Signs And Stages Of Labor
Producing a healthy litter of puppies starts with caring for the dam. Even before a female is bred, savvy breeders recognize the importance of ensuring she is healthy and more importantly in good body condition to carry and whelp puppies.
“The goal of most breeders is to get the highest number of healthy puppies as possible,” says Julie T. Cecere, DVM, MS, DCAT, clinical associate professor of theriogenology at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. “Routine veterinary care for a female is a good start in achieving that goal.”
Prior to breeding, females should be current on core vaccinations, as well as lifestyle vaccinations as needed based on an individual dog’s risk of exposure. Females due for vaccination during the nine weeks of pregnancy and three to five weeks of nursing should receive boosters before coming into heat.
“This helps to ensure adequate immunity is passed on to the puppies,” Dr. Cecere explains. “Passive transfer of immunity occurs across the placenta during pregnancy and when puppies nurse. During the first 18 hours of life, puppies ingest colostrum, which contains the antibody-rich secretions the mother produces. These antibodies serve as the initial proactive defenses in the first six weeks of life.”
Annual screenings for heartworm and tick-borne diseases are recommended, as they can reduce fertility, Dr. Cecere says. “The stress of heartworm disease on a pregnant dog puts her at risk for abortion or delivering unhealthy puppies,” she adds. “A heartworm-positive female will pass microfilariae, the early life stage of heartworms, to her puppies in the womb, causing them to be vectors of the disease. Year-round heartworm and flea and tick prevention is recommended, though some products are not safe during pregnancy. It also is not safe to treat a pregnant dog for heartworms or tick-borne diseases due to the toxic effects on the puppies.”
A female’s body condition and nutritional status should be optimal before coming into heat and during breeding, pregnancy and lactation. “This means that she should have an abdominal tuck when looking from the side and a waist when looking down from above, and her ribs should be easily felt,” Dr. Cecere says. “Diets should be adjusted to maintain ideal body condition, but as the pregnancy advances, you will not be able to see the abdominal tuck or waist as when she is not pregnant. Careful monitoring of weight gain and/or muscle loss is key.”
Exercise during pregnancy helps prepare females for labor and delivery. Dogs that have been active during pregnancy may avoid dystocia, or difficulty birthing. “Do not ignore a female’s health and fitness during pregnancy,” Dr. Cecere says. “Those that are in good physical shape before and during pregnancy have less dystocia and whelp faster when compared to those females that are couch potatoes.”
Feeding a balanced commercial all life stages dog food or puppy food is ideal for optimal reproduction in females and optimal growth in puppies. “Do not feed supplements to a pregnant dog as this could unbalance the diet and cause problems in late gestation and early lactation,” advises Dr. Cecere. “Calcium should never be supplemented in a healthy pregnant dog because this could alter her body’s ability to mobilize its own calcium and cause a life-threatening condition, hypocalcemia, or low calcium. Certain supplements also contain high levels of certain nutrients that can cause midline defects, such as cleft palate, or have embryo toxic ingredients.”
Approximately one week before a female is due to deliver her puppies, a radiograph is recommended. “This allows the veterinarian to count the puppies and to perform a prewhelping exam of the dam,” Dr. Cecere says. “This puppy count will aid in the decision-making tree during dystocia. The exam of the mother allows a veterinarian to make any last-minute adjustments to diet and exercise, as well as provides the opportunity for the owner and veterinarian to make plans for the whelping.”
Regardless whether it is a female’s first or third litter, breeders should involve their veterinarian during the whole process to avoid any surprises. Delivering healthy puppies starts with a healthy female that has normal heat cycles, becomes pregnant, and carries her pregnancy to term. Breeders who adequately prepare, plan and execute these guidelines are more likely to reach the goal of welcoming a happy, healthy litter.
Pregnancy Tips for Breeders
- Females due for vaccination during pregnancy and lactation should receive boosters before being bred
- Some heartworm and flea and tick preventives are not safe during pregnancy; check with your veterinarian before using them
- Exercise helps prepare females for labor and delivery; keep your female active during pregnancy
- Supplementing an all life stages dog food or puppy food could unbalance the food and potentially cause problems in late pregnancy and lactation
- A pregnancy radiograph is recommended the week before puppies are due to learn the number of puppies expected and to prepare for the whelping
Canine Pregnancy Care Checklist
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Core Vaccine Protection (Recommended for all dogs by the American Animal Hospital Association) |
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Lifestyle Vaccine Protection (Bordetella and canine influenza vaccines are recommended for breeding females; leptospirosis and Lyme disease vaccines should be given based on risk of exposure)
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Prepregnacy Testing |
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