Raising Puppies: Prenatal Care

• Abria gives birth 10 weeks plus 0-5 days from her first day of bleeding, with her average being 10 weeks plus 2-3 days.
• Junie gives birth 10 weeks plus 4-6 days from her first day of bleeding, with her average being 10 weeks plus 5 days.

Avidog suggests that “whelping window” is a more correct terminology than “due date” and asserts that predicting whelping from the first day of diestrus is truly the best option.

Temperatures

When the suspected whelping range approaches, I start taking the mama’s temperature rectally first thing in the mornings. Use some Vaseline to lubricate the thermometer. The temperature slowly declines and usually hangs in the 98s for a few days. Often the mama starts showing signs of the impending delivery by nesting and carrying around stuffed toys. Junie made an authentic den in our backyard one year. As the temperature descends to the lower 98s, I start taking her temperature several times a day. When her temperature drops to the 97s, you know delivery is close and it’s best to stay home so you’re available to support her. Sometimes it’s hard to catch that drop to the 97s because her temperature can come back up to the low 98s.

Puppy Count

Veterinarians can do x-rays or ultrasounds to estimate litter size. Ultrasounds are generally more expensive than x-rays and less accurate for counting puppies, so x-rays done 55+ days after breeding are the standard method for obtaining a puppy count. The spines in an x-ray are counted to estimate the number of puppies, and the puppy count is often off by a puppy or two. The advantages of a puppy count are to know if a puppy is retained (assuming the count is accurate) and to determine whether the puppies are too large to be safely born vaginally. Puppies are most likely to be too large in litters of 1-2 puppies, but more often the dam is overdue by a week or so and still doesn’t go into labor when there’s only one puppy, which results in a c-section.

We choose not to obtain a puppy count ahead of time. I haven’t been able to find research that indicates it’s safe to expose developing puppy fetuses to radiation, and since it’s not safe for human babies, it seems that it’s likely not safe for the babies of other mammals. Since golden retrievers are a breed that is already at a high risk for cancer, I don’t want to expose them to radiation that could potentially increase the risk. This article by a canine radiologist weighs the benefits and risks of fetal count radiology. AviDog, on the other hand, urges breeder urges breeders to avoid prenatal x-rays.

Feeding & Supplements

We switch our pregnant mamas to puppy food about a month into pregnancy and keep them on puppy food while they’re nursing. Supplements can cause birth defects if the mama receives too much of certain nutrients. The only supplement we’ve ever used is Missing Link skin & coat, which is a powder that is added on top of your dog’s normal food. Some of our mamas shed while pregnant and nursing, and adding Missing Link to their food intermittently seems to help lessen that problem. Some breeders give OxyMate to pregnant mamas and switch to OxyMamma when puppies arrive for the duration of nursing, both sold by Revival Animal Health. I have not used either supplement.

Revival Animal Health is an online store that carries a myriad of items breeders want to have on hand. Oral Cal for whelping mamas, SafeGuard and Pyrantel Pamoate dewormers, Nutri-Drops for newborn puppies, whelping box liners, and breeding supplements are just a few of the many products Revival Animal Health offers. Order supplies ahead of time so you will have them ready to go when whelping day arrives.

Environment & Activity Level

Life carries on normally when our mama is pregnant. She accompanies us on trips to the Cincinnati Nature Center and walks around the neighborhood as usual. She also plays with other dogs that visit our home and begs for belly rubs from human guests, just as she normally does. I opt not to invite our pregnant mamas to accompany us on rollerblade ventures around the neighborhood because I personally don’t want to make her run too much when she’s carrying all that precious cargo.

Research indicates that it’s best to avoid causing a pregnant mama high stress, so pregnancy isn’t the time to start a rigorous training program or drastically change her normal routine or do anything else that could potentially be highly stressful. Research also indicates that petting a pregnant mama has a positive influence on the developing puppies.