Some Guidelines for Whelping Puppies

When it comes to whelping puppies, there is an old saying among dog breeders that "nature makes the pup, but man makes the dog." This is true to an extent, but as breeding becomes more scientific, the part which man plays in making the pup is increasing.

A line must be drawn between assisting the bitch and interfering with her, and you must know what you can and cannot do as a breeder when whelping puppies. Never lose sight of the fact that you are not a veterinarian. Your part is to be able to assist the bitch when she is whelping puppies, and at the same time note symptoms which would indicate the necessity of expert help.

When whelping puppies never attempt to turn a puppy while it is still in the mother's uterus. Even a veterinarian is powerless to interfere until the fetus has partly passed into the vagina. Should such interference be attempted, hemorrhaging is likely to follow, and later on there is the possibility of the formation of a malignant condition.

If the bitch remains in labor for a lengthy period without apparently coming any closer to the actual delivery of her puppies, it is well to call in the veterinarian. There are various reasons why a bitch is sometimes un-able to whelp her young. A pup may be in the wrong position in the uterus and thus block the normal passage to the vagina. Another reason may be that the pel-vic opening is too small to allow free passage. This is frequently the case when the pups are not delivered on the proper day, but are retained in the uterus after their normal time.

As the period of gestation is so short in dogs, a day over due may mean the difference between an easy and a hard delivery, for the pups are growing very quickly at this time.

If the bitch is in trouble, do not put off calling the veterinarian. Sometimes the only answer to these difficulties is to be found in a Caesarean operation. This is not dangerous to the bitch, but it must be carried out by a surgeon.

Most bitches properly operated upon suffer no after-effects, and the puppies can nurse within a few hours of the time the incision is sutured. Sometimes in delayed labor, all that is necessary to start the normal muscular action is a small dose of petuitin, administered hypodermically by the veterinarian. I am many miles from the nearest veterinary surgeon, and when things go wrong I have to depend largely on my own devices. If you are unable to obtain an in-jection of petuitin for your bitch, try giving her quinine. Five grains for cockers seems to give the desired results, though in large breeds this dose would need to be increased.

If left to herself the bitch will bite off the unbilical cord, and at the same time will eat the placenta or after-birth. In some instances this is quite satisfactory, but in many others the bitch will bite the cord too near the belly of the pup, with a resulting umbilical hernia. By tying the cord and cutting it yourself, this danger is com-pletely overcome. The chance of hemorrhage is also lessened, for when the cord is bitten off it is often so short that there is no chance to tie it when bleeding takes place, and the puppy dies. Should a bitch have an umbilical hernia it will not interfere with her whelping puppies. One of the best producers I possess has a navel rupture the size of a wal-nut, but it has not interfered with her whelping puppies in the least.

Sometimes the hernia will close of itself, or you might have it operated on with no risk to the dog or bitch. The extended parts may be put back in their normal place and the abdominal tissues sutured to retain them within the cavity. Generally though, this is unnecessary. Simply take precautions to see that the puppies do not grow up with the same weakness. The third reason for saying that a bitch should not be left to whelping puppies alone is that a puppy frequently presents feet first. Help is needed then, for the bitch will have much more difficulty in passing it. In her desperation to rid herself of it, she will grasp it with her teeth and kill the pup. Here is where a little assistance given at the right time may well save a pup, but you must be right there on the spot to give it. Grasp with a rough towel whatever part of the puppy you can get hold of, and then, exerting a pull in conjunction with the labor of the bitch, draw it gently toward you. When the hind-quarters appear, change your grip to include as much of the puppy as possible, and at the next labor repeat the pulling operation. In this manner you can probably withdraw the pup while two or three labor spasms take place in the bitch.

With toy breeds and those with large heads, such as Bostons and bulldogs, it is even more important never to leave them unattended when the bitch is whelping puppies. And remember, some of the little fellows like chihuahuas need plenty of warmth, both at whelping time and for a couple of weeks afterward.

If possible, care for them in the house. You may want to have one kennel which is given up to bitches whelping puppies. This can be your obstetrical ward. It can be divided into compartments, each large enough to contain a whelping puppies box, with enough room for the bitch to exercise and also for you to be comfortable when the time comes for rendering assistance. As the time draws near, each bitch gets a com-partment to herself and should be kept under constant supervision. Keep an unobtrusive watch so as to know when labor commences.

The first sign of approaching labor is usually restlessness. The bitch will jump in and out of the box, digging at the flooring and tearing anything to shreds which may be lying around. This may go on for several hours before labor really begins. If she is a house pet, she will whimper and try to draw your sympathy, while all the time she gets more and more restless. Labor does not actually begin until the bitch commences straining, try-ing to bring the puppies. The first pup should arrive within two hours or so after she starts this, unless some-thing is wrong. During this preparations should be made. Several rough towels should be on hand, also some artery forceps, sutures, and surgical scissors.

For the comfort of the new arrivals, a box with a hot-water bottle wrapped in some old blankets should be provided. As the time of delivery draws close, the labor pains will become more frequent and more violent. The bitch will become more restless, and her digging at the floor may become almost frantic. Then she will squat, as though trying to have a bowel movement. Keep close watch over her now, for birth sometimes takes place very quickly. Be Careful a bitch giving birth to a puppy in this manner may spring across the pen and drag the pup by the umbilical cord since the placenta is still retained. The cord may be partly severed by the frantic leap, and hemorrhage may occur.

This is another point in favor of being on the spot while whelping puppies is taking place. In this way you are able not only to assist with whelping puppies but also to count the number of after-births which are passed. It is absolutely essential that the bitch should pass an after-birth for every puppy which she whelps. If one should be retained, infection will follow. Keep accurate account of them, and if one should be retained for any length of time after whelping puppies is finished, call the veterinarian.

Artery forceps are also a help in the case of an after-birth which does not come away with the puppy. Place one clamp about an inch from the belly of the puppy, and another close to the bitch. Then cut the cord on the outside of the clamp which is close to the puppy. If the placenta has not come away by the time the puppy is ready to be placed in the whelping puppies box which is prepared for it, Then grasp the second clamp. By synchronizing a steady pull with the straining of the bitch, you can usually be successful in removing the after-birth.

While in the uterus each puppy is surrounded by a transparent sack filled with clear fluid. At birth this sack generally is broken, but it frequently is passed intact. The first thing to do then is to rupture this tissue. It tears easily, and fingers can be used to strip it away from the puppy at the same time. When this is removed, clamps can be place on the umbilical cord. After the cord is cut, the puppy is laid on a soft, rough-surfaced towel and rubbed vigorously but gently, to dry it off. This will usually cause it to commence squirming and squealing if it is not doing so when picked up.

However, there are instances when the puppy appears to be dead. When this happens, lay him flat on your palm and close your fingers around him. Gently squeeze, to remove air and mucus from the thorax and throat, and then quickly re-lease the pressure. Repeat this measure, timing the pressure with the normal breathing of a puppy until the little fellow either shows signs of life or it becomes apparent that he is beyond recall.

As soon as each puppy is dried off, remove the artery forceps from the umbilical cord. This short clamping is all that is necessary to control most bleeding, but it sometimes happens when the clamp is removed that blood will ooze from the cut end. In this case, replace the clamp while tying a suture about the cord, inside the clamp but as near to it as possible. Then again re-move the clamp. When cutting the cord, be sure that the cut is about an inch from the belly of the puppy. Should it be necessary to tie off the cord, the type of suture used is not of much consequence. Either gut or silk will do equally well, or linen thread may be used. These sutures do not need to be removed, for the cord will slough off in a few days, leaving a clean scar on the belly of the puppy.

Do not think that puppies need to nurse immediately following birth. They can go without food for several hours if necessary, and it is much more satisfactory to keep them away from the bitch while whelping puppies is going on. Dry them thoroughly, keep them in a warm box, and they will be all right. In a very short time they will be struggling around, chirping like young birds until they find each other. Then they will climb into a huddle and go to sleep. With all due deference to those who claim that bitches should be left alone when whelping puppies, You may find that they appreciate the assistance of their master, provided he knows what to do and goes about it quietly.

Some aspects of whelping puppies will seem revolting to the beginning breeder. For instance, when left to herself the bitch will eat the after-birth. This instinct goes back to the days when it was necessary for her to destroy any evidence of her presence or that of the litter, since the scent would be sure to attract unwelcome visitors. It has another function, however. It is nature's way of regulating the system of the bitch, since it acts as a laxative. Following whelping puppies, the bowel movements of the bitch will be almost black in color for two days or so. This is quite normal, and is caused by having eaten the placenta immediately following the birth of each puppy.

Another thing about whelping puppies which does not appeal to some novices is breaking the sack, when this has to be done. Do not hesitate, however, for even seconds may count. Once the placenta has separated from the wall of the mother's uterus, the puppy is dependent on its own vital organs.

During intra-uterine life the blood of the fetus is purified by passing through the circulation system of the mother. The heart of the puppy is beating before birth, but the lungs, which purify the blood, do not start to function until he has reached the outside world and the sack is broken, admitting air to them when the puppy starts to breathe. Thus it may be seen that the blood is circulating in an impure state through the body of the puppy, and death will occur unless this condition is rectified imme-diately. Break the sack, no matter how much it revolts you, and let the little fellow breathe. The first few dozen are always the worst!

In a series of normal births the first puppy is always the hardest on the bitch. As the process goes on, her excitement grows less, partly because the later births are easier. As one puppy after another is whelped, the pressure within her uterus and on the pelvic opening is decreased, her vagina and the external opening have be-come stretched, and the delivery gives her much less discomfort. This is true with normal births. Should her excitement suddenly increase instead of growing less, be on the look-out for something out of the ordinary. There may be a puppy misplaced within the uterus, there may be one coming feet first, or there may be on so large that it is having difficulty passing through the pelvic opening. If her discomfort should last any length of time, it is wiser to summon the veterinarian. Do not try to take the bitch to him. It has been stated that puppies should arrive at in-tervals of twenty or thirty minutes. This is sometimes the case, but not always.

Now is the time when you will appreciate knowing in advance how many puppies to expect. To determine their number, have the bitch lie first on one side and then on the other. Spread out your hands so as to cover as much of the exposed side of her abdomen as possible, moving the hands from time to time until the whole area has been covered. This cannot be done in a few moments, for the puppies will not move to order and thus show their location. You must have patience, and sooner or later you will be rewarded by a spasmodic twitching first in one spot and then in another. Count the individual areas in which these twitchings occur, and you will have a fair idea of the number of puppies to expect. To check on this method, you can place a stethoscope over each area where you feel movement and listen for the heart-beat of the fetus. There is always a chance of error, but you will not be working so much in the dark as you otherwise would.

When the last puppy, according to your calculations, has been whelped, give the bitch time to recover. She may want to see her puppies, but when she knows they are all right she is content to leave them until she has got her second wind, as it were. The time necessary for this recovery depends upon the bitch. When she begins to take an interest in things around her, and shows signs of wanting to have the puppies with her, clean out her whelping puppies box and get it ready for the young ones. Several layers of newspapers spread out on the floor of the whelping puppies box are excellent at this time. Place them so that they turn up along the walls and prevent drafts from getting in through cracks in the wood. Since newsprint is a good insulator against cold, as well as very absorbent, it is most satisfactory to use while the puppies are very young. Remember to change the papers as often as they get wet. The bitch will keep her young clean so far as their bowel movements are concerned as long as she is feeding them, but the papers will in time become soaked with urine. As soon as the bitch shows that she is ready to assume the duties of motherhood after whelping puppies, clean her up as well as possible, but do not attempt to wash her. Sponge the nipples with an antiseptic solution,(consult your veterinarian) but not one which might injure the puppies if they should get traces of it in their mouths. Now put the bitch in the whelping puppies box and give her the puppies to nurse. You do not have to shut her in with them. She will stay of her own accord. Now, if all the puppies have been whelped and all the after-births have followed, you can take time to congratulate yourself, but keep a watchful eye on the bitch for uneasiness or rising temperature. Should a dead pup or an after-birth be left in the uterus, infection may follow and the services of an expert will be necessary, though they can sometimes be removed by an experienced breeder.

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