Care during Pregnancy in Bitches

Care during Pregnancy in Bitches

Deepandita Barman1 and Arunoday Das2

1Assistant Professor, LPM Department, LCVSC, Assam Agricultural University

2Assistant Professor, ARGO Department, LCVSC, Assam Agricultural University

CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF PREGNANT BITCH

Pregnancy is also termed as gestation period. This is very crucial time for all animals. The care and management must be appropriate and proper attention should be taken before and after the birth of new born puppies as well as the mother. Pregnant bitches need extra care and attention. Apart the regular physical examinations, some of necessary measures are focused on prevention of metabolic disturbances, treatment against parasites and infections control. Pregnancy is confirmed in bitch by using ultra-sonographic examination after 25 to 30 days after mating. After the conception, the animals need not only extra care from their owners, but also veterinary medical monitoring of the bitch and fetuses for timely diagnosis of illnesses. The normal pregnancy period is 63 days ± 2 days.

FEEDING DURING PREGNANCY

Feeding of pregnant bitches is very important aspect of management. As the growing pups need extra nutrition for the development so proper balance diet should be offered to the bitches. The diet must be accomplished with balance of carbohydrates, proteins and essential minerals and fats. Due to lack of nutrition Poor body condition could entail metabolic disturbances during the pregnancy (gestational ketosis), impaired endocrine equilibrium, impaired placentation, uterine protein synthesis, increased neonatal death rates, eclampsia and insufficient milk production after the parturition. Once a bitch is pregnant, she should be fed a high-quality, well-balanced performance diet throughout gestation, even though the pregnant bitch’s nutritional requirements increase only minimally during the first half of gestation. As a guideline, choose a highly digestible, very palatable commercial diet. It should contain at least 29 % protein and 17% fat. High amounts of soluble carbohydrates and low fibre content are important to ensure adequate energy intake and to avoid hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) in late pregnancy. Adequate intake of calcium (between 1 and 1.8 %) and phosphorous (between 0.8 and 1.6%) intake is important for adequate milk production by the bitch so that the pups’ bones form properly.

Omega-3 fatty acids (recommended daily dose of 1000 mg per 20 kg body weight) are of utmost importance for the development of fetal nervous system as well as for immune system stimulation and retinal function.The bitch’s food intake should be gradually increased by a total of 15 to 25 % by the time of whelping to ensure adequate gain of body weight and increase of nutritional reserves. Because many females suffer from decreased appetite late in pregnancy due to abdominal distension, more frequent meals help maintain nutrient intake during this critical time. She should be fed at least twice daily. Indeed, many breeders will be feeding free choice by the time whelping approaches.

PRECAUTION DURING FEEDING

• Unnecessary supplementation with high doses of calcium during late pregnancy could induce deviations and pathological states as dystocia, eclampsia, soft tissue calcification, gastric dilation/volvulus in newborn puppies.
• Diets containing more than 40% carbohydrates on the account of proteins and fats are not suitable for pregnant animals.
• The excess of fat-soluble vitamins (А or D) and some macrominerals and trace elements (calcium, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, iron etc.) impairs the absorption of other vitamins or minerals.

MANAGEMENT OF PREGNANT BITCH

• The pregnant bitch should be shifted to a clean quite area of the house about one week prior to the whelping (giving birth) date.
• Some bedding in the form of folded blankets and clean old newspapers should be provided after 40 days of pregnancy.
• Strictly avoid jumping, fighting and exercise during the pregnancy.
• Balanced nutrition is crucial for health of pregnant dog as well as proper foetal growth and development, therefore balanced diet should be provided as recommended by the veterinarian.
• Hairs present around mammary gland (teats) and vulva should be trimmed and the area should whip with some mild antiseptic solutions daily, during last week of pregnancy.
• Recording the rectal temperature twice daily during last week of pregnancy is advisable.
• Usually rectal temperature falls abruptly to 97 to 98⁰ f (normal is 101.5 to 102.5) before 24 hours of normal parturition.
• Some animals experience reduced appetite, even vomiting between the 3rd and the 5th weeks after mating, that resolves spontaneously and do not require any treatment.

With the following ways the pet owner can taking care of the pregnant bitches for the any complication contact to a qualified veterinarian. A proper veterinary advice is must for successful management of feeding as well as care of bitch during and after the gestational period. If possible call a veterinarian prior to the birth of new born.

Feeding

Feed your pregnant and nursing bitch a diet that is highly digestible and contains good quality ingredients which are higher in nutrients (e.g. a puppy diet). No food increase is required until around 42 days of pregnancy. Five to six weeks into her pregnancy, she will need 30-50% more food than normal to provide sufficient nutrients to her puppies. Give her small and frequent meals to help her eat the amount of food she requires; the growing pups inside her will take up much more room and this will lead to her becoming full more quickly. If you use a good quality, high protein food, supplements will not be necessary.

Exercise

Carry on exercising your bitch, but try to avoid anything too strenuous especially after the first month of pregnancy. Go on short walks and don’t let her get overtired.

Medications

Many canine medications are safe to use during pregnancy, however, veterinary advice should always be sought to ensure the specific medication you have in mind will cause no harm to the pups. If you give your bitch regular preventative medication for heartworm you can continue this throughout the pregnancy.

Vaccinations

Vaccinations should not be given during canine pregnancy; however, if possible, it is a great idea to have your bitch vaccinated just before becoming pregnant as this will ensure she has a high level of antibodies to pass onto her puppies during lactation.

Worming

Fenbendazole (Panacur) is a suitable wormer for pregnant bitches; it is effective against roundworm, hookworm, some lungworm and tapeworms. Pyrantel/praziquantel combinations may also be suitable. The dosage regime will depend on the product you have chosen – always follow pack directions closely and consult your veterinarian or one of our Animal medicine advisors if you are in any doubt about the dosage regime of your chosen product. It is very important to de-worm your bitch from day 42 of her pregnancy until 2 days post whelping to ensure worm infestation is not passed on to the puppies via the placenta and milk. Puppies should be treated from 2 weeks of age every 2 weeks until weaning. Always seek veterinary advice to ensure the correct product is being administered to your bitch and that it is being given at the correct dose and frequency.

Preparing for the birth

During the last 3 weeks of pregnancy it is a good idea to isolate her from other dogs to ensure she does not contract the herpes virus which can trigger a miscarriage.

She may dislike being left alone and will probably become more affectionate if a little irritable. As the delivery date approaches she will start to look for a safe place to give birth. Prepare a whelping box for your bitch two to three weeks before she is due will give her time to become accustomed to it enough that she will choose to give birth in it.

The average birth weight for puppies depends on breed. During the first weeks of life, a pup’s body weight may double or even triple. Gaining 10 to 15% of birth weight daily is considered healthy. Pups who don’t gain adequate weight during this early period may not survive.

Feed your puppy multiple times a day according to its age:

• 8-12 weeks: 4 meals per day
• 3-6 months: 3 meals per day
• 6-12 months: 2 meals per day

12 weeks onwards – puppy training and socialisation

• Once your puppy is fully vaccinated, you can socialize them outside.
• Good puppy classesare a great way to boost their confidence and learn basic training.
• Knowing what your puppy likes (favourite food or toys) can motivate them during training.
• Growing and learning is tiring so let them rest regularly and keep training sessions short and fun.
• If your puppy’s crate trainedlet them use it as a safe haven.

6 months onwards – further dog training and neutering

Puppies are still learning so continue reward-based training and keep all experiences positive.

• Speak to your vet if you have any concerns about your puppy.
• If your puppy is ready to progress onto more advanced dog training classes.
• Dietary needs will change and your puppy will need to gradually move to adult dog food.
• If you haven’t already, ask your vet about neutering.

By keeping experiences positive from day one, you’ll help your puppy grow into a confident adult dog, making life more enjoyable for you both.

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