How to Whelp and Raise a Single Puppy
Clip your dog before it gives birth., Provide a comfortable space for your dog., Look for signs that your dog will give birth., Keep your vet updated., Look after your dog.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Clip your dog before it gives birth.
About a week before your puppy’s expected birth date, you should clip your dog’s hair to prevent birth fluids – which are difficult to remove – from getting matted in it.
Trim your dog’s hair around the vulva and belly using a pair of dog shears.
The hair from the tail to ankles should be uniformly cut short., Like humans, dogs need to be comfortable and secure when giving birth.
But the birthing process can also be messy, so you should provide a space for your dog that can be easily washed or discarded.
For instance, if you have some scraps of carpet, you could lay them in one part of the room where the dog will give birth., When your dog is close to giving birth, she will stop eating for about 24 hours before whelping.
Other signs include licking the vulva and mild abdominal cramping.
You can detect abdominal pain due to your dog’s mild whimpering.Your dog might also shiver, pace back and forth, pant heavily, and vomit.Do not look for signs that may or may not appear.
Specifically, some dogs experience a drop in rectal temperature when they are close to giving birth – from the normal temperature of 101-102 degrees Fahrenheit down to 100-101 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, many dogs do not experience this drop in temperature.
Whether you do or do not detect this drop in rectal temperature, there are other, more reliable signs that your dog is close to giving birth, so use those instead.
Look for the water sac.
The water sac is a grayish, balloon-like blob that emerges from your dog’s vulva.
Your dog might nip or tug at the sac, allowing the clear fluid to escape.
This means your dog will give birth in about one hour. , If it’s the first time your dog has had puppies, she might strain, and you might worry.
However, just call your vet to inform them of the situation.
Say to your vet, “My dog’s water sac is visible.
I will update you on her progress.” Call back every 15 minutes or so to inform the vet about any progress your dog is making.Your vet should recommend that you bring the dog into the veterinary clinic if she hasn’t given birth after one hour or if she is yelping in extreme pain.Don’t worry if the puppy is born tail-first.
Both head-first and tail-first are normal.
If you think your dog is experiencing anything abnormal, contact your vet immediately.
Your vet should already be apprised of your dog’s situation well in advance of her birth.
Make sure you have a home or emergency number for your vet just in case your dog gives birth over the weekend or at night. , A strong mother means a strong and healthy puppy.
After your dog gives birth, she should be kept on fluids for 24 hours.
Chicken broth and dog soups are the order of the day.
Ensure your dog resumes normal activity soon after giving birth – including eating, looking after its puppy, and voiding (defecating and urinating) regularly.Your dog might get a mild fever for the first day or two after giving birth.
However, the fever should not exhibit any symptoms.
If it does spiral into a more serious fever, you’ll notice your dog vomiting, voiding indoors, and showing little interest in its puppy or its normal activities.
Contact your vet if this is the case.
Feed your dog a puppy food.
Puppy foods have a high calorie content that the new mother will need to recover from the act of giving birth.
Continue feeding your dog in this way until your puppy is weaned.
Provide clean, fresh water daily.
Dark red, green, or bloody discharge might persist in small amounts for up to two months.
Check your dog’s mammary glands to ensure they are not hard, swollen, painful to your touch, or exuding pus.
You should see a bit of milk dribble out of each teat when squeezed gently. -
Step 2: Provide a comfortable space for your dog.
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Step 3: Look for signs that your dog will give birth.
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Step 4: Keep your vet updated.
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Step 5: Look after your dog.
Detailed Guide
About a week before your puppy’s expected birth date, you should clip your dog’s hair to prevent birth fluids – which are difficult to remove – from getting matted in it.
Trim your dog’s hair around the vulva and belly using a pair of dog shears.
The hair from the tail to ankles should be uniformly cut short., Like humans, dogs need to be comfortable and secure when giving birth.
But the birthing process can also be messy, so you should provide a space for your dog that can be easily washed or discarded.
For instance, if you have some scraps of carpet, you could lay them in one part of the room where the dog will give birth., When your dog is close to giving birth, she will stop eating for about 24 hours before whelping.
Other signs include licking the vulva and mild abdominal cramping.
You can detect abdominal pain due to your dog’s mild whimpering.Your dog might also shiver, pace back and forth, pant heavily, and vomit.Do not look for signs that may or may not appear.
Specifically, some dogs experience a drop in rectal temperature when they are close to giving birth – from the normal temperature of 101-102 degrees Fahrenheit down to 100-101 degrees Fahrenheit.
However, many dogs do not experience this drop in temperature.
Whether you do or do not detect this drop in rectal temperature, there are other, more reliable signs that your dog is close to giving birth, so use those instead.
Look for the water sac.
The water sac is a grayish, balloon-like blob that emerges from your dog’s vulva.
Your dog might nip or tug at the sac, allowing the clear fluid to escape.
This means your dog will give birth in about one hour. , If it’s the first time your dog has had puppies, she might strain, and you might worry.
However, just call your vet to inform them of the situation.
Say to your vet, “My dog’s water sac is visible.
I will update you on her progress.” Call back every 15 minutes or so to inform the vet about any progress your dog is making.Your vet should recommend that you bring the dog into the veterinary clinic if she hasn’t given birth after one hour or if she is yelping in extreme pain.Don’t worry if the puppy is born tail-first.
Both head-first and tail-first are normal.
If you think your dog is experiencing anything abnormal, contact your vet immediately.
Your vet should already be apprised of your dog’s situation well in advance of her birth.
Make sure you have a home or emergency number for your vet just in case your dog gives birth over the weekend or at night. , A strong mother means a strong and healthy puppy.
After your dog gives birth, she should be kept on fluids for 24 hours.
Chicken broth and dog soups are the order of the day.
Ensure your dog resumes normal activity soon after giving birth – including eating, looking after its puppy, and voiding (defecating and urinating) regularly.Your dog might get a mild fever for the first day or two after giving birth.
However, the fever should not exhibit any symptoms.
If it does spiral into a more serious fever, you’ll notice your dog vomiting, voiding indoors, and showing little interest in its puppy or its normal activities.
Contact your vet if this is the case.
Feed your dog a puppy food.
Puppy foods have a high calorie content that the new mother will need to recover from the act of giving birth.
Continue feeding your dog in this way until your puppy is weaned.
Provide clean, fresh water daily.
Dark red, green, or bloody discharge might persist in small amounts for up to two months.
Check your dog’s mammary glands to ensure they are not hard, swollen, painful to your touch, or exuding pus.
You should see a bit of milk dribble out of each teat when squeezed gently.
About the Author
Terry Perez
A seasoned expert in education and learning, Terry Perez combines 10 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Terry's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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