PREGNANCY AND PARTUITION (LABOUR) IN THE BITCH

Pregnancy

The length of the pregnancy or ‘gestation period’ in domestic dogs ranges from 60 to 67 days. Most bitches deliver (whelp) between 63 to 65 days after mating. An examination can be carried out at the clinic from 21 days after mating. This is to detect signs of pregnancy by abdominal palpation, ultrasound scan or blood test.

During the final weeks of pregnancy the bitch will start to look for a secure safe place for delivery. A whelping box should be made available in a secluded place; ideally somewhere the bitch will choose to go i.e. not in a strange place she is normally not allowed access to. The whelping box should be large enough for the bitch to move around freely and have short sides to enable her to get in and out but high enough to keep the puppies in. It should be lined with a thick layer of newspaper, which can be used to absorb fluid and can be shredded for nest making, with some additional comfortable bedding such as towels or blankets.

Parturition can be divided into five stages:

1. Preparation stage

2.First stage

3.Second stage (giving birth)

4.Third stage (including expulsion of placenta)

5.Puerperium (after whelping)

Onset of Labour

The most reliable indicator that your bitch is about to give birth is a fall in rectal temperature 8-24 hours before parturition begins. The body temperature fluctuates during the last week of pregnancy and before parturition will decrease by 1 C in large breeds and 3 C in small breeds. This decrease in body temperature is responsible for shivering, which is recognised at the first stage of parturition. It is a good idea to start taking your bitches temperature twice daily one week before the puppies are due.

Others signs of impending parturition include:

  • Nest making.
  • Seeking solitude.
  • Enlargement and flaccidity of the vulva.
  • Obvious mammary development and colostrum production from the teats.

This stage may take 1-3 days. The bitch should be treated as normal but allowed some quiet time to settle where they are happy, ideally in the whelping box.

First Stage of Labour

  • Restlessness
  • Onset of uterine contractions
  • Panting
  • Nest making
  • Anorexia, shivering and occasionally vomiting

This stage usually lasts 1-12 hours. However, in bitches having their first litter it may last up to 36 hours. You should observe your pet quietly during this period whilst allowing her to settle reasonably undisturbed. Cervical dilation should be complete by the end of this stage and the first water bag will be passed through the cervix, although it will not be visible from the outside yet.

Second Stage of Labour

  • Involuntary uterine contractions
  • Coordinated voluntary contractions of the abdominal muscles
  • Bitch may crouch, stand or lie
  • First water bag will be seen at the vulva. This may be broken or bitten by the bitch, which will release allantoic fluid
  • Each delivered puppy is contained in a second sac (amnion) which is normally intact. The bitch will chew and lick the sack to break it open and stimulate the puppy
  • The umbilical cord will be broken during parturition or by the bitch’ actions

This stage of labour usually lasts about 3-12 hours you should try to keep intervention to a minimum. If the bitch fails to release the puppy from the amnion (second water bag) within a few minutes it can be done by you. Umbilical cords not broken by parturition or the bitch should be gently tied off with thin cotton approximately 0.5cm away from the umbilicus. Puppies that are handled must be quickly returned to the bitch.

Problems that can occur at this stage and require veterinary assistance

  • The puppy is not born within 30 minutes of the production of the first water bag being visible at the vulva
  • The bitch is straining unproductively for more than one hour
  • The bitch becomes weak and straining becomes unproductive
  • More than 2 hours elapse between the births of the puppies
  • A red/green discharge is seen and no foetuses are being born. This discharge is a result of placental breakdown and could mean the foetuses are losing their placental blood and oxygen supply
  • The bitch is in second stage labour for a total duration of over 12 hours

Third Stage of Labour

  • Uterine and abdominal contractions continue
  • Expulsion of placentas alternating approximately with birth of puppies (sometimes a puppy may be born without its placenta as another puppy quickly follows)
  • Production of uteroverdin (red/green discharge); this is the normal breakdown product of maternal blood trapped between the placental membranes
  • The bitch may eat the placentas

This stage overlaps with second stage.

Puerperium (after whelping)

  • Uterine involution (shrinking) takes place, usually rapidly at first and is completed within 4-6 weeks post whelping
  • Uteroverdin production and any bleeding should stop after 1 week, although a slightly brown discharge can be normal for 4-6 weeks
  • The bitch’ temperature may be slightly elevated for up to 1 week

At this stage the bitchs’ reproductive tract returns to normal. You should watch out for any of these signs and seek veterinary advice if they are seen;

  • The red/green vaginal discharge is heavy or persists beyond 1 week
  • The bitch is unwell in any way
  • The puppies are not feeding and thriving normally

The practice number is answered 24 hours a day; please do call if you have any worries or problems on 01635 254544.