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BREEDING FOR PET OWNERS:
Rearing the puppies and care
of the mother
Q.
If the delivery was
without incident, what do I have to do to care for the newborn puppies?
A. For the next two months, even if
everything went smoothly with the birth, you have a lot of work to do!
After the birthing process, clean up the mother as much as possible
without upsetting her. Remove any of the soiled newspaper, bedding,
etc.
Normally the new mother will spend
most of her time with the puppies. For the first few days it may be
difficult to get her to leave the nest to go to the bathroom. However,
it is important that she continue to urinate and defecate normally. Do
not be afraid of putting her on a collar and leash and taking her out
for a short period if she refuses to go on her own. She will only want
to be out for a few minutes but during that time you can clean up the
bed and make the whelping box safe for the puppies.
Before she returns to her puppies,
check her nipples and vulva to make sure there are no problems such as
bleeding, foul smelling discharges, etc.
Q.
What sort of problems
am I looking for?
A. Check the vulva to see if there is
very much discharge. After 24 hours this should be minimal. It is
normally a greenish black color and if she has not expelled all her
afterbirths during birthing, the discharge may be quite copious.
However, it should lessen significantly after 24-48 hours. If not,
contact your veterinarian.
Check her teats to make sure that
none are swollen, hot, hard or tender. If you find anything abnormal,
please call us.
Q.
Do I have to check the
puppies?
A. It is worthwhile, particularly
with a first time mother, to check the puppies every few hours to make
sure they are all suckling and are warm and contented. Any that are
crying or appear cold should be placed on the inguinal (hind) teats and
checked frequently to make sure they are not pushed away by the other
puppies. The teats between the hind legs usually give the most milk.
Photo by SharpFotos.com
Q.
Is it necessary for me
to have a post-natal veterinary check?
A. It is important to have the mother
and puppies examined by your veterinarian within 3-5 days of birth. We
will check the mother to make sure there is no infection and that she is
producing sufficient milk. The puppies will also be examined to make
sure that there are no abnormalities such as cleft palates. Deworming
medication should also be administered to the puppies at this time to
kill any worms contracted from the mother. We recommend removing
dewclaws on all puppies and docking tails if it is standard for your
breed of dog. At this age, it is a minor procedure and will alleviate
the expense/complication to remove them when the dog is older.
Q.
What shall I do if the
mother refuses to stay with the puppies?
A. This is not uncommon with pets
that are closely attached to their owners. If the mother will not stay
with her puppies, try relocating her and her family so she can be nearer
to you. Make sure the puppies are not cold. Remember they cannot
maintain their own body heat for a week or two after birth.
During the first four days of life
the environmental temperature should be maintained at 85 -90oF.
The temperature may then be gradually decreased to approximately 80oF
by the 7-10th day and to about 72oF by the end of
the fourth week.
It is not necessary to heat the whole
room to these temperatures. Heating over the whelping box with the aid
of a heat lamp is usually all that is necessary.
The larger the litter the lower the
environmental temperature needs to be. Since the puppies huddle
together, their body heat provides additional warmth.
The puppies’ behavior and condition
gives an indication whether they are comfortable and healthy. If they
are warm and content they will be quiet and gaining weight, otherwise
they will be restless and vocalizing.
Q.
Should I weigh the
puppies regularly?
A. Yes. Electronic kitchen or
postal scales allow regular weighing of puppies. This gives a guide to
their condition and progress.
Q.
Is it necessary to
keep the mother and puppies in subdued light?
In the wild, dogs will find a
secluded whelping place, usually a dark or sheltered spot. Some dogs, if
they feel their puppies are too exposed, may become anxious and start
carrying them around the house. Placing a blanket over part of the top
of the box to conceal part of the whelping area may resolve the problem.
A small enclosed box is also a solution.
Some females are more anxious than
others, particularly with their first litter. They may try to hide their
puppies, even from the owners. If the mother does not like the place you
have selected for her, try to compromise.
Q.
I am told that some
female dogs will actually kill and eat their puppies. Is this true?
A.
In the wild, a dog with puppies is
vulnerable to all sorts of predators. If the puppies become vocal and
distressed, the danger of attack by a predator increases. The primeval
protective instinct will sometimes
surface in even the gentlest pet.
This occurs in some breeds more than others. Killing the puppies and
sometimes eating them is a method of averting a perceived danger.
Q.
Since I have not
raised a litter before, how can I tell if there is a problem?
A. During the first two weeks of
life, before their eyes open, puppies should feed and sleep at least 90%
of the time. If you are weighing the puppies regularly (once a day),
there should be a consistent increase in weight. If any of the puppies
appear restless or make mewing noises, this may indicate a lack of
nourishment or infection.
If you are concerned please consult
your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Declining weight records should
arouse your suspicions. Keep careful records. Identify the puppies with
permanent markers, marked on the abdomen or the tip of the ear (various
colors are available).
Q.
How will I know if the
mother’s milk supply is adequate?
A. A contented litter of plump
puppies is the usual indication. Any puppies that appear restless and do
not have fat tummies will benefit from supplemental feeding one to three
times a day. Please contact us and we will supply the necessary food and
feeders. It is important that any supplementary feeding is carried out
at the correct temperature. One rule of thumb is to drop some of the
warm, puppy milk replacer on your arm. It should not feel too hot but
about your normal body temperature.
All the commercial products carry
detailed instructions regarding preparation and feeding amounts. We will
advise you on supplemental feedings for your puppy’s needs.
Q.
I understand it is
possible for the mother to develop inflammation of the breasts without
warning?
A. This is called acute mastitis and
can occur very quickly. This is the reason that mother’s mammary glands
should be checked regularly for any inflammation, tenderness or
hardness.
If the mother does not produce milk
or her milk is infected, the puppies will not be nourished and will
start to cry and lose weight. If this occurs, an entire litter can die
within 24-48 hours. Total replacement feeding either via a foster mother
or with artificial products is necessary. Please contact us for advice.
Photo by SharpFotos.com
Q.
Is this the same as
milk fever?
A. No. Mastitis is an infection of
the mammary glands. Eclampsia or milk fever is due to a depletion of
calcium in the blood of the mother due to heavy milk production and is
not due to infection.
It occurs most commonly when the
puppies are 3-5 weeks of age and the mother is producing the most milk.
Eclampsia is not due to an overall lack of calcium, it merely indicates
that she cannot mobilize sufficient supplies of stored calcium quickly
enough to meet her metabolic needs. Females that are particularly good
mothers, especially attentive to their puppies, always seem to suffer
more severely.
Q.
I understand that milk
fever is a very serious condition. How can I tell when it is starting?
A. Eclampsia is a true emergency and
you must contact us immediately if you think the mother is in trouble.
The signs are initially subtle. The female may be restless, panting and
you may notice that she is moving stiffly. This soon progresses to
muscle spasms affecting the whole body and she can quickly progress to
convulsing.
Prevent the pups from suckling and
contact your veterinarian immediately.
Treatment involves injections of
calcium and other drugs, often intravenously. If treated quickly,
recovery is usually rapid and complete.
This client information sheet is based on
material written by Ernest E. Ward Jr., DVM
© Copyright 2002
Lifelearn Inc. Used with permission under license. TIME \@ "MMMM d,
yyyy" October 16, 2010.
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