WHEREAS. the purpose of this article is not to “discourage” the owner who wishes to breed their dog, but to give correct information and make him aware, that although birth is a natural event, it can give rise to risks and remains, in any case, a big commitment and a huge responsibility towards new lives.
That said, if you really feel you are ready for the happy event, it is good to know that if you want to give birth to healthy and balanced puppies, you will need to think about their well-being even before they are born.
Today, therefore, we will not address issues related to selection, inbreeding and bloodlines, nor will we talk about prevention of inherited genetic disorders; since it is assumed that you have already examined them before conception itself.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy can be ascertained by ultrasound investigation only from day 21/25 after conception, but it will be possible to have only a rough idea of the number of pups. Gestation, which has an average duration of 61/63 days, will show no sign of itself until around week 5/6, the belly begins to round out.
Around day 45 of gestation, the fetuses will begin to interact with each other and with the mother through hormonal secretions circulating in the bloodstream that vary according to the bitch’s emotional state.
Any kind of stress, will result in violent uterine contractions that will affect the pups’ responsiveness, causing rotational and bottom-up movements of varying duration, depending on the intensity of the mother’s reaction. Studies conducted on this subject have found that Pups of mothers subjected to severe stress or continuous noise, will present at birth a behavior tending to the chronic stress. Therefore, it is suggested that during pregnancy, the bitch should live in a protected and stress-free environment.
Of course, if the mother suffers from anxiety disorders a priori, she will have in any case, the genetic and not congenital tendency to influence the behavior of her offspring.
Starting twenty days before birth, the fetus is able to sense caresses through the womb. By the way, gently stroking the mother’s tummy is very important because it allows the puppies to be stimulated, making them more tolerant to future manipulation by the owner. At the same time, the fetus begins to make sucking movements of the paw or umbilical cord; this is a behavior that it will enact, even in adulthood, to soothe emotional tensions. To be remembered. In Chihuahua, childbirth is often problematic, therefore Around and not before, 56/58th day of gestation, it would be appropriate Make an X-ray of the abdomen, to consider cesarean delivery in order to prevent any risks that might occur during delivery and result in an increased risk of mortality.
I look forward to seeing you next week with the article, “Puppy Birth and the First Weeks of Life,” don’t miss it!
Carla Beard
Sing To The Moon Dog Center