What to Do If a Dog is Whelping
Whelping is the process in which a dog gives birth. After about 63 days of pregnancy, or sometimes a few days longer, the pregnant female will be ready to release the babies into the world. She will be producing milk and even secreting a wartelyfluid from her teats. As long as the mother eats and sleeps well, showing no signs of illness or colored discharge, she is in good health.
You will have to prepare a special bed. Some repeat breeders construct a special box, but any large container in a quiet place can be the birth area. You should keep the area clean and warm with plenty of old towels, rags or newspapers. During the pre-birth period, which lasts about 12 hours (though sometimes longer), the female will seem anxious, restless and distracted. Her temperature will drop by a few degrees and she usually stops eating. She will wander in and out of birthing box or some other private area, often Mopping to sit or sleep for brief periods. These behaviors are normal and should cause no alarm when the puppies begin to leave the protective womb of the mother, begins when the mother actively strains to push out the babies. A colored discharge should now appear. Within the first hour or so, a water sac will emerge.
The puppy is surrounded by membrane attached to this sac. It is normal for the mother to lick or bite the sac open. The puppy may be born in one of several positions, including back feet first or head first. Once outside, the mother will cut the cord that connects the baby and lick away any membrane on the face. Human assistance in this process is possible, especially if the mother neglects the cord or if the puppy seems threatened by excessive membrane on its face. Tear the cord about one to two inches from the belly button and make sure that the puppy is placed next to its mother immediately. If other puppies follow (and they usually do), it may take minutes or up to two hours between births. Keep the mother warm and comfortable, monitoring her health and progress.
There are many health risks, to both the mother and puppies, that can occur during whelping. If it takes a mother more than two hours between births, you should seek professional care. During whelping, the mother will expel the afterbirths and has a natural instinct to eat them. This practice may have evolved in an effort to protect young puppies, which other animals found easy prey. Since this precaution is no longer necessary and may cause diarrhea, remove the afterbirths before the mother eats them. Occasionally, the mother will have difficulty pushing out a puppy, which then becomes stuck part way in and part way out of the mother. Only in these circumstances should you assist the whelping process. Be certain that your hands and arms are clean, using them to gently clasp and pull the baby. K helps to slowly turn the body as you pull, and synchronize your motion with the natural straining of the mother once all of the puppies are born, the whelping process is over. The newborns should be kept with their mother in a warm, comfortable environment.