How to Keep a Mother Dog Healthy Postpartum
Clean up the area., Clean up the mother., Take her to the vet., Supply plenty of fresh water., Provide enough quality food., Let her know it's okay to take care of business., Watch her drainage., Check her teats., Look for signs of low calcium...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Clean up the area.
After birth, you need to do a bit of cleaning up.
Take out anything that was soiled by the birthing process.
Put in fresh, clean bedding for the pups and the mother, as that will help decrease her chance of developing an infection., You should also make sure the mother is clean and dry.
Wipe up any fluids on the mother you see using a warm cloth, and gently pat her dry.
Doing so will also reduce her risk of developing an infection later., Within the first day or so, it's a good idea to take the mother and puppies to the vet for a checkup.
The vet can check the puppies and sex them, but more importantly, the vet will be able to check the mother and make sure everything is okay with her health and well-being following the birth., Your dog will be dehydrated and tired after giving birth, and she'll need plenty of water to help her recover and to start producing milk for her puppies.
Therefore, make sure she has access to fresh water at all times while nursing., When a dog gives birth and is nursing puppies, she's going to need to eat often and well, though it may take her a day or two become interested in food again after giving birth.
You don't need to limit what she eats at all.
If she's hungry, let her eat.
Try a food designed for dogs who are nursing, as that will provide the high-quality nutrients she needs.If she doesn't show much interest in food even after a day or two, take her to the see the vet, as that could be a sign that something is wrong., Your dog may be reluctant to leave her puppies after giving birth, particularly in the first day.
You may need to encourage her to go outside to take care of business.
Nonetheless, if she is very reluctant, it may be better to wait a bit., It's natural for the mother to continue to have drainage from her vaginal area for a few weeks.
However, that drainage should be brownish, greenish/blackish, or red, and you shouldn't smell much.
Pay attention if it changes to pale or gray discharge, particularly if it is thick and has a bad odor.
That could indicate an infection, and she should be seen by a vet., Her teats can also develop infection, so it's important to keep an eye on them after she gives birth.
Look for swelling, redness, irritation, and pain.
Also, the milk should flow freely, and it should be white, not yellow, red, or green.If you notice these symptoms, you should take your dog to the vet immediately, as it indicates an infection called mastitis. , Another problem dogs are in danger of developing after giving birth is a condition called eclampsia, where the dog's body is not pulling enough calcium from the bones to keep up with the demand of milk.
In turn, the mother doesn't get the calcium she needs to survive, though usually it doesn't affect the puppies.
This condition is particularly common in smaller breeds, and it usually develops in the first month or so after giving birth.Symptoms of eclampsia include strange behaviors from your dog, such as loss of interest in her puppies, disorientation, and nervousness.
Your dog may also whine, pant rapidly, and have stomach problems.
She may also have a fever.
It will begin to affect her muscles, so she'll walk funny.
She may have tremors.
About 8 hours after symptoms she begin, she may lay on the floor with her legs extended straight out in front of her.
Visit a vet if you see these symptoms. , Some panting after birth is to be expected.
For one, the mother is tired.
Plus, it may be connected to the contracting of the uterus after birth, as well as other pains she's having.
Also, having the puppies and blankets around can make her warm, all leading to more panting.As long as she's not panting all the time and she seems healthy, panting shouldn't cause you too much concern. , Mother dogs often develop diarrhea after giving birth, which can be due to the fact that they eat the placentas.
It can also be due to stress.
Either way, your dog may have loose stools for a bit.
You can feed her a bit of pure pumpkin puree to help., While your dog will need to replenish her energy stores, she'll be very tired after giving birth.
In other words, she may not want to eat for a day or two, so don't worry too much if she doesn't seem that hungry. -
Step 2: Clean up the mother.
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Step 3: Take her to the vet.
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Step 4: Supply plenty of fresh water.
-
Step 5: Provide enough quality food.
-
Step 6: Let her know it's okay to take care of business.
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Step 7: Watch her drainage.
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Step 8: Check her teats.
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Step 9: Look for signs of low calcium.
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Step 10: Expect some panting.
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Step 11: Be ready for some diarrhea.
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Step 12: Don't expect her to eat right away.
Detailed Guide
After birth, you need to do a bit of cleaning up.
Take out anything that was soiled by the birthing process.
Put in fresh, clean bedding for the pups and the mother, as that will help decrease her chance of developing an infection., You should also make sure the mother is clean and dry.
Wipe up any fluids on the mother you see using a warm cloth, and gently pat her dry.
Doing so will also reduce her risk of developing an infection later., Within the first day or so, it's a good idea to take the mother and puppies to the vet for a checkup.
The vet can check the puppies and sex them, but more importantly, the vet will be able to check the mother and make sure everything is okay with her health and well-being following the birth., Your dog will be dehydrated and tired after giving birth, and she'll need plenty of water to help her recover and to start producing milk for her puppies.
Therefore, make sure she has access to fresh water at all times while nursing., When a dog gives birth and is nursing puppies, she's going to need to eat often and well, though it may take her a day or two become interested in food again after giving birth.
You don't need to limit what she eats at all.
If she's hungry, let her eat.
Try a food designed for dogs who are nursing, as that will provide the high-quality nutrients she needs.If she doesn't show much interest in food even after a day or two, take her to the see the vet, as that could be a sign that something is wrong., Your dog may be reluctant to leave her puppies after giving birth, particularly in the first day.
You may need to encourage her to go outside to take care of business.
Nonetheless, if she is very reluctant, it may be better to wait a bit., It's natural for the mother to continue to have drainage from her vaginal area for a few weeks.
However, that drainage should be brownish, greenish/blackish, or red, and you shouldn't smell much.
Pay attention if it changes to pale or gray discharge, particularly if it is thick and has a bad odor.
That could indicate an infection, and she should be seen by a vet., Her teats can also develop infection, so it's important to keep an eye on them after she gives birth.
Look for swelling, redness, irritation, and pain.
Also, the milk should flow freely, and it should be white, not yellow, red, or green.If you notice these symptoms, you should take your dog to the vet immediately, as it indicates an infection called mastitis. , Another problem dogs are in danger of developing after giving birth is a condition called eclampsia, where the dog's body is not pulling enough calcium from the bones to keep up with the demand of milk.
In turn, the mother doesn't get the calcium she needs to survive, though usually it doesn't affect the puppies.
This condition is particularly common in smaller breeds, and it usually develops in the first month or so after giving birth.Symptoms of eclampsia include strange behaviors from your dog, such as loss of interest in her puppies, disorientation, and nervousness.
Your dog may also whine, pant rapidly, and have stomach problems.
She may also have a fever.
It will begin to affect her muscles, so she'll walk funny.
She may have tremors.
About 8 hours after symptoms she begin, she may lay on the floor with her legs extended straight out in front of her.
Visit a vet if you see these symptoms. , Some panting after birth is to be expected.
For one, the mother is tired.
Plus, it may be connected to the contracting of the uterus after birth, as well as other pains she's having.
Also, having the puppies and blankets around can make her warm, all leading to more panting.As long as she's not panting all the time and she seems healthy, panting shouldn't cause you too much concern. , Mother dogs often develop diarrhea after giving birth, which can be due to the fact that they eat the placentas.
It can also be due to stress.
Either way, your dog may have loose stools for a bit.
You can feed her a bit of pure pumpkin puree to help., While your dog will need to replenish her energy stores, she'll be very tired after giving birth.
In other words, she may not want to eat for a day or two, so don't worry too much if she doesn't seem that hungry.
About the Author
Joshua Mitchell
Experienced content creator specializing in home improvement guides and tutorials.
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