Pregnancy Timeline
Week One
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
* Fertilization occurs
* 2 cell embryos are in the oviduct
* The embryo is fairly resistant to external interference in development
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
* Possible morning sickness
* Possible personality changes
CARE OF THE BITCH
* Normal feeding
* Normal exercise -- if she didn't normally get exercise before pregnancy, she should start getting moderate exercise every day
* Check any and all medications with vet prior to administering
* No insecticides (i.e., flea treatments)
* No live vaccines
TO DO LIST
* Put together pedigree on litter
* Write contract
* Contact AKC for litter registration application
* Start taking puppy reservations
Week Two (Days 8-14)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
* Embryo will be 4 cell at start of week and 64 cell by end of week
* Embryo enters the uterus
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
* Possible morning sickness
CARE OF THE BITCH
* Continue as with Week One
TO DO LIST
* Nothing special this week
Week Three (Days 15-21)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
* Day 19 -- Implantation of embryos in uterus
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
* See above
CARE OF THE BITCH
* See above
TO DO LIST
* Nothing special this week
Week Four (Days 22-28)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
* Development of eyes and spinal cords
* Faces take shape
* Fetuses grow from 5-10 mm to 14-15 mm
* Organogenesis begins-- Embryos are at their most susceptible to defects
* Days 26 - 32 are the best days to palpitate (i.e.. feel for the puppies)
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
* Possible clear vaginal discharge
* Mammary development begins
* After Day 26, palpitation may be possible to diagnose pregnancy
CARE OF THE BITCH
* Limit strenuous activity (such as working, jumping, long runs)
* Add 1/4 cup cottage cheese or a hard boiled egg to food on alternating days
TO DO LIST
* Schedule ultrasound or palpitation with vet if desired
Week Five (Days 29-35)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
* Development of toes, whisker buds, and claws
* Fetuses look like dogs
* Gender can be determined
* Eyes (previously open) now close
* Fetuses grow from 18 mm - 30 mm
* Organogenesis ends -- embryos are now fairly resistant to interference with development
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
* Swelling becomes noticeable
* Loss of "tuck-up"
* Weight will start to increase
CARE OF THE BITCH
* Slightly increase amount of food and switch to puppy kibble. If you feed one meal a day, add a small extra meal. If you feed twice a day, slightly increase one of the meals.
* Add daily multi-vitamin for dogs
* Palpitation no longer possible due to fluids in uterus
TO DO LIST
* Nothing special this week
Week Six (Days 36-42)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
* Development of skin pigment
* Fetuses should weigh around 6 grams and be 45 mm long
* Fetal heartbeats can be heard with stethoscope
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
* Nipples darken and enlarge
* Abdomen continues to enlarge
CARE OF THE BITCH
* Add cottage cheese or hard boiled egg to food daily
* Increase the amount of food in the extra meal
* Bitch should start sleeping in whelping box
TO DO LIST
* Assemble whelping box
* By this time you should be fairly sure that the bitch is pregnant. Notify the people on your puppy list. Let them know when you expect delivery.
Week Seven (Days 43-49)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
* Growth and development continues
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
* Abdomen hair will start shedding
* The bitch will start to look pregnant at this point
CARE OF THE BITCH
* Slightly increase both meals
TO DO LIST
* Stop any roughhousing or jumping
* Radiographs (X-rays) possible to determine number and size of puppies
Week Eight (Days 50-57)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
* Fetal movement can be detected when bitch is at rest
* Puppies can safely be born from now on
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
* Milk may be squeezed from nipples
* The bitch will be very large.
CARE OF THE BITCH
* Add moderate lunch
TO DO LIST
* Gather whelping kit (see below)
* Prepare phone list for help/support. It should include your vet's phone number, the emergency clinic's phone number, the number of any friends who will be offering support during whelping, and anyone else you might need to contact before, during, or after whelping (like your office to let them know you won't be in!)
* Make sure your car is gassed up and ready for a possible emergency trip to the vet's office.
Week Nine (Days 58-65)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES
* Growth and Development continues
CHANGES IN THE BITCH
* Nesting behavior may be seen
* Bitch may become distressed (panting, pacing, acting uncomfortable)
* Temperature should be around 100.2-100.8 degrees Farenheit
* When temperature drops to around 98-99.4 degrees Farenheit, puppies should be born within 24 hours
* Appetite may disappear as whelping approaches
CARE OF THE BITCH
* Start taking temperature three times a day
TO DO LIST
* Notify vet or emergency clinic when temperature drops so that they will be ready if you have any problems
* Keep detailed records on temperature and behavior of bitch
* Double check that whelping supplies are ready
THE BIRTH
THE FIRST STAGE OF LABOR
During this stage, uterine contractions begin. The bitch 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 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 SECOND AND THIRD STAGES OF LABOR
The second stage is the "hard labor" stage in which the puppy is expelled. The third stage refers to the expulsion of the placenta
and afterbirth.
Each pup may not be followed by afterbirth; the mother may pass two pups and then two placentas. This is normal.
Puppies are born covered in membranes which must be cleaned away or the pup will suffocate.
The mother will bite and lick the
membranes away.
Allow her a minute or two after birth to do this; if she does not do it, then you must clean the pup for her.
Simply remove the slippery covering and rub the puppy with a clean towel.
The umbilical cord may be tied in a knot about one inch
from the pup and cut with scissors on the far side of the knot.
Be careful not to pull on the umbilical cord as this can injure
the puppy.
The mother may want to eat the placenta but this is probably not a good idea as vomiting it up later is common; it is
best to clean away the placenta yourself.
Expect one pup every 45-60 minutes with 10-30 minutes of hard straining. It is normal for bitches to "take a rest" partway through
delivery and she may not strain at all for up to four hours between pups.
If she is seen straining hard for over one hour or if
she takes longer than a four hour break, Then she is in trouble and may have a puppy stuck, or have other problems explained below, seek a veterinarian should be consulted.
Expect some puppies (probably half of them) to be born tail first. This is not abnormal for dogs.
Some times the puppy is very large and can have trouble to get out. There is something you can do but you must be careful and gentle.
With clean hands place your finger in the bitch and feel where the puppy is, if the puppy is head first then you can hook the puppy with you fingers like this.
Gently pull down and out.
If they are feet first then this is how you pull them out, again down and gentle.
CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN IF:
30-60 minutes of strong contractions occur with no puppy being produced.
Greater than four hours pass between pups and you know there are more inside.
She fails to go into labor within 24 hours of her temperature drop.
She is in obvious extreme pain.
Greater than 70 days of gestation have passed.
It is normal for the bitch to spike a fever in the 24-48 hours following birth. This fever should not be accompanied by clinical
signs of illness.
Normal vaginal discharge after parturition should be odorless and may be green, dark red-brown or bloody and may persist in small
amounts for up to 8 weeks.
PROBLEMS TO WATCH FOR...
METRITIS (INFLAMMATION OF THE UTERUS)
Signs of this condition are as follows:
fever
foul-smelling vaginal discharge
listlessness
loss of appetite
no interest in the puppies
decreased milk production
If these signs are noted, usually in the first day or two postpartum, a veterinarian should be consulted. Your dog may have
retained a placenta or have suffered some trauma during delivery. Animals who have required assistance with delivery are often
predisposed to metritis. She will likely need to be spayed.
ECLAMPSIA
This condition results when the bitch has trouble supporting the calcium demand of lactation. Calcium supplementation predisposes
a bitch to this condition. Usually affected animals are small dogs. They demonstrate:
nervousness and restlessness
no interest in the pups
stiff, painful gait
This progresses to:
muscle spasms
inability to stand
fever
seizures
This condition generally occurs in the first three weeks of lactation and a veterinarian should be consulted immediately.
MASTITIS (INFLAMMATION OF THE BREASTS)
Normal nursing glands are soft and enlarged. Diseased glands are red, hard, and painful.
In general, the bitch does not act sick;
the disease is confined to the mammary tissue.
The bitch may be sore and discourage the pups from nursing; however, it is
important to keep the pups nursing the affected glands.
This is not harmful to the puppies and helps flush out the infected
material.
Hot packing may be helpful.
Post Partum
* Make sure each puppy gets some of the bitch's colostrum (first thin milk) within first 24 hours. Colostrum is loaded with antibodies to protect the puppies from disease. It also helps to condition their tummies to accepting food.
* Lochia (vaginal discharge) should be reddish to reddish-brown (green is okay on first day). If you see black discharge, contact your vet immediately!
* Within 5-6 hours of last puppy's birth, take bitch and puppies to vet for check up. The vet will ensure that the bitch hasn't retained any puppies or placentas and that the puppies are in good health. Ask your vet to check the puppies for cleft palates and what options are available. This vet visit is something that should not be skipped. If the bitch has retained a placenta or puppy, she could quickly develop a serious infection which could prove deadly.
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