Dogs are mammals and they give birth the same as all mammals. They have live natural births vaginally.
The duration of a canine pregnancy usually lasts 63 days. However, it is not unusual for smaller breeds to deliver early and larger breeds to deliver later. If you know the time of conception, it should be easy to determine when your dog will deliver the pups. If you are not sure on the date of conception, a veterinarian can help you determine the date.
It is advised to make up a whelping box for your dog a few weeks before she is due. The box should be low enough for the mother to get in and out of easily while still keeping the pups contained. It should also be large enough to fit her comfortably at her stretched out length. By making the box a few weeks ahead of delivery, this gives you time to get the mother comfortable with using the box. But be warned, dogs will not always have the puppies in the predetermined location. Sometimes they decide they are more comfortable in an unplanned location.
There are several signs to watch for to determine if the dog is preparing for labor. One way to determine this is by taking the rectal temperature. A dog will usually maintain a temperature of around 101 and 102 degrees. If the dog's temperature dips below 100 degrees, this is a sign that she will start the labor process in the next 24 hours. Other signs to watch for are restlessness, whining, lack of appetite, vomiting and nesting behavior. Also watch for a straw-colored discharge from the vagina that may signal a break in the placenta. This is when the dog's cervix begins to dilate and the contractions begin.
When the contraction begin to get stronger, the mother dog will start to birth the puppies. She will usually be laying on her side in a fairly comfortable position with her head towards her back end. As the puppies begin to emerge, she will help pull them out using her mouth. She will break the amniotic sac that the puppy was in and lick it clean. Then she will chew off the umbilical cord that was attached to the puppy. This allows for bonding between the mother and the puppy. It usually takes about thirty minutes between the birth of each puppy.
After the puppy has been cleaned it will usually start nursing immediately. Once all the puppies have been birthed, the mother's uterus will usually contract more to fully expel any placenta and fluid still remaining in the uterus. It is also normal for a dog who has just given birth to run a low-grade fever for a day or two.
It is common for the mother dog to take long rests between each puppy. However, if it has been several hours since the birth of a puppy and it is believed that there are more puppies yet to be birthed, call a veterinarian. The veterinarian can advise on what to do or he may recommend bringing the dog in to the office. Also, if the mother does not rip the amniotic sac herself, you may need to do it yourself to save the puppy. Call your veterinarian if you are unsure of what to do.
Remember that birthing puppies is a natural process for dogs. It is usually something that can be done without human interference. Allow nature to take its course and only intervene if there is obviously something wrong with the mother or the puppies.
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