When expecting the birth of new puppies it is always an exciting time for the whole family, but it is important to ensure adequate care for the mother and the unborn babies. Caring for them properly will allow the mother and her kittens to stay healthy and feel safe. The methods described in this article will help you prepare both your dog and your home for the arrival of the puppies and take care of them.
Steps
Part 1 of 6: Prepare the "Delivery Room"
Step 1. Choose an appropriate size box for your dog
This will be the place where the expectant mother will give birth, so it must also be a warm and safe place for the puppies, where they cannot be crushed by their mother.
- The box must have 4 sides and a base. Choose one that has a length and a width that allow the dog to lie down comfortably, keeping both the head and the legs extended inside. To these basic dimensions, add the equivalent of half the height to the width to make room for the puppies.
- Make sure the sides are high enough to prevent babies from escaping, but at the same time they must allow the mother to get out without difficulty.
- You can purchase a box specifically designed for this purpose at major pet stores. Alternatively, you can use a cardboard box, or make your own with chipboard or plywood. Another solution is to get 2 large and rigid boxes, such as the one for the TV or household appliances; cut the ends of each and join them to create a longer box.
Step 2. Set up a space for the puppies
The unborn babies will need a safe haven inside the box where the mother cannot lie down on them (otherwise they could suffocate). Mark off this additional space and install a sturdy wooden profile raised approximately 10-15cm from the bottom of the box.
- A broom handle is perfect for this purpose.
- This is especially useful when puppies are over 2 weeks old and start moving more.
Step 3. Lining the base of the box
Cover it with lots of newspapers and some thick towels. Alternatively, you can get a Vetbed® mat, it is a polyester blanket that absorbs the humidity of the dog and puppies.
Step 4. Place a warming mat in the area set up for the unborn child
In the spot prepared for them, place a heating pad under the newspaper sheets. Once the puppies are born, set the mat to a minimum. It will help the puppies stay warm when they are away from their mother.
- An alternative to the heating pad is the heating lamp, which you can place in a corner of the box to ensure a warm area for babies. However, this solution provides dry heat, which can dehydrate puppies' skin. If you have to use this option, be sure to check the little ones regularly to make sure they don't have scaly or red skin. In this case you have to remove the lamp.
- Use a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel to provide temporary heat.
Step 5. Put a cover for the entrance to the box
During the birth, the dog will want to feel protected as in a den; this will make her feel safe and allow her to proceed with the birth peacefully. Place a large towel or blanket on one side of the box to cover it a little.
Step 6. Place the "delivery room" in a quiet room
The new mother should not be disturbed during the birth of her puppies, so it is a good idea to choose a quiet place to put the box.
Step 7. Leave food and water available near the container
The expectant mother must have easy access to them, so have the bowls nearby. Eventually you can also leave the containers of food and water in their usual place, but know that, if you put them near the box prepared for the birth, you allow the dog to feel more comfortable and more serene.
Part 2 of 6: Preparing for Childbirth
Step 1. Allow the expectant mother to explore the "delivery room"
At least two weeks before the expected date of delivery, let the dog analyze the container. Make sure it is placed in a quiet place, as this is what the parturient wants in the preparatory phase of labor.
Step 2. Put the dog's favorite food inside the box
To help her get used to the container, add treats regularly; in this way the expectant mother will associate the container with a quiet place with good things.
Step 3. Let the mother choose the place to give birth
Don't worry if she prefers somewhere other than the box you set up - her instinct tells her to find a spot where she feels safe and this could be behind the sofa or under the bed. As long as she doesn't risk harming herself, allow her to go wherever she likes.
If you tried to move her, you could generate a state of anxiety that could lead her to slow down or even interrupt the birth process
Step 4. Have a flashlight available
If the dog chooses to give birth under the bed or behind the sofa, the flashlight can be useful; that way, you can check it visually.
Step 5. Have the vet's phone number handy
Write down his number in the phone book or stick it on the fridge; if an emergency occurs, you should find the number right away.
Ask the vet how to get in touch with him in case the dog gives birth to puppies at night
Step 6. Find an adult who can control the stages of childbirth
A trusted person should stay with the expectant mother to make sure that things are progressing correctly during the birth; it should be someone who knows the dog very well. Try to minimize the number of individuals entering and exiting the space in which she is giving birth, otherwise the dog may feel stressed, distracted and potentially may even delay the birthing process.
Step 7. Don't bring onlookers to witness the birth of the puppies
The dog needs concentration and serenity. Don't invite neighbors, children, or other friends to watch what happens. This could distract and distress the new mother who would postpone the birth.
Part 3 of 6: Providing Care in the First Days After Birth
Step 1. Do not cut the placenta off the puppies
If you cut it before the elastic walls of the blood vessels have contracted, you could cause possible bleeding in babies. Leave it intact, as it will dry out on its own easily and break apart spontaneously.
Step 2. Leave the navel of the newborns alone
There is no need to apply disinfectant to their navels and placental abutments. If the birth box is kept properly clean, the navel is not at risk of infection and there are no health problems.
Step 3. Replace the towels and newspapers placed at the bottom of the box
It is important that the container remains clean once the puppies are born, but you also need to be careful not to disturb the new mother too much when she is nursing. Take advantage of the time when the dog has to defecate or urinate to remove dirty fabrics and replace them with clean ones. Throw away even dirty newspapers and replace them as soon as possible.
Step 4. Let the mother and the cubs bond for the first 4-5 days
The first few days of a puppy's life are essential for developing the bond with the mother. You should leave them alone and quiet as much as possible during this stage.
Try to touch babies as little as possible in the first few days; only handle them when you need to clean the box, which you should only do from day 3 onwards
Step 5. Make sure the puppies are warm enough
Use your hand to feel their body; if they are cold, you should feel cool or cold to the touch. They may also be unresponsive and very quiet. If they are overheated, they have red ears and tongues. They may also be unusually agitated and know that this is all they are capable of doing to try and get away from the heat source.
- The normal body temperature of a newborn should be between 34.4 and 37.2 ° C. This temperature rises to 37.8 ° C when the puppy is 2 weeks of age. However, it is not necessary to measure its temperature with a thermometer. Ask your vet for confirmation if you have any doubts or questions.
- If you use a heat lamp, be sure to check puppies regularly to make sure they are not showing scaly or red skin; in this case, remove the lamp.
Step 6. Adjust the room temperature
Newborn puppies are unable to regulate their body temperature and are likely to get cold easily. If the mother is with them, however, it is not necessary to provide a source of heat.
- Adjust the room temperature so you feel comfortable in shorts and a T-shirt.
- Add some extra heat to the box by placing an electric warmer under the cloths and towels. Set the temperature as low as possible to avoid the risk of overheating. Like human infants, baby animals cannot leave if they are too hot.
Step 7. Weigh the babies every day
Use a postal scale to check each puppy's weight daily for the first 3 weeks. Record the weight of each bird to make sure they are all well and are getting enough nutrition. Disinfect the weighing pan before weighing each individual animal. You can use a regular household disinfectant to clean the dish and then dry it.
Check that your weight is steadily gaining every day. Don't panic, though, if any puppy one day fails to grow or even loses a few grams. As long as he is lively and eats regularly, wait and weigh him again the next day. See your vet if your puppy still isn't gaining weight
Step 8. Make sure visitors are free of infections and cannot transmit harmful germs
Those who come to see the new puppies are the most likely to introduce some infection, as they could transmit bacteria or viruses through their shoes or hands.
- Ask guests to remove their shoes before entering the room where the dog is nursing.
- Also ask them to wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching or handling the puppies. In any case, babies should be handled or touched as little as possible.
Step 9. Do not bring pets that are not part of the family
Other animals can also transmit diseases and bacteria that are potentially dangerous to the new creatures. The new mother is quite vulnerable to disease and could further expose the puppies to this risk. Keep pets that are not part of your family away for the first two weeks after the baby is born.
Part 4 of 6: Helping the Pups to Suck
Step 1. Help the puppy latch onto the mother's nipple
When he is just born, he is blind, deaf and unable to walk until he is at least about 10 days old. He struggles around to find the nipple and suck his mother's milk. Sometimes some puppies need a little help learning to latch on to the udder.
- To help the little dog, first you need to wash and dry your hands. Lift it up and place it against a nipple; at this point he may move his mouth a little in search of the nipple, but if he does not find it, gently guide his head so that his lips end right on the nipple.
- It may also be necessary to squeeze a drop of milk from the nipple; the puppy smells the smell and should latch on.
- If he still doesn't suck, carefully insert a finger in the corner of his mouth to open his jaw a little. Then place your open mouth over the nipple and remove your finger; at that point he should start sucking.
Step 2. Check feedings
Make a mental note of which puppies are feeding on the various nipples. The rear breasts produce more milk than the front ones. If a puppy always latches on to the front nipples he may drink less milk than his sibling who always sucks from a rear one.
If you notice that a baby is not gaining weight at the same rate as others, try to place it preferably on a rear nipple
Step 3. Do not mix mother's milk with formula milk from baby bottles
When the new mother breastfeeds her puppies, her body continues to produce milk. However, when feedings are reduced, milk production also decreases, with the risk that the mother's body stops secreting enough to ensure adequate nourishment for her puppies.
Try to use bottles only if absolutely necessary. This may prove indispensable if the puppy does not have enough physical strength to compete with his siblings during feedings. In addition, the mother may have given birth to a large litter with more babies than her nipples
Step 4. Keep food and water available to the mother at all times
The dog will be reluctant to leave her young, so you need to make sure she has easy access to her food. Some new mothers can't even get out of the box in the first 2-3 days after giving birth. In this case, put the food and water directly inside the box for your dog.
Puppies will be able to observe their mom eating their food
Step 5. Allow the puppies to browse their mother's food
During the first 3-4 weeks, the babies feed exclusively on their mother's milk. Towards the end of this period, however, they begin to look at their mother's foods with greater interest, thus entering the weaning phase. At this age, they are no longer considered newborns.
Part 5 of 6: Caring for Orphaned Babies
Step 1. Be prepared to care for the puppies 24 hours a day
If you have to raise them personally, you must be ready to work hard and dedicate yourself assiduously to them, especially in the first 2 weeks of life; during this period they require constant attention and assistance.
- You may also need to abstain from work to care for the puppies, as they require close attention during the first 2 weeks.
- Take this into consideration before allowing your dog to get pregnant. If you can't make the effort to care for orphaned puppies, then you need to avoid getting pregnant.
Step 2. Buy a milk replacer
If the puppies are orphans, you need to provide them with adequate formula. The ideal is the one formulated specifically for newborn dogs, which is marketed in powder form (Lactol) and reconstituted with boiled water (it is very similar to infant formula).
- You can easily find it on the market at veterinary clinics or large pet stores.
- Do not use cow's milk, goat's milk, or formula milk for humans, as these are not suitable formulas for puppy dogs.
- You can temporarily use a mix of evaporated milk and boiled water, while looking for a suitable product that can replace breast milk. Use 4 parts evaporated canned milk per 1 part boiled water, enough for one feed.
Step 3. Feed the puppies every 2 hours
When they are newborn they need to suck every 2 hours which means you have to feed them 12 times in 24 hours.
Follow the directions on the package to make the milk replacer (typically 30 grams of powder is mixed with 105 ml of boiled water)
Step 4. Pay attention when your puppy is showing signs of hunger
When he wants to eat he gets very noisy; he begins to cry and whimper, as this is the instinctive way he calls his mother to be nursed. If your puppy is squirming, complaining and hasn't eaten in 2-3 hours, he is sure to be very hungry and should be fed.
The shape of her belly can also tell you if she is hungry. Because puppies have little body fat, when the stomach is empty, the belly is flat or slightly hollow; when it is full, the stomach resembles a barrel
Step 5. Use a bottle with a teat designed specifically for puppies
This type of teat is softer than that designed for humans. You can buy this type of bottle at veterinary clinics and major pet stores.
In an emergency, you can use a dropper to give your puppy milk. However, you must try to avoid this solution, as there is a risk that the puppy will ingest a lot of air along with the milk, with the consequence that his belly may swell painfully
Step 6. Let the puppy eat until it stops of its own accord
Follow the general directions on the infant formula to roughly determine the ideal dosage for feeding your puppy. A good rule of thumb, however, is to allow the puppy to eat until he is no longer hungry; it will stop when it feels full.
Typically, after eating the puppy will fall asleep and will ask for the next meal when he is still hungry again or about 2-3 hours later
Step 7. Clean his face after each feed
When you're done feeding it, clean its face with a cotton swab dipped in warm water. This mimics the cleansing her mom would do and reduces the risk of skin infections.
Step 8. Sterilize all the tools you use to feed him
Wash and sterilize all the equipment you use for puppy feeding using a liquid disinfectant specific for baby equipment or use a steam sterilizer.
Alternatively, you can boil all accessories and tools in water
Step 9. Clean the puppy's butt before and after each feed
Newborn puppies do not urinate or defecate spontaneously, so they need to be stimulated to do so. Usually it is their mother who takes care of this function, licking the perianal region of her puppies (the area under the tail where the anus is located) and generally must be performed before and after each meal.
Clean your butt with a cotton swab dipped in warm water before and after each feed; this should stimulate the puppy to carry out his normal bodily functions. Remove any stool or urine that comes out
Step 10. Begin to extend the time between feedings starting from the third week
As the puppy grows, the stomach becomes larger and can hold more food. When it reaches the third week of life, start feeding it every 4 hours or so.
Step 11. Check that the dog is warm enough
Use your hand to feel his body. When it is cold, you should feel it cold or cool to the touch. It could also be lethargic and eerily quiet. If he is too hot, you can notice because his ears and tongue are red. He may also be wiggling in an unusual way; in this case, know that it could be his best effort to try to move away from any heat sources.
- The normal body temperature of a newborn should be between 34.4 and 37.2 ° C. This temperature rises to 37.8 ° C when the puppy is 2 weeks of age. However, it is not necessary to measure its temperature with a thermometer. Ask your vet for confirmation if you have any doubts or questions.
- If you use a heat lamp, be sure to check the puppies regularly, in case they show scaly or red skin; in this case, remove the lamp.
Step 12. Adjust the room temperature
Newborn puppies are unable to regulate their body temperature and are at risk of catching cold. If their mom is with them there is no need to provide a source of heat.
- Adjust the room temperature so you feel comfortable in shorts and a T-shirt.
- Add another source of heat to the box by placing an electric warmer under the sheets of the kennel you have prepared. Set it at a temperature that is not too high to prevent puppies from overheating. Like newborn babies, baby animals cannot leave if the area gets too hot.
Part 6 of 6: Providing Health Care for the Pups
Step 1. Give the puppies a worming product after 2 weeks
Dogs can be infested with worms and other parasites that cause health problems, so treat them with deworming medication as soon as they begin to grow. There are no worm products suitable for newborn puppies. However, fenbendazole (Panacur) can be administered when the animal is 2 weeks old.
Panacur is a liquid dewormer and can be given gently with a syringe in the puppy's mouth after a milk-based meal. For each kilogram of the animal's body weight, the dose is 2 ml per day orally. Give it the dewormer once a day for 3 days
Step 2. Wait for your puppy to reach 6 weeks of age before undergoing flea treatment
You should never treat the animal against fleas, if it is a newborn puppy. Most flea products should be applied when the animal has reached a minimum weight and age and there is currently no product that is suitable for newborns.
- Dogs must be at least 6 weeks old before applying selamectin (Stronghold).
- Instead, they must be at least 8 weeks old and weigh more than 2 kilograms before they can apply fipronil (Frontline).
Step 3. Begin the vaccination protocol when the puppies are 6 weeks old
They usually acquire a certain level of immunity from their mother, but they need further immunization to stay healthy. Check with your vet to find a suitable vaccination schedule.
