As long as a responsible attitude is adopted towards the mother and the puppies, witnessing the birth of a litter at home is an amazing event, even more so when there are little ones at home, since unconsciously they acquire great knowledge about a vital process as important as birth.
Before the important moment of delivery arrives, it will be essential that the dog's owner has acquired extensive information about the period of pregnancy and all the necessary care that must be provided during it.
It is also important to recognize how the bitch will show that labor has started, so in this AnimalWised article we talk about the symptoms of a bitch that is going to give birth.
When is delivery time approaching?
The dog's pregnancy lasts approximately 9 weeks and during the ninth and final week delivery can occur at any time, although Prior to giving birth, the bitch will clearly show that she is preparing to give birth to her puppies.
Although the bitch knows instinctively that her body has all the necessary resources to have an unintervened delivery, it is important that during this week her human family stay by her side to be able to assist her during the delivery if necessary.
3 symptoms of a dog that is going to give birth:
1. She prepares the nest and is restless
Days before giving birth the bitch will start to show "nest behavior", that is, she will look for a space in the homewhere she bring her puppies into the world. They are generally sheltered and comfortable places, although if she has a bed and it is placed in a good place, the bitch may determine that this is a good nest for giving birth.
When labor begins, the bitch will be very restless and agitated, this is a very obvious behavior, because sometimes Although she is lying down, it is evident that she does not feel comfortable, she constantly moves and changes position.
two. Loss of appetite and change in body temperature
When labor has already begun, although it is not yet excessively evident, you may notice that your dog has not eaten for hours and also shows no interest in eating food.
Although loss of appetite does not occur in all bitches that are going to give birth, it is a sign that is shown in most of them.
Another important change that takes place in your body is a slight decrease in body temperature, which under normal conditions is around 38 ºC but approximately 12 hours before calving it drops to a temperature that ranges between 36 and 37 ºC.
3. Genital and uterine symptoms
These are the most obvious symptoms of a dog that is going to give birth since they are the ones that manifest through the reproductive system.
Before giving birth, your bitch will expel a discharge with a mucous texture and a yellowish-white color through the vulva. This is the expulsion of the plug that protected the entrance to the uterus Once this expulsion has occurred, the first puppy may take anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours to arrive, everything will depend on each particular birth.
When approaching delivery the bitch will constantly lick her genital area, she will do it to keep this area clean, to allow a better out of the puppies and as a mechanism to calm the inflammation and pain that you may begin to feel.
Finally, another decisive sign that announces the time of delivery are the uterine contractions that will allow the puppies to come out. They are easy to observe because if you keep your attention on your dog's belly you will see that it moves rhythmically, they can also express signs of pain, which in this context are completely normal.
Keep an eye out for any issues
There are numerous problems that can occur during the delivery of the bitch and that require urgent veterinary attention, such as puppies that get obstructed in the birth canal, difficulty on the part of the mother to cut the umbilical cord or significant damage to the structure of the uterus. For this reason it is extremely important to have a veterinary emergency telephone number at hand If you notice any symptoms that may indicate that labor is not taking place under normal conditions, do not hesitate to contact contact the vet as soon as possible.
