the treatment of endometritis. In the event that a veterinarian is forced to begin separating the placenta late, when the placenta has already begun to decompose, the uterine cavity can be washed with a solution of potassium permanganate or furacillin (1:5000) with the obligatory subsequent removal of the injected solution.
In pigs, veterinary specialists are forced to use only conservative treatment, since separation of the placenta in pigs is due to the large length of the uterine horns, as well as due to the possibility of strong uterine bleeding does not apply.
In order to speed up the separation of the placenta, the pig is injected subcutaneously or intramuscularly with oxytocin, hyfotocin, mammophysin (10-15 units per 100 kg of animal weight), pituitrin, ergometrine, proserin or other agents that activate uterine contractions, in the same doses as for the treatment of weak contractions and push. In practice, usually after one or two injections of uterine contracting drugs at intervals of 3-6 hours, the sow’s placenta separates.
Intravenous or intramuscular administration of a 10% solution of calcium gluconate in a dose of 30-50 ml, suprapleural novocaine blockade according to Mosin and other means promotes the separation of the placenta. general therapy.
If there is no positive therapeutic effect within 6-12 hours, the veterinarian must take measures to prevent infection of the birth canal and putrefactive decay of the retained placenta in the uterine cavity. 300-500 ml of a solution of ethacridine lactate (1:1000), iodine-iodofur (1:1000) is injected into the uterine cavity, after which one exutera tablet, a metromax stick, two septometrine capsules, 200 ml of a 5% tricillin suspension are injected into the uterine cavity. fish oil, antimicrobial emulsions, suspensions.
In dogs, cats and rabbits, oxytocin is used subcutaneously to separate the placenta (small dogs in a dose of -1-3 units, medium dogs - up to 5 units, large dogs - up to 10 units), cats -1-3 units, rabbits -2-4 units or other means, increasing contractions of the uterus. In this case, the animals simultaneously undergo a massage of the uterus through the abdominal wall in the direction from the chest to the pelvis, trying to squeeze out the contents of the uterus.
If the afterbirth in animals is delayed for more than 12 hours, then the veterinarian should use uterine contractions and massage against the background of antimicrobial therapy - intramuscular administration of antibiotics, incl. and modern cephalosporins in normal doses and intrauterine administration through a catheter of antiseptic emulsions in a dose of 3-10 ml (5-10 suspension of tricillin in sterilized fish oil, Mastisan A, B, E, etc.). As a means of general therapy, animals with retained placenta are injected intravenously or intramuscularly with 5-10 ml of a 10% solution of calcium gluconate, glucose and others. medicines. During a clinical examination of animals with retained placenta, if fetal membranes are found in the genital slit or in the vaginal cavity, they are grabbed with a forceps and carefully removed while simultaneously massaging the uterus, which is carried out through the abdominal wall.
If the dog’s general condition rapidly deteriorates, especially when one suspects the development of gangrene of the maternal part of the placenta, it is necessary to resort to hysterectomy.
May 19 2019
Pathological childbirth usually occurs when the rules of mating are violated (prematurely before the onset of maturity of the body, with a large male), feeding and keeping (without exercise) whelping bitches, due to overdevelopment of the fetuses (if there are few of them), as well as due to the weakness of the birth forces.
After the examination, the bitches begin to collect an anamnesis, during which they find out the date of the last mating, the breed of the dog, the nature of feeding and maintenance, the beginning of whelping and how many fetuses and placenta were produced.
If 6 hours have passed since the start of pushing, and the presenting fetus has not come out, then help is usually required.
The examination of a woman in labor should begin with an examination, which allows us to assess the general condition of the bitch, the degree of enlargement and sagging of the abdomen, swelling of the mammary glands, the presence and nature of discharge from the genital slit. Greenish discharge is a sign of premature placental abruption and possible fetal death, while dirty-brown discharge with an unpleasant odor is a sign of the death of all fetuses. Before the examination, the dog is muzzled or the jaws are tied with a bandage. By measuring body temperature, determining the pulse rate and breathing, the condition of the woman in labor is clarified. An increase in body temperature above 39.5°C can be caused by infection of the uterus, necrosis of the maternal part of the placenta, uterine rupture and the development of peritonitis.
By palpation of the uterus through the abdominal walls, the presence of fetuses or placenta in the uterus is determined, and after childbirth, the degree of involution, possible accumulation of lochia or exudate. To carry out palpation, it is sometimes advisable to raise the front part of the body.
Ultrasound diagnostics makes it possible to determine the presence or absence of fetuses in the uterus, their number, size, position, as well as the condition of the bone base of the pelvis.
Before vaginal examination, the external genitalia, root of the tail, croup and perineum should be washed with warm water and soap, and treated with a 0.1% solution of potassium permanganate or furatsilin 1:5000. The tail is bandaged and pulled to the side, fixing it to the neck.
The obstetrician cuts the nails short, then the hands for 5 minutes. washes hot water with soap or a 0.5% solution of ammonia and wipe with 0.1% iodized alcohol.
Inserted into the vagina index finger examines the condition of the birth canal. If it turns out that the cervix is slightly open, the membranes have entered the vagina, and there are no deviations from the bony base of the pelvis and the soft birth canal, then the bitch should be left alone. It is impossible to forcefully remove the fetus prematurely, as this can injure the birth canal.
If the birth canal is dry, the mucous membrane is lubricated with sterile petroleum jelly or petroleum jelly is injected using a rubber catheter and syringe.
You can speed up the removal of a fetus that is retained in the vagina by gently pulling on the head and legs in case of cephalic presentation and on the pelvic limbs and tail in case of breech presentation. It is more convenient to grasp the presenting parts of the fetus through a gauze pad or towel. The fetus should be extracted with moderate force, slowly, during contractions and pushing, making alternating movements to the right and left and in accordance with the arcuate direction of the pelvic axis. Do not pull too hard on the head due to possible damage. spinal cord. Help is especially appropriate for breech presentation, since the fetus may die from asphyxia due to prolonged compression of the umbilical cord.
For the provision of obstetric care, the obstetric loop fixator has proven itself in practice. The retainer is sterilized by boiling, the end with the loop is treated with streptocide or synthomycin emulsion and inserted into the birth canal with minimal release of the cable loop. Pressing the handle of the rod with your left hand, spread the loop and grab the fetal head. If, when inserting a loop, the fetus moves deeper into the uterus, it is necessary to lift the front part of the woman in labor and push it into the loop with your hand through the abdominal wall. Then the fruit is removed.
Help for newborn puppies is needed only in cases where the bitch has a weak maternal instinct, and she does not gnaw the umbilical cord, does not free the newborn from the membranes and does not lick it. In this case, you need to quickly rupture or cut the membranes in the puppy’s head area, remove mucus from the nasal openings and oral cavity, otherwise he may die from asphyxia. After this, the umbilical cord is tied with a thread soaked in an alcohol solution of iodine to the thickness of a finger from the abdominal wall and crossed below the ligature. The puppy is wiped with a napkin or towel and massaged.
In case of asphyxia or difficulty breathing, pick up the puppy, securely fix the head, and shake it with a sharp downward movement. It promotes liberation respiratory tract from mucus. You can cause the puppy's first squeak by lightly squeezing the head from the sides in the jaw area, briefly holding the puppy by the pelvic limbs, or irrigating the back of the head with a stream of cold water, followed by repeated massage and rubbing the body with a dry towel.
Insufficient contractions and pushing in dogs
Weakness of contractions and pushing is a consequence of insufficient intensity of contractions of the uterine muscles and abdominal muscles. Insufficient labor forces can manifest themselves in the form of primary and secondary weak contractions and pushing.
Primary weakness of labor is detected from the very beginning of labor, c. As a result, the fruits are not expelled. It is a consequence of poor feeding and lack of exercise of the bitch during whelping. The contractility of the uterine muscles is weakened due to degenerative changes myometrium due to endometritis, as well as due to excessive stretching due to the presence of a very large number of fetuses in the uterus. With primary weakness of contractions, the cervix opens extremely insufficiently, which leads to fetal retention and death, followed by putrefactive decomposition. In this case, the bitch may die from sepsis.
Secondary weakness of labor forces is a consequence of overwork of the muscles of the uterus and abdominal press, due to improper positioning of the fetuses, extremely large sizes fetuses, the narrowness of the birth canal, a large number of fetuses, when some of them are expelled, the energy supply of the uterine muscles is depleted. Secondary weakness of contractions and pushing is easily recognized, since it is observed after the expulsion of one or more fetuses. In order not to mistake a break in labor for its end, it is necessary to palpate the uterus through the abdominal walls.
Help for bitches with primary weakness of labor should be limited to stimulating contractions of the uterine muscles. This is achieved by gently massaging the uterus through the abdominal walls, as well as “squeezing” the fetus by bandaging the abdomen with a wide towel in the direction from the diaphragm to the pelvis.
To enhance uterine contractions, pituitrin or oxytocin can be applied under the skin in a dose of 0.3-1.0 ml (1 ml - 10 units) depending on the animal’s body weight, but only when the cervix is open and at the stage of fetal expulsion. If the cervix is closed and there is a significant discrepancy between the pelvis and the size of the fetus, uterine rupture may occur. With secondary weakness of contractions and pushing, you must first establish and eliminate the cause, and then extract the fetus.
In case of complete atony of the uterus and the absence of mechanical obstacles to childbirth, the only therapeutic measure is a caesarean section.
Narrow birth canal in dogs
The narrowing of the birth canal may be due to the narrowness of the pelvis, cervix, vagina, or genital opening.
Narrow pelvis It can be physiological (in young bitches who have not reached body maturity), congenital (underdeveloped, asymmetrical or rickets pelvis) and acquired (periostitis) due to fractures and cracks of the pelvic bones. Pelvic narrowness can cause obstruction of the fetuses, despite their normal size and position.
If attempts to extract the fetus with forceps, hooks or an obstetric loop are unsuccessful, a cesarean section is necessary.
Narrowing of the cervix may occur in the form of slow expansion and the impossibility of its expansion. Slow dilation of the cervix is possible due to insufficient infiltration of the muscle layers of this part of the female reproductive system.
The inability to dilate the cervix may be due to strong cicatricial contraction of tissue due to a former wound (instrument) or strong tension of the fetus during assistance, which caused rupture of cervical tissue. Narrowing of the cervix is caused by neoplasms, adhesions, deposition of lime salts in tissues, proliferation connective tissue due to chronic cervicitis.
If the dilation of the cervix is delayed due to insufficient infiltration, one should take a wait-and-see approach, since in bitches, after 10-12 hours, the cervical canal can dilate completely and expulsion of the fetuses will occur. To open the cervix as quickly as possible, warm compresses are applied to the sacrum; ointment from belladonna extract 1:4 is applied topically, which is rubbed into the cervix. Sinestrol is injected intramuscularly at a dose of 1 ml of oil solution per injection. If waiting or using medications is unsuccessful, a caesarean section is resorted to.
Narrowing of the vagina can be primary (in primigravidas) and secondary (due to injuries and neoplasms on the vaginal wall). The greatest narrowing is observed at the point of transition of the vagina itself into the vestibule, since here the tissue has a denser consistency and, therefore, less elasticity. The narrowing of the vagina can be so significant that during childbirth, despite the presence of normal contractions and pushing, the fetus is not visible from the birth canal. By performing a vaginal examination with a finger, it is easy to detect the place of narrowing, and behind it you can feel parts of the fetus. To improve the sliding of the birth canal, they introduce vegetable oil, flaxseed decoction or soap solution. Then they try to extract the fetus by placing an obstetric loop or forceps on the presenting parts of the fetus. If such attempts are unsuccessful, proceed to a caesarean section.
Narrowness of the genital slit It can be congenital or as a result of ruble compression after injuries, removal of tumors, opening of abscesses, ruptures during previous births, ulcerations. During whelping, with normal pushing, only the tips of the paws, the muzzle and part of the bladder protrude from the genital slit. The more voluminous parts of the fetus, resting against the perineum, protrude it.
Treatment consists of lubricating the mucous membrane of the vaginal vestibule with sterile Vaseline and removing the fetus after applying an obstetric loop or forceps. If this does not give a positive result and rupture of the perineum is inevitable, it is dissected. The surgical technique consists of dissecting all tissues along the suture line of the perineum.
Large fetus and fetal deformities in dogs
Overdeveloped fetuses usually develop as a result of females mating with larger males, as well as when there are only one or two fetuses in the uterus. Established as large by examining the vagina with a finger and palpating the uterus through the abdominal wall
Whelping with overdeveloped fetuses in a bitch is extremely difficult, since the bitch has a long crotch and a relatively narrow vulva. Therefore, the perineum during childbirth is an obstacle to the exit of the fetus and the latter must advance not in a straight line, but in an arched manner. As a result of this, the bitch experiences severe pain, becomes overtired and weak. Obstetric care here is perineotomy or dissection of the perineum.
With a cephalic proposal, the fetal head is shown in the birth canal; with a pelvic proposal, the hind limbs are shown. After this, grasping with three fingers, using light pulling and making semicircular movements, we remove the head. At the same time, we carefully but confidently press on the abdominal wall towards the pelvis. Thus, the fetus is pulled up and squeezed out. After the first fetus is removed, the bitch should rest from labor pains. Then the head or pelvic limbs of the next fetus will appear in the birth canal. The fruits must be extracted gradually at intervals of 15 to 30 minutes.
Wire and twisted obstetric loop: A - prepared loop; B - applied to the fetal neck.
To facilitate the work of obstetric care, the following tools are used, the most tested and proven in practice. When extracting large fruits from bitches, the most convenient are loops made from a brass tube and a soft (preferably copper) double wire inserted into its lumen, so that a loop is formed at one end of the tube. The loop is advanced from the side of the fetal head and then tightened.
Several options for pliers have been proposed, but none of them can be considered universal due to the large difference in the size of the branches. The forceps are inserted closed to the fetal head, opened and, grasping the head, compressed, after which the fetus is removed. If, when squeezed with forceps, the fetus moves deeper into the uterus, then you need to feel it with your hand through the abdominal wall and, after moving it a little, insert it into the open forceps. In bitches you can achieve good results using durable forceps, fenestrated tweezers, and tongs. The listed instruments must be used carefully, under the control of your finger, so as not to pinch the wall of the birth canal.
Hooks are also used, 40-45 cm long and 0.5 cm thick. The value of these hooks lies in the fact that, by grabbing the handle with your hand, you can follow the position of the handle in the direction of the hook located in the birth canal of the animal. This prevents tissue damage during operation.
If the fetus cannot be extracted, then it is better to resort to a caesarean section. In case of deformities, the fetus should also be removed by caesarean section.
Abnormal articulation and fetal position in dogs
Turning the head to the side. Only underdeveloped puppies can be removed without correcting the position of the head. Correcting the position of the head using a hook inserted into the eye socket or ear canal, or a forceps, is possible only in large bitches. In small breed dogs, caesarean section is indicated.
Lowering the fetal head down. In this case, you can try to remove the head by pressing on the skull with a finger inserted into the vagina, while simultaneously pressing with the other hand on the abdominal wall. If the fetus is small, then you can bring the head into the birth canal with a hook attached to the bend of the neck without first straightening the head. At negative result resort to caesarean section.
Throwing back of the fetal head. This malposition of the fetal head is rare in bitches. In this case, the hook is inserted into the chest and abdominal cavities of the fetus and the walls are torn with it. This reduces the volume of the body, as the internal organs fall out. Then the hook is placed behind the bend of the neck and the fruit is removed. In bitches small and dwarf breeds Without wasting any time, they proceed to a caesarean section.
Flexion of the joints of the thoracic limbs. In puppies, flexion of the elbow and shoulder joints is considered a physiological phenomenon, since during normal labor the fetuses are expelled from the uterus. When bending the limbs at the wrist joints, blunt hooks are used or the limbs are pushed as far into the uterus as possible, after which forceps are applied to the head and the puppy is removed out.
Flexion of the joints of the pelvic limbs. If the limbs are bent at the hock joints, you can use blunt hooks that are placed above these joints. In females of large and medium breeds, this malposition of the limbs can usually be easily corrected. In bitches of dwarf breeds, the fetus is removed using forceps placed on the fetal pelvis, without first correcting the limbs bent at the hock joints.
When the limbs are flexed at the hip joints, the fetus can be removed without correction using hooks.
The position of the fetus is considered correct when the longitudinal axes of the fetus and the birth canal coincide. But sometimes variants of incorrect position are observed.
Transverse position with abdominal presentation. In this case, the fetus lies transversely, and all four limbs are directed into the birth canal. The fruits of bitches rarely take the classic transverse position. Presentation is often thoracic when the head is positioned in the other horn. In large breed bitches, the front part of the fetal body should be straightened and then the fetus should be removed. In females of medium and small breeds, the fetus can only be extracted by caesarean section.
Transverse position with dorsal presentation. In this case, the fetus lies with its back to the exit of the birth canal. With a finger inserted into the birth canal, you can feel the spinous processes of the fetal spine. In such cases, it is usually possible to extract the fetus only by performing a caesarean section.
Simultaneous entry of two fetuses into the birth canal. During normal whelping, the fetuses are expelled from the uterus sequentially (one after the other). But sometimes two fetuses become wedged into the birth canal. With this anomaly, four pelvic limbs, two pelvic and two thoracic, a head and two pelvic limbs may be shown. By palpation through the abdominal walls, one can detect the entry of two fetuses into the birth canal.
Sometimes, before entering the pelvis, it may occur clutch (collision) of fruits. This happens when the fetuses enter almost simultaneously, with the first of them being in the breech presentation, and the second in the cephalic presentation. Providing assistance with the simultaneous entry of two fetuses into the birth canal consists of applying a forceps or bullet forceps to the presenting parts of one fetus and pushing away the other fetus with a finger inserted into the vagina. With the other hand, it is simultaneously necessary to help push the fetus through the abdominal walls towards the mother’s chest.
When clutching fetuses, it is necessary to pull back the fetus coming from behind and at the same time push away the fetus that has partially emerged from the birth canal. After separation of the fruits, the first one is removed, and the second one usually comes out without assistance.
Retention of placenta in dogs
Childbirth ends with the separation of the membranes (afterbirth). In bitches this is the compartment at normal course The birth act should occur no later than two hours after the expulsion of the fetus. If separation of the placenta does not occur within the specified period, we can speak of retention of the placenta.
Etiology. Retention of the placenta can be caused by weakness of the placenta contractions due to inadequate feeding and lack of walks (exercise) during whelping, which leads to uterine atony. The reasons for the retention of the placenta may be the fusion of the fetal placenta with the maternal placenta due to the presence of pathological processes in them, overdistension of the uterus by a large number of fetuses or large fetuses.
Symptoms and course. Retention of placenta in bitches is very dangerous compared to other types of animals, as it quickly becomes complicated by sepsis on the 2-3rd day. Although this pathology in bitches is recorded quite rarely.
This complication of childbirth is characterized by lack of appetite, lethargy, and increased body temperature. When examining through the abdominal walls, we find focal compaction or focal thickening of the uterine horn. Discharge from the genital slit has an unpleasant odor.
Forecast. If the placenta is not removed in a timely manner, puerperal sepsis will develop. Characteristic signs of this complication are: a rapid increase in body temperature, increased heart rate and breathing, an indifferent attitude towards the environment, vomiting, bloody diarrhea or constipation. The animal lies down, the cornea sometimes becomes dry and cloudy. Without providing timely medical care the bitch dies from sepsis in the period from 6 to 60 hours.
Treatment of dogs. In order to remove the placenta, you can massage the uterus through the abdominal walls in the direction from the chest to the pelvis. No later than two hours from the moment of expulsion of the last fetus, it is recommended to use pituitrin or oxytocin subcutaneously or intramuscularly at a dose of 2.5-15 units.
In most unadvanced cases, it is possible to separate the placenta by massaging the uterus through the abdominal walls or using pituitrin or oxytocin. If the placenta is delayed for more than 12 hours, then antibiotics are administered intramuscularly to prevent sepsis. In addition, calcium gluconate is administered intravenously or intramuscularly; intravenously or subcutaneously - glucose; Vitamins C and B12 are used. In case of rapid deterioration of the general condition and suspicion of the development of necrosis of the maternal part of the placenta, urgent hysterectomy is indicated.
Prevention. To prevent retention of the placenta during whelping, you should not tear off the umbilical cord after the puppy emerges. It is necessary to hold the newborn with one hand, and with the other to push the placenta through the abdominal wall, tearing it away from the mucous membrane of the uterus. It is easy to detect the place of attachment of the placenta by the stretched umbilical cord. And then the afterbirth will come out along with the puppy.
Trauma to the birth canal in dogs
Ruptures of the soft tissues of the birth canal, especially the vagina and vulva, are observed more often in primiparous bitches due to their poor extensibility when extracting large (especially emphysematous) fetuses or due to inept use of obstetric instruments (forceps, hooks, etc.). Sometimes, mainly in bitches ornamental breeds with a pampered constitution (dachshund, lapdog, miniature Doberman pinscher, spitz, etc.), when removing a large fetus, the pubic symphysis is ruptured or the pelvic bones are fractured.
Symptoms and course. Minor injuries to the vaginal mucosa usually go unnoticed, but significant ones are accompanied by heavy bleeding and swelling. Particularly dangerous are penetrating vaginal ruptures, which are often complicated by phlegmon of the paravaginal tissue, peritonitis and sepsis. Moreover, already on the second day the animal’s condition worsens sharply, the body temperature rises significantly, and the bitch does not get up. If the pubic symphysis is ruptured or the pelvic bones are fractured, the animal cannot stand or lean on one limb. The perineum and vulva are swollen. By inserting a finger into the rectum and palpating the pubic bones from the outside, a fracture can be established. A more accurate diagnosis is provided by radiography.
Forecast for ruptures of vaginal and vulvar tissue depends on the location and degree of damage. Penetrating wounds of the cranial part of the vagina are especially dangerous, since they can be accompanied by the development of peritonitis, sepsis or prolapse of intestinal loops. If the pubic fusion is ruptured, the prognosis is favorable with regard to recovery and questionable with regard to the possibility of subsequent births. With simple fractures of the ilium, the prognosis is questionable, and with intra-articular and displaced columnar parts, the prognosis is unfavorable.
Treatment of dogs. Wounds of the vagina and vulva are treated with antiseptic emulsions and ointments (streptocidal, syntomycin, etc.), a course of antibiotic treatment is administered intramuscularly, biseptol (Bactrim) is given orally, 1-2 tablets 2-3 times a day, symptomatic treatment. When the bones of the pubic symphysis diverge, rest and a tight circular bandage of the pelvis are necessary.
Uterine rupture in dogs
Uterine ruptures in bitches and cats are not so rare. They can be complete, if the integrity of all layers of the uterus is violated, and incomplete, if two or one layer of the uterine wall remains intact. Breaks can be spontaneous (spontaneous) or artificial.
Etiology. Spontaneous ruptures are observed with excessively strong contractions and attempts during pathological labor caused by the narrowness of the birth canal, malposition or deformity of the fetus. Artificial ruptures are the result of rough and inept manipulations during obstetrics (pinching the uterine wall with forceps, piercing with an obstetric hook used to extract the fetus).
Symptoms and course. Incomplete uterine ruptures usually go unnoticed. With complete ruptures, there is a sudden cessation of pushing. Discharge of blood from the genital fissure is rarely recorded, since severe internal bleeding occurs, usually leading to acute anemia. In some cases, symptoms of peritoneal irritation, abdominal tenderness, vomiting, etc. appear. By palpation of the abdominal organs, one can establish excessively high mobility of the fetuses, which does not happen when they are located in the uterus.
Treatment of dogs. If timely assistance is provided, the prognosis is favorable. Treatment is surgical. The abdominal cavity is opened under local anesthesia (animals cannot tolerate anesthesia in these cases). Typically, the abdominal cavity contains fetuses along with placenta, amniotic fluid and blood. They are removed. Uterine rupture is often longitudinal. Small tears are sutured with catgut (as with a caesarean section). For large tears, an ovariohysterectomy is performed. The abdominal cavity is washed with a warm 0.1% solution of ethacridine lactate, after removal of which it is treated with syntomycin or streptomycin liniments. A course of antibiotic treatment is carried out for 3-5 days. In cases of acute anemia, special therapy is carried out.
Delivery operations in dogs
Perineotomy(dissection of the perineum) is performed when the genital gap is narrow as a delivery operation in obstetric practice and to ensure operational access when removing vaginal tumors in gynecological practice.
The dog is fixed in a lateral position. The perineum is freed from hair and treated with a 5% alcohol solution of iodine. A 0.25-0.5% solution of novocaine is infiltrated along the perineal suture. Then, applying clamps on both sides of the suture, they cut through the entire thickness of the tissue from the upper corner of the genital slit towards the anus, without damaging its sphincter. The wound edges are pulled apart and the fetus is removed or the tumor is removed. After the end of obstetrics or surgery, the clamps are removed and sutures are applied: the mucous and muscular membranes are connected with a continuous suture made of catgut, and the edges of the skin of the perineum are connected with a knotted suture using silk.
Fetotomy. Dismemberment of the fetus in bitches and cats is carried out by crushing and tearing off individual members from the body. In this case, you should use forceps extremely carefully; when applying them, you should always check with your finger whether the wall of the birth canal is captured along with one or another part of the fetus. To avoid injury to the walls, the narrow birth canal should always be well lubricated with Vaseline, Vaseline or vegetable oil before surgery.
In cases where only the head can be partially removed from the birth canal due to its narrowness or large size of the fetus, proceed as follows. Pulling the fetal head up onto the top and lower jaw apply hooks and open the mouth. The tongue is removed with forceps and grabbed with your fingers. Then, by moving the forceps through the mouth, they tear the back wall of the pharynx. After this, pushing the forceps through oral cavity to the cervical vertebrae, grab them one by one and separate them with a rotational movement and remove them out. After applying forceps to the vertebrae, which is felt by solid resistance, you should, if possible, use your own finger to check in what position the forceps are and whether the skin of the fetus or the wall of the birth canal is captured. After removing the cervical vertebrae, a skin tube is formed, through which the fetal body is pulled to the entrance to the pelvis. If the forelimbs cannot be removed by grasping them by the shoulder blades, then the forceps are passed further through the skin tube. Place them separately on thoracic vertebrae and ribs and take the latter out. After this, forceps are applied alternately to the shoulder blades and the forelimbs are easily brought out. The fetal pelvic girdle is usually narrow.
C-section. In this operation, the fetus is removed through an incision in the abdominal wall and uterus. In dogs and cats, this operation is performed in cases of torsion of the uterus, narrowness of the pelvis and birth canal, large fetuses and abnormal fetal positions. If the operation is performed in a timely and correct manner, the outcome is usually favorable. The operation is carried out after intramuscular administration of aminazine at a dose of 1-3 mg/kg, Rometar or Xyl (2% xylazine solution) - 0.15 ml/kg, calypsovet, calypsol, (5% ketamine solution) 20 mg/kg and local anesthesia of the tissues of the abdominal wall along the incision line - infiltration with a 0.25% solution of novocaine or lidocaine.
Scheme of the sequence of removing the fetus from the dog’s uterus, A-B – location of the uterine incision.
The bitch or cat is placed in a dorsal position, the surgical field is prepared and an incision is made along the white line, 8 to 20 cm long (depending on the size of the animal) from the navel to the middle of the distance between the last (rear) pairs of nipples. The skin, aponeuroses of the abdominal muscles and the peritoneum are dissected in layers. Tissues deeper than the skin should be cut parallel to the linea alba without damaging the rectus abdominis muscle (by moving it to the side). The peritoneum is grabbed with two tweezers, pulled upward and cut between them with scissors. The uterine horn is removed through the incision and placed with the greater curvature upward. A longitudinal incision is made along this curvature to a length sufficient to remove the fetus. The incision should be located near the body of the uterus - this makes it possible to extract the fruits from both horns through one incision. The fruits are removed sequentially in the order of their location along with the shells. In this case, the membranes are quickly ruptured, the fetus is removed, the nose is cleared of mucus, the front part of the head is wiped, the skin is dried with a napkin and the umbilical cord is tied.
After removing all the fetuses and amniotic fluid, 1/3 of one of the gynecological sticks (preferably on a foam-forming basis) is introduced into the uterine cavity and continuous sutures of catgut No. 1 or No. 2 are applied. The first suture is applied according to Schmiden (in a herringbone pattern on all layers), and the second is serous-muscular according to Plakhotin-Sadovsky or Lambert. Then the uterus is treated from the outside with synthomycin liniment and immersed in the abdominal cavity.
If necessary, a solution of penicillin with streptomycin is injected into the abdominal cavity. A knotted suture of silk No. 2, 4, 6 is applied to the wound of the abdominal wall, and a knotted suture is applied to the skin using silk No. 3 or No. 4. The suture line is covered with a cotton-colloid bandage, which is attached with the ends of silk threads from knotted sutures.
Diagram of the position of the ligatures during hysterectomy: A - location of the ligatures; 1 - above the ovaries; 2 - on the vessels of the uterine ligaments; 3 - on the body of the uterus; B - stump immersed in the lumen of the uterus.
Extirpation of the pregnant uterus. Indications for removal of the uterus along with its contents are: dead fetuses in a state of putrefactive decay, purulent inflammation of the uterus and significant ruptures. This operation usually has to be done when the bitch is in serious condition, so it is used only local anesthesia. The position of the animal, the location and length of the abdominal wall incision are the same as for a caesarean section.
After opening the abdominal cavity, the uterus is brought out and spread on a napkin. The tops of the horns along with the ovaries are separated by making an incision between two silk ligatures No. 5, 6, applied to the cranial part of the broad uterine ligament. To avoid obesity in animals, it is recommended to leave the ovaries. In these cases, ligatures are placed between the ovaries and the tips of the uterine horns. Two ligatures are also applied to the remaining vessels of the uterine ligaments. After separating the uterine horns, two ligatures are placed on its body and cut across. The remaining stump is pushed into the lumen of the uterus (closer to its cervix) and a seromuscular suture is applied. If the stump is difficult to push into the lumen of the uterus, then its final part is tightened with a seromuscular suture. The abdominal wall wound is sutured, as in a caesarean section, and a bandage is applied on top.
Antibiotics are injected into the abdominal cavity in 5-10 ml of a 0.25% novocaine solution. Over the next 7-9 days, a course of antibiotic treatment is used.
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The birth of puppies is not only a great joy for the owner, but also a huge responsibility. It is extremely important to prepare in advance for your dog’s labor and to recognize its onset in time. Even if you do not plan to give birth yourself, you must at least general outline imagine how this process goes through in a dog in order to provide assistance to both your pet and the veterinarian performing the duties of an obstetrician. If there is no opportunity to seek qualified help, or the dog’s labor began earlier than expected, the information presented in this article will give you the opportunity to remain calm and help the bitch give birth safely, and the puppies to be born healthy and strong.
Contrary to popular belief that dogs can give birth on their own without any problems, it is necessary to help the bitch during childbirth - especially if we are talking about representatives of dwarf and giant breeds. Try to plan your time so that on the days when the dog gives birth, you do not leave home for a long time. If possible, plan a short “maternity leave”, at least for the first or second week after giving birth: at this time, the dog and puppies vitally need the care of their owners. It is extremely important in the last month of pregnancy, during and after childbirth, to provide a calm, friendly environment at home: childbirth for a dog is already a lot of stress for the body and psyche, so it is necessary to relieve it of additional reasons for concern.
Preparing for the birth of a dog: setting up a place for the bitch and puppies
Pregnancy in dogs lasts on average 59-63 days. If the day of mating is known, the due date is easy to calculate. Preparing for your dog to give birth should begin several weeks before the expected due date. 2 - 3 weeks before the event, agree with the veterinarian so that he can arrive at the right time on the first call. The presence of a doctor is necessary if the dog is giving birth for the first time, or you do not have enough experience to deliver it yourself.
1-1.5 weeks before giving birth, prepare the place where the bitch will whelp. It is necessary to do this in advance for two reasons: firstly, the birth may begin earlier than expected, and there will be no time left to arrange everything properly, and secondly, it is necessary for the dog to get used to this place, and not resisted when you laid her there to deliver the baby. It is optimal to use a collapsible playpen or a box of such size that the dog can lie down freely. There should be a distance between the floor and the bottom of the box to avoid contact with cold floors and drafts. One of the walls of the arena is usually made lower than the others, at such a height that the bitch can freely leave the “nest” and the puppies do not crawl out of it.
You should not make the place for whelping closed: firstly, domestic dogs have already lost many of the traits of their wild ancestors, and during childbirth they need not privacy, but the support of the owner, and secondly, the dog and puppies are in a closed den, it will be very difficult to help if something suddenly goes wrong.
Important! Some breeders prefer to use a playpen to keep a bitch and puppies that have already given birth, and give birth on a large bed or sofa covered with oilcloth and clean sheets. This decision is especially important if you are about to give birth to a large breed dog. Keep in mind that childbirth in dogs is a rather “dirty” process, so it is best to remove rugs and carpets from the room where the dog will give birth in advance. Keep in mind that any blankets or bedding that will be used during the birth will have to be thrown away afterwards.
In addition to the birthing playpen, it is also necessary to prepare a box for the newborn puppies, as well as a place where the dog and puppies will live during the first months after birth. To set up a “nest”, it is also better to use a playpen, or to fence off part of the room, so that the puppies cannot get out of it, but the bitch can. Hypothermia must not be allowed for the mother and puppies, so you need to take care in advance of organizing a safe heating system: you can hang an infrared lamp above the bed itself, install a device for heating the room, or place a heating pad in the nest (just do not place it directly under the bitch, this can cause her to bleed ). Please note that both hypothermia and overheating are equally dangerous for puppies, so in the first 10-12 days the temperature must be kept at +28⁰С, without raising or lowering it, and then slowly lower it to +20⁰С.
Medicines and instruments for childbirth
If you are delivering a dog yourself or assisting a veterinarian, you should trim your nails short and wash and disinfect your hands before the procedure. It is advisable to change into clothes that you won’t mind throwing away later. Also, immediately before the onset of labor, you need to have a “midwifery kit” on hand, which will include:
– oilcloth and a sheet that you place under the giving birth bitch;
– a heating pad (you can use a regular one, but it’s better to take an electric one);
– a small box where you will place the newborn puppies;
– a basin for throwing away dirty used diapers;
– thermometer (regular medical or veterinary);
– room thermometer;
- tray;
– pipettes, scissors, tweezers (must be sterilized by boiling with the lid closed for at least 5 minutes);
– syringes;
– cotton wool;
– sterile gauze wipes (2 packs);
– soft diapers 40 x 40 cm; 25x25 cm, can be made from old bed linen;
– silk threads (put in alcohol or vodka), they may be needed to tie the umbilical cord;
– a notebook or notepad for recording data on childbirth (more on this below). The first page of the notebook should contain the telephone numbers of your veterinarian and emergency veterinary service;
– a clock to determine the time of birth of each pup and track the dynamics of labor;
– small scales;
- pencil pen);
– multi-colored wool threads (you will use them to mark the puppies);
For medications you will need:
– medical alcohol or vodka;
– glucose 5%, in ampoules;
– synthomycin, 10%;
- hydrogen peroxide;
– traumeel;
– brilliant green (“diamond green”);
In case of premature birth, if there is no doctor nearby, injections may be needed, for which you need to have the following medications on hand:
- calcium gluconate
– oxytocin
– diphenhydramine
Saline solution
– dexamethasone
Sulfocamphocaine
Analgin
Vitamin B12
The day before giving birth, it is necessary to wash the dog’s abdomen and genital area, and also trim the hair on the belly and in the area of the anus and loop. If the dog has long hair, it must be collected with hair ties or curlers. Also, for dogs of some breeds, for example, terriers, it is advisable to cut the “mustache” and “beard” of hair on the face, as this prevents them from normally biting the umbilical cord.
Signs of the onset of labor in a dog
Traditionally, there are three stages in canine childbirth:
- Preparatory stage(opening of the birth canal).
- Birth pains.
- The birth of puppies and the release of placenta.
During the preparatory period, the birth canal opens and the body prepares for the birth of puppies. The first symptoms of approaching labor in a dog are usually expressed in changes in behavior. The bitch begins to show anxiety, rushes around the house, digs with her paws on the floor and her bedding, and sometimes tries to hide in a dark place. She cannot stay in one place for a long time; she either lies down, gets up, or spins around. Some dogs become very affectionate with their owner, follow on his heels and look into his eyes in a special, “expectant” way. Sometimes a bitch may start asking to go outside, but as soon as you take her out, she immediately returns home. Some dogs lose their appetite before giving birth, others, on the contrary, may want to eat, and sometimes the bitch vomits. If any of these signs appear, you need to caress her, talk to her, and calm her down. The owner's support, especially if this is the dog's first birth, is extremely important!
The change in behavior and anxiety of the dog before childbirth is caused by an increase in intra-abdominal pressure. The very first contractions of the uterus at this stage are not yet strong and rare, they cannot be noticed. However, the dog is already beginning to experience unpleasant painful sensations, not yet too intense.
In addition to behavior change, there are a number of physiological symptoms approaching birth. 4-5 days before, the pregnant dog’s belly seems to “sag” downwards, which is why, if you look at the dog from above from the tail, it appears thinner, and “hungry” pits appear on the sides. However, dogs giving birth for the first time may not show these signs.
An important indicator that a dog will soon begin labor is its body temperature. As a rule, 8-24 hours before birth it drops to 37.5 - 37⁰С (remember that the normal temperature in a dog is on average 38-39⁰С). Also, shortly before the dog begins to give birth, the puppies, which were previously moving and pushing in her stomach, suddenly freeze.
A few hours before giving birth, the dog’s loop softens, a sticky thick discharge of a whitish or grayish color appears - this is the so-called “plug”. The bitch begins to tremble, chills, and has rapid breathing and heart palpitations. All these signs indicate that the “process” has already started and, if everything is in order, labor will begin in the next 24 hours.
Important! The preparatory stage of childbirth can last from 2-3 to 24 hours. If it lasts longer than a day and contractions do not start, contact your veterinarian immediately!
Birth pains
The second stage of labor in dogs begins with an increase in the intensity of labor contractions. To the contractions themselves, that is, the contraction of the uterus, pushing (contraction of the abdominal muscles) is added. If a bitch gives birth in a special box, then at this moment she lies on her side, and with each attempt she presses her paws against one wall, firmly pressing her croup and back to the other. The contractions of the uterus at this stage are easy to track: place your hand on the bitch’s stomach, and you will feel how the uterus hardens after each contraction and then relaxes.
Usually dogs give birth in a lying position, on their right side, but some puppies while standing. In the intervals between attempts, the dog, relaxed, breathes heavily, her gaze becomes absent, and during intense contractions, some bitches may even scream.
Birth of puppies
Before the puppy is born, the dog's water breaks. To understand the mechanism underlying this phenomenon, you should know that the development of a puppy in the womb occurs in a two-layer membrane. The external (water) bladder, filled with a jelly-like liquid, serves as protection against compression of the umbilical cord and the embryo itself from external mechanical influences and compression. When a dog goes into labor, the water bladder ruptures, and the fluid flows out of it, “washing” the birth canal.
Important! The outer bladder usually ruptures spontaneously or is ruptured by the bitch. Before bursting, it may appear from the loop several times and disappear. Don't confuse it with amniotic sac, in which the puppy is born, and under no circumstances rupture the water bladder yourself.
Determining whether a bubble is coming or whether a puppy is already being born is quite simple: feel the bitch’s crotch above the loop. Usually there is a noticeable “swelling” of sorts. If a water bubble occurs, the area will be soft to the touch, but the puppy will feel like something hard.
The maximum interval between the rupture of the outer bladder and the appearance of the first puppy should not exceed three hours. If everything goes well, then after the water breaks, the attempts will become more intense, their duration will increase, and they will begin to alternate with contractions.
Important! If 2-2.5 hours have passed since the start of contractions and the first puppy has not appeared, it is necessary urgent help veterinarian: this situation is considered a complication during childbirth and is fraught with the death of the mother and part of the litter.
Helping a dog give birth: releasing the puppy from the membranes
After the outer bladder has been released and ruptured, the dog usually rests for a while: it needs to gain strength before the decisive moment when the most powerful, debilitating and painful contractions, accompanied by contraction of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles, will push the first puppy out of the birth canal. The hardest thing for a bitch is to push the puppy’s shoulders through the pelvic opening, after which he easily comes out. Puppies are usually born in either a posterior (tail-first) or anterior (muzzle-first) presentation, both of which are considered normal. Each puppy is born in the amniotic sac, that very second, internal “bubble”.
As soon as the puppy is completely out of the birth canal, it is necessary to release it from the amniotic sac as quickly as possible so that the baby can begin to breathe. Contrary to popular belief, bitches do not always do this themselves, however, if the dog begins to remove the shell, do not interfere with it. Sometimes the bladder ruptures on its own during the birth process, but more often the puppy has to be released from it after birth. A healthy puppy begins to breathe immediately after the membranes are removed; at first the breathing is shallow, but in just a few seconds it normalizes. A bad sign occurs if the puppy breathes through his mouth or does not breathe or move at all, or is born without a shell, covered in green liquid or blood - in this case, it is necessary to empty his mouth and nose as quickly as possible, and in some cases, suck out the liquid from the respiratory tract mouth. This needs to be done as quickly as possible so that oxygen begins to flow into the puppy’s lungs in the first seconds after birth.
How to break the umbilical cord
After the amniotic membrane is ruptured, it is necessary to separate the umbilical cord. Breeders often disagree on whether the dog should be helped with the separation of the umbilical cord or whether it should do it itself. As a rule, if a dog is not whelping for the first time and bites the umbilical cord itself, there is no need to interfere with it (however, make sure that it does not pull the umbilical cord after it has bitten it - this is fraught with the formation umbilical hernia in a puppy). Problems with biting the umbilical cord most often occur in round-headed dogs (Pekingese, bulldog), representatives of dwarf breeds, as well as breeds with poor teeth. If the dog, due to its disproportionate build, cannot reach the loop, it also needs help. An inexperienced bitch needs to be supervised - sometimes she, tearing the membrane and gnawing the umbilical cord, does not handle the puppies carefully enough.
Important! Whether the bitch gnaws the umbilical cord or the owner cuts it off - in any case, this must be done quickly, not allowing the puppy to start crawling with an unbroken umbilical cord, in order to avoid the appearance of an umbilical hernia.
To separate the umbilical cord yourself, carefully pick it up in your hands and “milk” the blood in it towards the puppy. Grab the umbilical cord with the index and thumb of one hand 2-3 cm from the puppy’s tummy, and with the same fingers of the other hand 2-3 cm from the place of the first grip. Keeping the “far” hand completely motionless, with the hand that is closer to the puppy, pull it towards him - as a rule, it immediately breaks. Unlike cutting the umbilical cord with scissors, this method helps prevent bleeding.
Important! If you nevertheless had to cut the umbilical cord and blood appears, tie the umbilical cord with a pre-prepared silk thread, which is placed in a jar of alcohol or vodka before birth. Under no circumstances should you treat the wound with iodine!
Separation of placenta during childbirth in dogs
During normal labor, the placenta comes out immediately after the puppy is born. Sometimes the afterbirth is pushed out by the exit of the next puppy. It is extremely important to ensure that the number of afterbirths released is equal to the number of puppies born: afterbirth or parts thereof remaining in the birth canal can cause inflammation of the uterus (metritis), which is fatal for the bitch. The release of the placenta is especially often delayed after the birth of the last puppy. If there is even the slightest suspicion that not all of the placenta has come out, the dog must be examined by a veterinarian.
To count the afterbirths, they can be placed in a separate basin. Sometimes a bitch eats some of the afterbirth, there is nothing wrong with that, the main thing is to carefully monitor their quantity.
Important! The birth of puppies and the delivery of the placenta is a rather messy process. The dog should not be allowed to lie in the mud - be sure to change the bedding after each puppy is born and after the birth of the placenta.
The first minutes of a puppy's life
Most often, puppies are born at intervals of 15-30 minutes. However, if the litter is large, sometimes 4-6 puppies will appear one after another at first, after which there will be a break of 1-2 hours. If there are more than ten puppies in the litter, labor can last a whole day, and sometimes longer.
When delivering a dog, be sure to keep records. Each puppy must be weighed and information about weight and time of birth must be entered in a prepared notebook. The records also include the order in which the puppies were born, gender, color, and any features in the puppy’s appearance.
Example of a record for the birth of puppies:
1) 21:05, fawn male. 900 grams, small white spot on chest;
2) 21:25 red female, 860 grams, white front legs, round white spot on chest
Each puppy, freed from the amniotic sac and umbilical cord, is intensively licked by the bitch and roughly turned over, pushing with her nose. There is no need to disturb her - these manipulations stimulate the babies' breathing and blood circulation, and also promote the first release of feces. Some puppies find their way to the nipples on their own, others need to be placed close to them. The first born puppy, after being freed from the membrane and umbilical cord and weighed, should be placed next to the mother as quickly as possible - sucking speeds up the birth process, promoting contraction of the uterus.
Ingesting colostrum also stimulates the puppy's intestines, promoting the release of meconium (the first stool), which is a sticky black mass. It is important that the puppy’s first bowel movement occurs as soon as possible - without this, the normal digestion process will not start. If the puppy was born weak and feces do not come out naturally, you can help him by massaging his tummy and anus with a piece of damp cotton wool.
Important! If one or more puppies are stuck in the birth canal, especially after the water bladder has burst, you should not hope that everything will resolve itself - qualified medical assistance is necessary, otherwise both mother and cubs may die.
Caring for your dog after birth
Childbirth takes a lot of energy from a dog, so in the first hours after it it needs rest and peace. It is important to keep the bitch warm, not subject to stress, but at the same time ensure constant control over her, without leaving the mother alone with the puppies. Refrain from exposing the mother and puppies to strangers in the first two weeks after birth - this can frighten and upset the dog, which is very worried about the puppies. If the bitch thinks that the cubs are in danger, she will try to “hide” them, as a result of which she may injure one of the babies.
Discharge in dogs after birth
During the first two weeks after whelping, bitches experience bloody and mucous discharge, which gradually turns colorless; this is completely normal. But if the discharge after childbirth has a dark green color and a putrid odor, especially against the background elevated temperature, you need to see a doctor urgently! Also a reason to apply for veterinary care There are copious bloody discharges after childbirth in dogs - this may be a sign of uterine bleeding.
Feeding a dog after birth
Immediately after giving birth, as well as in the intervals between the birth of puppies, the bitch is given warm tea with milk and glucose. It is necessary to ensure the restoration of water balance in the dog’s body, as it loses a large number of fluids during childbirth. Drinks should be given often, but in small portions.
After giving birth, a dog usually has a weakened stomach, and there may be diarrhea - there is nothing to worry about. To stabilize digestion, you can give Activated carbon– however, strong pills and medications should be avoided if possible, as these are all passed on to the puppies through the milk.
In the first three days after birth, the dog is fed small dietary portions, the diet consists of fermented milk products, and food is given in semi-liquid form. Next, they slowly begin to give meat broth and boiled meat. Food that is too high in calories, including fresh raw meat, should not be given - such food will lead to an excess of milk, and if it is not completely “used up” by the puppies, the bitch is at risk of inflammation of the mammary glands. If your dog eats commercial food, consult a veterinarian and select special food for lactating bitches - every well-known manufacturer has them in stock.
Important! Carefully monitor the puppies' stool: if suddenly one of them begins to diarrhea, the bitch's diet needs to be adjusted.
How to walk your dog after giving birth
Dogs are very caring mothers, so in the first week after giving birth it is difficult to tear the bitch away from the puppies for a long time. Walks at this time should be very short, 15-20 minutes, no more than 4 times a day. From the second week, their duration increases to 20 - 30 minutes. You can't go without walks at all - they stimulate milk production and also help the dog gradually restore its prenatal physical shape. By the way, it is best to clean the “nest” when the bitch is on a walk - this way you will not disturb her again - a dog that has just given birth usually gets nervous when the puppies are touched or picked up.
After walking, the bitch’s nipples must be wiped and dried, and only after that the dog should be allowed near the puppies. Also, to protect the mammary glands from sagging, dirt, and insect bites, you can put a veterinary blanket on your dog for walks.
Dogs carry puppies for an average of 63 days. The duration of pregnancy may vary slightly depending on the individual characteristics of the breed, but does not exceed 67 days. Normal pregnancy should end successfully in childbirth. Every owner needs to know how dogs give birth, since the bitch may need help during the birthing process. In addition, it is necessary to prepare for the arrival of puppies by providing the dog and the future offspring with the necessary conditions. Childbirth for a dog is quite stressful, so everything should happen in a situation familiar to it, in a calm environment, without the presence of strangers. Any negative factors can cause a delay or suspension of labor.
In order not to miss the onset of labor, especially in cases where there was confusion with the date of mating or mating took place a couple of days after ovulation, in the last stages of the dog’s pregnancy it is necessary to monitor the appearance of harbingers of labor. These include:
- prolapse of the abdomen, enlargement and softening of the loop - 7 days before whelping;
- prolapse of the uterus, arching of the back, increased frequency of urination - within 4–5 days;
- temperature decrease to 37°C – within 24 hours;
- loss of appetite, increased excitability– in 12–18 hours.
Immediately before giving birth, dogs begin to prepare the site by creating a nest. At the same time, some try to retire, others, on the contrary, try to be closer to the owner, seeking his support.
Important! One of the main indicators of the condition of a pregnant bitch is body temperature. 10 days before the expected whelping, it is measured rectally three times a day. A day before birth, it drops by 0.5–1.5 °C, and immediately before the onset of labor it returns to normal.
If labor does not occur within 48 hours after the temperature drops, this may indicate primary uterine atony, which requires the help of a specialist and, as a rule, a cesarean section.
Delivery process
Childbirth in dogs is conventionally divided into 3 stages - the cervix dilates and the birth canal opens not first, puppies are born in the second, and the placenta comes out in the third.
First stage
With the onset of labor and the appearance of uterine contractions (contractions), the dog’s behavior usually changes:
- she becomes restless, breathes quickly;
- refuses to eat, and if he eats something, he vomits;
- looks at his sides, licks the noose.
In addition to changes in behavior, characteristic symptoms the first stage are:
- periodic tension and relaxation of the loop;
- the appearance of mucous discharge from the vulva;
- relaxation of the abdominal wall.
1.5–2 hours before whelping, the bitch begins to ask to go outside, since she needs to empty her intestines and urine, and also move around to stimulate labor. At the first stage of labor, she can still be taken out, and then it is better to avoid walks so that she does not start whelping on the street. This is especially true if the owner watches a dog give birth for the first time and cannot know all the harbingers of labor and the subtleties of the process.
Gradually, contractions become more frequent and intense, and the puppies begin to move towards the neck. At this time, the sensations can be too painful, the dog may whine, look at the loop and periodically freeze, looking at one point and listening to the processes occurring inside.
Over time, muscle tremors, redness of the eyes, and hardening of the abdominal walls appear. The dog cannot lie down, turns over from side to side, licks the nipples and the loop. When moving, the hind legs tense, the tail drops, and the back hunches.
When a reflex contraction of the abdominal and uterine muscles begins, aimed at pushing the fetus out of the uterus, the dog takes a position that is comfortable for it. Females of large breeds usually give birth lying on their side, while Spitz dogs most often give birth in a sitting position, with their paws moved to the side, or standing with their tail laid to the side. From the moment of the first attempts, puppies should begin to appear within 2 hours.
Second stage
The appearance of a water bladder, amniotic fluid or a puppy in the loop indicates the beginning of the second phase of whelping. The released water bladder usually bursts spontaneously or is ruptured by the dog, after which the fluid contained in it pours out and provides lubrication of the birth canal (in other words, the pregnant woman’s water “breaks”). But the bubble that appears may disappear without bursting. You should absolutely not try to detain him or forcefully pierce him.
The first puppy appears within 20–60 minutes, usually quite easily. However, the exit of the head can cause severe pain in the bitch. This process is especially painful for a firstborn, since the dog is giving birth for the first time and the vaginal muscles have not yet experienced such stretching.
Normal delivery occurs only if the puppies are positioned longitudinally. In this case, the puppy will go:
- with cephalic presentation, the front legs and muzzle come out first;
- in breech presentation, the hind legs and tail are shown first.
In both cases, the puppy's back is parallel to the bitch's spine and moves along the upper vaginal wall.
The dog ruptures the amniotic sac, in which puppies are often born, chews the umbilical cord, and then licks the newborn to stimulate it. It is best if the bitch does all this on her own, but it is necessary to control her behavior. If the umbilical cord is chewed too intensively, it can harm the puppy. In the absence of maternal instinct or the rapid birth of several puppies, the dog takes care of one of them, not paying attention to the others. In such situations, the owner's help will be required.
During the normal course of labor, puppies are born one at a time with a break of 15–40 minutes, but they can appear after 2 hours. Typically 4-5 puppies will be born within 6-7 hours. Multiple whelping takes much longer.
Third stage
Childbirth ends with the release of the placenta. In dogs, this phase is not precisely determined, since there are several placentas and they can come out at different times, including at the second stage. Therefore, you need to carefully watch how the dog gives birth in order to control the release of all placentas, the number of which should correspond to the number of puppies born. It should be borne in mind that identical twins develop in one placenta, but with two umbilical cords. The placenta may not come out after each puppy, then it will go with the next one or after all of them at once. All placentas should be delivered within a maximum of 6 hours after labor is completed. If they linger in the uterus, then during further labor the dog may develop greenish discharge, which is considered normal.
The dog usually immediately eats the delivered placenta, which naturally stimulates further delivery. But it is better to save all traces in cold water, and then give it to the dog one at a time. This will help control their quantity and protect the bitch from an excess of protein foods, which can lead to diarrhea in the first days after giving birth. This is especially true for dwarf breeds.
Important! Since Chihuahua dogs usually give birth to more than 1 puppy, you should not let them eat all the afterbirths at once. Otherwise, they will experience digestive tract dysfunction.
During the normal course of labor, you should not interfere with the process. Simply observing is enough to help your dog if necessary. You can also calm her down, lightly massage her stomach, stroking from chest to loop, and give her some warm water.
Helping a dog give birth
Any manipulations with a puppying dog are carried out with gloves to prevent possible infection through fetal fluid or blood with various infections.
Assisting a dog during childbirth may be required in the following situations:
- if you need to help a puppy who is lingering in the birth canal - when the paws appear, press the perineum down, wait for the head to come out, grab the puppy by the withers and pull lightly, but only during the next contraction;
- if the dog does not pay attention to the newborn, immediately open the amniotic sac, clear the mouth of mucus using a syringe, rub the puppy with a soft cloth, cut the umbilical cord (if the baby came out with the placenta) with blunt scissors 2 cm from the abdomen for small ones and 4 cm for large ones breeds;
- if the puppy stayed in the birth canal for a long time, which led to respiratory dysfunction, the same manipulations are carried out as in the previous case, but if the puppy does not begin to breathe, then a chest massage is additionally performed and artificial respiration into the mouth and nose through a napkin, calculating the amount of exhaled air based on the volume of the puppy’s lungs;
- if blood is released from the umbilical cord, hold it with your fingers for half a minute or tie it with a thread 1 cm from the abdomen, and also fill it with peroxide, iodine, brilliant green or a dark solution of potassium permanganate.
Important! You can clear mucus from the mouth of a newborn puppy without using tools. To do this, you need to carefully squeeze it between your folded palms, holding your head with your fingers, and then sharply lower your hands down. Repeat this movement several times, wiping the puppy’s mouth and nose after each time.
After bringing the baby to life, it is placed on the dog so that it licks it, and then applied to the nipple. Before the next puppy arrives, it is advisable to transfer the previous ones to a box with a heating pad.
Possible complications
When placentas remain in the uterus for longer than this time, it can lead to the development inflammatory processes fraught with serious complications. Also on Negative consequences may indicate the frequency and color of postpartum discharge. After giving birth, a red-brown bloody fluid is secreted from the dog’s vulva for some time at intervals of 1.5–2 hours. Its quantity increases during feeding of puppies. These signs of uterine cleansing are normal and should not cause concern.
You should seek veterinary help in the following situations:
- the appearance of blood or dirty green fluid before the puppies are born;
- Exceeding the pregnancy period;
- incorrect presentation of the fetus;
- complications with the birth of the first newborn;
- strong contractions without delivery for more than 2 hours;
- the puppy does not appear within 30 minutes after the water breaks;
- severe restlessness or lethargy of the bitch after delivery;
- the appearance of puppies at intervals exceeding 2 hours;
- discrepancy between the number of afterbirths released and the number of puppies born;
- the appearance of stillborn, too small or very large babies;
- increased temperature in the dog;
- absence of discharge from the vulva after delivery.
If the bitch’s previous birth was complicated or she is whelping for the first time, the presence of a veterinarian is highly desirable. He will be able to correct transverse presentation, perform a massage to stimulate labor, administer medications necessary in a particular case, competently resuscitate the puppy, perform a caesarean section if necessary, and perform other manipulations.
When carrying out a birth without the presence of a veterinarian, it is necessary to ensure that the process is completed and all puppies are delivered by palpating the dog for the presence of the remaining fetus. If it is impossible to obtain reliable examination results by palpation, you should contact a specialist. In addition, it doesn’t hurt to invite a doctor, even if the birth was successful. He must professionally examine the bitch and offspring to rule out possible complications and give the necessary recommendations for the future.
The afterbirth is everything that comes out with the puppy - the membranes, umbilical cord and placenta. Sometimes the umbilical cord is so short that at the moment the puppy is born, it breaks from tension and the placenta, without having time to come out, remains in the uterus or vagina. After about 15 minutes she comes out on her own or is pushed out at birth by the next puppy. If, when the umbilical cord ruptures, you manage to grab its end with surgical forceps, the placenta will not go inside and after a few minutes, having treated the puppy during this time, you can carefully pull the end of the umbilical cord pinched with forceps and pull out the placenta. Usually the placenta comes out quite easily.
When a bitch is whelping, she constantly licks the loop to clean herself, sometimes she eats the placenta so quickly that the owner does not even notice. The afterbirths need to be counted and thus establish the number of afterbirths eaten by the bitch, and perhaps the number of afterbirths that did not come out at all.
Most often, the release of placenta from puppies that are born last is delayed. These pups may have occupied the far end of the uterine horn and are taking longer to emerge. If by chance the placenta or parts thereof remain in the uterus, metritis may develop, i.e. inflammation of the uterus and the consequences of this will be extremely serious.
If there are any doubts about the release of all placenta or the release of the last placenta is delayed, you need to call a veterinarian. The doctor can inject the bitch with a drug that will help the uterus expel the retained placenta. Sometimes the puppy may linger, and this is even more dangerous.
If the afterbirth or dead puppy is not removed from the uterus within 60 hours after birth, the bitch will die!
Eating afterbirth by a bitch
Exist different opinions regarding whether the bitch should be allowed to eat the placenta.
I personally think the bitch should be allowed to eat up to three placentas if she wants. The placenta contains a lot of proteins and hormones that accumulate there almost from the moment of conception. It also contains iron and oxygen. The hormones contained there play a big role in stimulating the bitch's lactation. They also help the uterus contract at the end of whelping.
There is, however, some risk when the bitch eats the placenta - if the bitch eats too much, stomach upset, colic and severe diarrhea. This may be why many veterinarians do not recommend allowing the bitch to eat placenta.
An argument against eating placenta is that after whelping, a domestic dog receives good food and therefore does not require additional food. Biologists believe that eating placenta is a legacy of domestic dogs from the days when dogs were wild and bitches, protecting the lives of puppies, had to eat placenta to hide the smell of blood from other predators.
During the birth of puppies, a dog really needs human help and support. You shouldn't rely on nature. You should prepare for childbirth in advance. If your pet is giving birth for the first time, you need to make an agreement with the veterinarian so that he can come in case of an unusual situation.
The first signs of labor in a dog
Already a few days before the babies are born, the dog’s behavior changes.
- The animal becomes restless.
- He begins to look for a place for his offspring, periodically scraping the floor.
- Before the babies appear, the bitch begins to secrete colostrum from her nipples.
A couple of days before giving birth, the dog’s behavior begins to change.
Features of behavior
You don't need to feed your dog a lot before giving birth.
- Many dogs refuse food the day before labor begins. . Some dogs love to eat even before this important process. It is not recommended to feed heavily, as it may cause difficulties with the appearance of puppies.
- Sagging stomach, heavy breathing and rushing around the apartment talk about the beginning of the process. You can notice how the bitch is trembling from periodic cramping pains.
- The real harbinger of the onset of labor is the release of amniotic fluid. . It appears that the dog has peed itself, but at the same time it is licking off the liquid. Already at this moment it is worth placing the dog in a place prepared for birth.
Choosing a place to give birth
Choosing a place to give birth can be quite difficult. A small dog can be placed in a large box, but for a large one it is better to provide a playpen or even a sofa.
- It is much more convenient for the owner if the woman in labor will lie on the bed or sofa. Childbirth can be delayed, and it is difficult for a person to remain on the floor all the time. Near the sofa there is a table with necessary supplies. Be sure to equip bright lighting; it can be shaded in the intervals between the appearance of offspring.
- It is advisable to free the room for childbirth from carpets and unnecessary objects. When the puppies appear, there will be a lot of dirt, so the area is covered with oilcloth, and on top with a clean, ironed rag of a suitable size.
- It is necessary to put alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, streptocide powder, gauze napkins, diapers or clean, ironed old sheets on the table. Napkins will be needed to dry the puppies and wipe away liquids. A clean sheet is placed in the box, and a heating pad wrapped in a diaper is placed on top. Newborn puppies will need to be placed in this box.
It will be convenient if a pregnant dog is placed on the sofa.
Start of labor
- On initial stage the dog begins to moan.
- Contractive attempts become more frequent. This can be seen in the stomach.
- The tension and relaxation of the uterus is visible, while the fetuses move from the horn to the body, and then to the cervix.
Just before giving birth, the dog will begin to moan.
The process may take from 12 hours to 1 day . Longer movement of puppies life threatening , so you need to call a veterinarian at home.
The plug has come out, what should I do?
When the cervix dilates, you may notice the plug coming out. Dog owners do not always see this clot; the animal tries to remove and lick all traces. The pet constantly licks the loop, can walk in circles and dig its bedding. The animal must be calmed, talked to, stroked. Some dogs avoid being touched. There is no point in insisting.
When the plug comes out, the dog needs to be calmed and petted.
Childbirth process
A bowl of clean water should be placed near the birth site.
After the fetus moves into the birth canal, the stage of breeding the puppies begins. Typically, birth in healthy dogs occurs without any special deviations, but the owner’s help is very important.
- The puppy moved into the birth canal, and the woman in labor chose an acceptable position - the process of pushing began . At this stage you should not give orders. Let the animal decide for itself which position is more comfortable for her to give birth. This process can take place sitting, standing or lying down - there is no need to interfere. During birth, the pet does not eat, but may want to drink. It is necessary to ensure the availability of clean water near the place of delivery. Drinking a large volume of water provokes vomiting, so you should not give a lot to drink.
- If a bubble appears from the loop dark color, that means the puppy is already close . The bubble may appear and disappear, this is completely natural and there is no need to panic. A few intense attempts - and here it is, baby. The dog chews the amniotic sac around it and bites the umbilical cord. Sometimes the animal does not react to the appearance of the baby, in which case the bubble must be broken and the umbilical cord cut.
The birth sac is visible.
- We make sure that the baby is breathing, wipe him with napkins and place him on the mother's . She should lick the puppy and massage it, which will help improve breathing and blood circulation. Usually puppies immediately find nipples; if this does not happen, you can bring the newborn to the mother's nipple. Babies eat immediately after birth.
Let the mother sniff the puppies.
- After the baby is born, the placenta should come out . The placenta may follow the puppy out, and in some cases it is pushed out by the next newborn. It is imperative to record the number of afterbirths. If there are fewer of them than puppies, you will need the help of a veterinarian.
What to do with the afterbirth?
Many dog breeders are interested in the question: is it possible to allow a dog to eat afterbirth?
To avoid diarrhea, it is better to remove part of the placentas.
The first puppy was born
- You can temporarily leave the baby with the mother until new attempts begin.
- Then the baby is moved into a box with a heating pad, and the dog pushes again.
It is very important to record the time of birth of the puppies. The interval between the birth of each of them should not exceed 3 hours.
The interval between the appearance of puppies should not be more than 3 hours.
How long does it take for a dog to give birth?
We often have to answer the question: “How long will labor last?” It is impossible to answer unequivocally.
Each dog gives birth at a different time.
The more puppies, the longer it may take. If labor has already lasted 8 hours and not all of the puppies have arrived, it is better to call a veterinarian.
The dog’s body is exhausted during labor and if everything drags on too long, there is a high probability that the dog will not be able to expel the remaining fetuses on its own.
Stimulation
The veterinarian may prescribe medications to induce labor. Such funds are not used unless absolutely necessary.
It is believed that oxytocin not very effective in dogs. It is best used in combination with calcium gluconate intravenously. In case of an overdose, frequent uterine contractions may occur, and the fetus is not able to advance. There is a disturbance in blood circulation in the uterus and placenta. Premature rejection of the placenta can cause fetal death in the womb. Veterinarians use another drug for stimulation - Travmatin. It has much fewer side effects.
The drug Travmatin is used for stimulation.
Amniotic fluid and umbilical cord
Amniotic fluid can be of different shades. Some owners are scared brown-green hue fluids and begin to insist on the veterinarian’s arrival.
The dog must be wiped of amniotic fluid and other dirt.. Before the puppy begins to look for the nipple, the mother’s hips and belly are wiped with a damp cloth dipped in warm boiled water.
Before letting the puppies approach the nipples, the dog's belly is wiped with a damp cloth.
How do you know if everything is okay?
There is no need to worry if the birth process is normal, the dog’s body temperature does not exceed 39ºC, and the smell of amniotic fluid does not smell rotten.
Not all dog breeders know what to do with an umbilical cord that the dog has not chewed on its own. During the first birth, the umbilical cord is very often lost and left intact. In this case, the dog owner must sever the umbilical cord himself.
The process is simple, but requires care:
- Right hand clamp the umbilical cord at a distance of 15 mm from the puppy’s belly.
- With the left hand, another area is pinched, located 1.5 cm further from the right hand (closer to the dog).
- After holding the pinched umbilical cord for about 30 seconds, it is broken. With the right hand they pull the umbilical cord until it breaks. It is necessary to pull from the dog towards the puppy, but not vice versa, so as not to damage the baby’s skin.
You need to cut the umbilical cord yourself if the dog has not done it itself.
Bleeding
If the umbilical cord breaks, bleeding may begin. In this case, the edge of the umbilical cord is clamped and held for about 1 minute.
If bleeding continues, you need to take a thread, treat it with alcohol and bandage the bleeding edge. The place where the puppy's umbilical cord breaks is smeared with brilliant green or sprinkled with streptocide.
The broken umbilical cord should be lubricated with brilliant green.
The baby should not climb with an afterbirth, in this case it can be expected.
Postpartum discharge
The babies are born, and the dog’s body is being cleansed. The owner notices a discharge that gradually turns from brown and thick to light, and then transparent. This is a natural self-cleaning process.
If you notice that there is bleeding, purulent discharge with an unpleasant odor, or an increased body temperature, you should contact a veterinarian.
If bleeding occurs after childbirth, you need to call a veterinarian.
