Last week, Sweetie gave birth to two beautiful, healthy puppies. The call came in on the 5250 2000 veterinary emergency number, which operates on a 24-hour basis. It was in the early hours of the morning and an anxious voice told me his dog had been unsuccessfully trying to give birth for three hours.

I met Sweetie and her owner very soon after, at the clinic. Sure enough, Sweetie – a four-year-old, chocolate-coloured chihuahua weighing 2.3kg – was straining valiantly without much result.

It was Sweetie’s second litter and although she had given birth naturally when she was two years old, this time it was obvious something was amiss.

Within the hour, two large but healthy male chihuahuas were born by Caesarean section. Caesarean sections on dogs are performed quite often, particularly on females of smaller breeds, when they are unable to give birth naturally. The term whelping, which is commonly used for dogs giving birth, naturally originates from the very old English word hwelp, which means pup or wolf cub.

The gestation period or pregnancy in dogs can vary from about 59 to 67 days, the average being 63 days. It is normal for the duration to be shorter in smaller breeds and longer in larger ones. The presence of milk in the mammary glands as well as a discharge of a wax-like substance from the vulva, which is the cervical plug dissolving, are two indicators that your dog’s whelping time is approaching, yet cannot be used as an indication for the specific time of delivery.

It is more useful to measure your dog’s body temperature on a daily basis for the last few days before the due date, as approximately 18 to 24 hours before whelping starts, you will notice a sharp dip in this. On the day before whelping, your dog would normally go off her food and you will notice an increase in her panting. All these symptoms would suggest that it’s a good time to make yourself available and be prepared to inform your veterinarian that the big moment has arrived.

Caesarean sections on dogs are performed quite often, particularly on females of the smaller breeds

On the day of delivery, the first thing you might notice is that your dog will be looking round at her back end. This indicates that the first contractions have started. There might also be a discharge of a clear and fairly odourless liquid; this is the amniotic fluid, which protects the foetuses by forming a watery cushion all around them inside the uterus.

As the contractions increase, the first puppy starts to dislodge from its life support – its placenta starts to detach from the uterine wall. The tell-tale sign of this happening is the presence of a dark green liquid, which is also an indication that the birth of the first puppy is imminent.

One of the most important things you can do while your dog is whelping is to be there for her and to observe, as much as possible, what is happening, as your vet will be asking for information to decide if and when his intervention is needed.

Puppies may be born still wrapped in their placental membrane. If this is the case, then you need to open it up so that the puppy can start breathing. Sometimes it has already torn its way through and this is not necessary.

After the first puppy, the rest should follow approximately every 30 to 60 minutes. Only when the mother has whelped all her puppies will she start to settle down, relax and take care of her new litter.

This would be a good time to have your vet visit, to make sure that all the puppies have been expelled, to check that the mammary glands and milk are in good condition and that the whelping box and environment are ideal.

Sweetie’s owner did the right thing when it came to decision time; he had a clear idea of how long she had been trying to give birth and responded by calling for veterinary advice when it was clear that there was a problem.

But perhaps what impressed me most was the sincere gratitude and warmth I could feel radiating from Sweetie’s owner when we were preparing mother and pups for their first trip home.

thisweekwiththevet@gmail.com

Dr Martin Debattista is a veterinary surgeon.

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