Preparation for Dog Whelping – Things You Ought to Know

Before your female dog starts giving birth, there are a number of things you need to do to prepare the arrival of new puppies. After all, a little preparation ahead of time will ensure that your birthing time goes as smoothly as possible.

Dogs are pregnant or in a gestation period for two months. You may not even be totally certain that your dog is pregnant. The second month will have her start to show her pregnancy as her belly expands on the sides and the weeks before she gives birth, her belly will start to grow down.

Once you are certain that your dog is pregnant, you will need time to prepare and get all of the instruments and general area ready for the new mom and puppies. It is recommended that you get a whelping box that is 4’x 6’x1’ that is wooden or plastic (sturdy materials) to help you. You will at least need a quiet and clean area that gives the new family some peace while giving you enough room to do some work as well.

You will need at least 3 stacks of newspaper that is around 4-feet tall. This seems like an excessive amount of newspaper, but you will need it. You will spend a lot of time using the newspaper for cleaning and padding the new puppies. You will also need unwaxed dental floss, hemostats, iodine, Vaseline, a bulb syringe, at least one heat lamp to keep the puppies warm, alcohol and lots of old towels.

The syringe and medication can be used to treat bacterial infections that can literally mean the difference between life and death for the puppies. You will also need an anti-bacterial agent to help ward away disease and infections.

You will want a pen and notepad to record the newborns’ weight and keep records of each puppy. You might want to pick up a postal scale for this purpose as well.

White corn syrup can be a good way to give struggling puppies extra nutrition and nourishment when they need it most, too. Have your vet’s number nearby and alert them to the expected birth date. You should have at least two checkups before the pregnancy to make sure everything is looking normal with the mother. The last checkup should be at least a few days before birth. Also, newborn puppies will require a lot of attention after they are born, so you will need to have someone with them constantly during the first week. You might have to take off of work or at least cut back on your usually scheduled activities.

About 12 to 24 hours before birth, the mother will start to exhibit signs that let you know the birthing time is near. The birthing process takes a few hours, so you will need to keep an eye out the entire time. The mother will become agitated and want to constantly trot around. There are even instances of the mother trying to walk around as she is giving birth, which you should never permit. The mother will have heavy panting and will constantly lick herself. She will also refuse to eat.

There might be a temperature drop of a few degrees from their normal 101F temperature, but this does not always happen. In addition, it can be difficult to take their temperature due to the mother’s increasing agitation. If you take readings at least once a day for the two weeks prior to birth, you can take readings every hour or so before birth to get an accurate reading.

The whelping area needs to be above 70F all the time. The closer it can be to 80F, the better for the puppies. The mother might find this too warm, so be sure to trim your mother before she gives birth to give her more comfort. Even if the mother is uncomfortable, it is imperative that you leave the temperatures at this level in order to keep the puppies warm enough. Hypothermia is the top leading cause of puppy mortality after infections.

There is typically a discharge of mucus and water followed by the first puppy within the hour. The remaining puppies will come anywhere between one every few minutes to one every hour. Longer than that, especially if the mother is in pain, is a sign of trouble and you should immediately call your vet.

         

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