What are the stages of DOG pregnancy?

Answer 1

=When your dog's due date is approaching, you should begin monitoring her rectal temperature. When her temperature drops below 100o F (normal canine temperature is 101-102o F), labor may be expected within 24 hours.==During this stage, uterine contractions begin. The bitch (dont you dare call a dog a bitch!)DOG will appear very restless and may pace, dig, shiver, pant, or even vomit. This is all normal and all an owner can do is see that the bitch DOG has water available should she want it. This stage of labor is very long, lasting 6-12 hours and culminates with full dilation of the cervix in preparation to expel a puppy.==The puppy will come out in a little sack. The bitch should eat this sack (NOTE: Let her eat this, ti is full of nutrients that she gave to the pups when they were inside of her and she needs them at this point in time. She will also eat the pups poop for awhile, for the same reason.) Allow her to clean them and feed them.=

Answer 2

Pregnancy in a female dog lasts nine weeks.

We determine the birthing date from the date of the first mating.

Some bitches will whelp (deliver their puppies) anywhere from day 59 to day 63.

As the owner, you will make no changes to her diet for the first 5 weeks.

Often, in the 3rd week after mating, she will go off her food for about 10 days.

You will notice that her vulva - the area around her vagina, did not return to the normal small size it was before mating, but looks rather enlarged.

There is normally no discharge during a pregnancy.

If you do see a discharge, then take her to the Veterinarian.

She may have an infection, or be losing the litter, or have developed a case of Pyometra, which, if left untreated, can kill her.

She needs a good exercise program, which involves a daily run to make sure all her muscles, including her uterine muscles, are in top condition.

She also needs a very high quality diet.

This is not the time to scrimp on her feeding formula.

Mother Nature tries to insure the survival of the species, so if the diet is lacking in any ingredient ,calcium or zinc for example, the developing puppies ( whelps) will take from the mother's body what they need to grow healthy, and therefore her body will become depleted.

DO NOT ADD ANY VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS IN THE FIRST MONTH OF PREGNANCY.

BIRTH DEFECTS WILL DEVELOP FROM TOO MUCH VITAMINS A & D.

DO NOT GIVE ANY MEDICINE NOW EITHER WITHOUT THE EXPRESS ORDER OF THE VETERINARIAN.

At week 5, her nipples will become deep pink in colour, and you may notice that she is thicker around the waist and broader around the rib cage.

Now you should increase her feeding by 25%.

Give her a daily Vitamin supplement from your Veterinarian

At week 6, increase her feeding again by 25% and divide her feedings into 2 meals a day.

You will notice that she is sleeping a little more now.

At week 7, increase her meal amount again by 25%.

Begin making preparations for the arrival of the puppies.

Build a whelping box for her and put it in a quiet room where she will be undisturbed by other pets and people and in an area that is easy to keep warm.

If you are putting the whelping box in a basement, then buy heavy weight plastic drop cloths, to hang 'walls' from the ceiling or beams to keep the heat inside the whelping box area.

Decide how you will heat the area where the new puppies will be.

It needs to be about 85 degrees until they are 3 weeks old.

A baseboard heater will do the job, as long as the dog cannot get near the electical cord or get burned by the heater.

You'll need to have it out of reach.

You will need reams of newspapers for the puppy box.

At week 8, increase the feed again by 25%. She is now eating double her normal amount.

Begin feeding her 3 times a day now and make the exercise time shorter, but more frequent.

Walking will be very tiring for her and she is very uncomfortable through the last week of the pregnancy.

Begin taking her temperature rectally twice a day.

The normal dog temperature is about 100.3F - 101.3F.

It will normally drop to about 98. degrees F 8 - 24 hours before the onset of labour and she will refuse to eat or drink anything.

NEVER EXPECT YOUR DOG TO DELIVER A LITTER BY HERSELF.

Although animal whelping is a 'natural event' this does not mean that the animal does not get into serious trouble if left unattended.

Mother and puppies frequently die because the owner thoughtlessly left her alone during this crucial time.

Answer 3

Here are the steps:

• Contact your veterinarian to schedule a pre-whelping exam and consultation. Your veterinarian can offer last-minute advice and will be familiar with your dog should she need assistance during delivery.

• 2

  Provide a whelping box of sturdy material that the puppies can't chew through and that's big enough for the mother dog to lie in and stretch out with her puppies. The sides of the box should be at least 6 inches high'high enough to prevent 4- to 6-week-old pups from escaping, but low enough to allow the mother to get in and out easily.

• 3

  Present the whelping box to your dog one to two weeks before delivery and place it in semiprivate, familiar surroundings. Put soft, clean towels in the box.

• 4

  Check the temperature of the mother-to-be daily after day 50 of pregnancy. When her temperature drops to 99 degrees F, labor will begin in 10 to 24 hours.

• 5

  Look for signs that the dog is ready to give birth, such as her licking the genital area, or the appearance of an amber fluid or a bulge (the amniotic sac) protruding from the birth canal. This indicates that a puppy should be delivered within a few minutes.

• 6

  During labor, avoid upsetting the dog. Remain calm when she is restless, nervous, anorectic (not eating), vomiting, pacing, shivering or panting. These can be normal behaviors for dogs in labor.

• 7

  If the mother has not removed the amniotic membrane from her pup within 1 minute after delivery, intervene. Gently grasp the puppy in a clean towel and pull away the slimy material. Make sure that the nose and mouth are free from fluid and tissue.

• 8

  Don't panic if the mother delivers a puppy without expelling the placenta. Sometimes the placenta of the previous birth will be expelled with the following birth.

• 9

  Cut the umbilical cord about 2 inches from the puppy's body, using sharp, sterilized scissors. (Use isopropyl alcohol to sterilize scissors.)

• 10

  Consult a veterinarian if your dog is in active labor for more than 30 minutes but has not yet delivered a puppy. If you notice that a puppy seems to be stuck, gently grasp it and pull it from the birth canal, twisting slightly if necessary.

• 11

  Make sure all puppies are safe and warm and are not getting stepped on as the mother is delivering the other puppies. Multiple births followed by resting is common, but a delay of more than 1 hour between births warrants a call to the veterinarian.

• 12

  Make sure each puppy nurses soon after delivery. It's essential that puppies nurse within the first 24 hours to acquire vital antibodies supplied by their mother's milk.

• 13

  Be prepared to give the puppies commercially prepared milk replacer in case the mother doesn't have enough milk or some other emergency arises. This is available wherever pet supplies are sold.

• 14

  Take the mother and her puppies'in the whelping box, with a blanket for warmth'to the veterinarian for an exam. Do this within 24 hours after the last puppy is born.

• Read more: How to Deliver Puppies | eHow.com ehow.com/how_2261_deliver-puppies.html#ixzz1JPOsW9fP