Pregnancy and Labor

    The dog's pregnancy or gestation lasts about two months (from 58 to 63 days). As the moment of the labor is approaching, it starts the worry of the owners that it is reasonable as a consequence of the affection that they feel for her; besides when it is the female's first time, the anxiety of how is going to developed the delivery, is highly big. We have to bear in mind that the birth of the puppies is the most natural phenomenon in the world, the same happens with human beings and the other animals, so this process just need help in especial cases.

    The normal labor period is about twelve to twenty four hours and in some cases, mainly in the female's first time, the period can lasts over thirty seven hours. One week before the labor, in the female dog as well as in the female cat, the body temperature (measured in the rectum) decreases 1º up to establish between 98ºF and 100ºF, she starts to have milk, its vulva usually gets edematous and with a slight vaginal leak; she can have a change of behavior such as a search of a dark and remote place, an increase worry and the construction of the nest.

The labor procedure of the female dog is divided into three stages.

    The first one corresponds to the opening of the neck of the uterus up to be ready to the delivery of the puppies. This procedure can last twenty four hours. During that time the female behaves in an abnormal way, she walks in circles with slow steps and without rest, she lies down and she also refuses to eat or drink (although some females shows a widely hungry). During this period nothing must perturb her around. The first stage corresponds to the opening and relaxation of the neck of the uterus so as to be ready to the delivery of the puppies. The female shakes, gasps for air and can vomit. The lips of the vulva swells and from the inferior corner, a viscose white yellowish liquid leaks. It is possible to observe uterine contractions but always being of weak intensity. The dog chooses a quite and dark place and she prepares her nest destroying rags and other materials; it is convenient to gave her some elements so as she can realize that job, the most usual material is paper of newspaper tired in thin strips.

    The second stage is the one of delivering the puppies. The dog remains laying in the floor over one side, with her face placed to her abdomen and then the contraction starts every 2 or 3 minutes this takes her a great effort. This resolute moment is the one of the labor!!!!!. The female dog remains laying in the floor in horizontal position over one side, with her face placed to her abdomen and then she starts to push making a great effort. When this stage begins, the dog must be completely alone. Most of the owners, with good intentions, especially with the female's first time, stay watching her work or talking next to her flustering her. Bothering her just works to delay the natural process. She must to be along for about eight hours. If there is no puppy after that time, the owners must call the Veterinarian. The intervals of more than 4 hours or when no puppy has birth after many contractions must be considered as abnormal labor.

    The third stage is the effort mechanisms that results on the delivery of the placentas, those ones usually come out rather after the delivery of the puppies. The dog must deliver in her environment, if the owners placed her in an estrange environment can make her anxious, the births will delay and the entire litter can be lost.

    An ideal place is the bottom of a cupboard in the kitchen where a comfortable "bed" must be placed. Most of the kitchens have heating and this is important because the lack of heating is one of the main cause of loose the puppies since the recently delivered dogs loose heat after the labor. If she and her offspring are in a place where there is no heat, a box or drawer must be prepared with some blankets and cover them during the night.

    Related to the feeding during the lactation, the mother must have a diet rich in proteins and this means that she must eat meat and also eggs, cheese and chicken, besides the food she is normally given, she can also be given a premium balanced food for puppies or pregnant dogs.

    The idea of given the mother after the labor a liquid diet based on milk so as to make her produce more milk, is a wrong concept. The proteins are the vital base for the production of milk and the best food for a carnivorous animal is meat.

    Summing up: it is advisable for the inexperienced owners, in particular, that allow the dog to be in her own environment, in a place of permanent heat, they must be rather patient and do not interfere neither being next to her to observe her labor efforts.

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