Pregnancy and Breeding

If you have decided to breed from your butch then early signs the mating has been successful include swollen or pinker tests, swollen vulva, small weight gain, some dogs may even suffer vomiting similar to morning sickness in humans.

As the pregnancy progresses then signs become more obvious- swollen abdomen, enlarged mammary glands, nesting behaviour such as digging in blankets, increased appetite and from the 5th week some milk production. The gestation period is usually 63 days but can vary from 56-72 days. Ultrasound can be used to confirm pregnancy from 3 weeks although even in highly skilled ultrasonographers exact litter size can be tricky to reliably predict.

Your dog’s feed intake should be gradually increased from 6 weeks so that by whelping she is having around 1.5 times her normal amount. Around this time, you should introduce her to the whelping area and get her used to sleeping in there.

Between 24-48 hours prior to whelping bitches will often become unsettled, start nesting and may stop eating. Milk production in the mammary glands will increase and become more obvious. You may notice a plug of mucus being passed from the vulva. Once contractions start the puppy should be born within 30 minutes. If she is pushing hard for longer than this, it may mean a puppy is stuck and she needs assistance.

Observe from a distance and only intervene if it is clear the birth is not progressing. It is normal for there to be a couple of hours between pups- if the mum is content and allowing the first pups to feed them don’t interfere. If you see a puppy being born back legs or tail first, then this is an indication to intervene - pull the pup firmly but carefully so that it is born swiftly to avoid inhalation of placental fluids resulting in a still born.

Bitches should naturally clean their pups, chew the umbilical cords and eat the placenta. You may need to tie off an umbilical cord if it is still attached to the placenta or bleeding.

Try and weigh pups soon after birth but without distressing the bitch too much, and handle the pups as little as possible. Make sure all puppies are feeding on the colostrum (the antibody rich first milk) and have some substitute milk (whelpy) on hand if needed.

Post partum there can be a profuse green discharge - this is normal and can last a couple of weeks. The bitch should be settled and content after whelping as should the puppies after feeding. Any concerns should be voiced with your veterinary surgeon immediately.