Your favorite dog is due to give birth soon, and you’re unsure whether to handle the delivery yourself or schedule a veterinary appointment. Before deciding, it’s essential to consider everything carefully and assess whether you’re prepared and able to manage it, especially if complications arise. Only a veterinarian can properly evaluate the dog’s condition and provide the necessary skilled care for the mother and puppies. While the birthing process in animals usually proceeds smoothly, complications like improper positioning of the fetus can occur. Additionally, some females, particularly smaller breeds, may struggle with delivering larger-sized pups. This can also apply to breeds like Boxers and Bulldogs, whose head shape makes delivery more challenging.
Inadequate assistance or premature intervention during delivery can be dangerous for both the mother and puppies. If premature labor occurs in small breeds, only a professional veterinarian can provide qualified assistance. Symptoms of premature labor include restlessness, straining, repeatedly standing and lying down. Causes of premature contractions can include hypothermia, drinking ice-cold water, falls, abdominal impacts, or moldy food. A vet may provide a sedative and medically speed up the birthing process, though in rare cases, the uterus may need to be removed to save the animal. Other potential issues include prolonged labor or weak contractions, often linked to obesity, malnutrition, or certain health conditions like hernias, hydrops, or a narrow pelvis. It’s also essential to monitor for retained placenta. Close veterinary supervision before and after birth can support a smooth process and protect the health of both the mother and her puppies.
Scottish Fold, Sphynx, and Fold-Eared Cats’ Labor Behavior and Activity
Two days before labor, cats often become restless, searching for a birthing spot, which the owner should prepare in advance, especially for first-time mothers like Sphynx, Scottish Folds, or Fold-Eared cats. By the ninth week of pregnancy, the belly drops, and they become less active. Typically, cats stop eating 12–24 hours before labor, though some may not change their appetite. About 12 hours before and at the start of labor, their rectal temperature drops. Cats experience three stages of labor. In the first, the vagina relaxes, and the cervix opens, causing restlessness and frequent grooming. This stage lasts 6–12 hours but can extend up to 36 hours for first-time mothers, although it may go unnoticed.
In the second stage, strong contractions begin, temperature normalizes, and amniotic fluid is released. Typically, the first kitten arrives within an hour, and the mother releases it from the amniotic sac, bites the umbilical cord, and licks it thoroughly. Sometimes, help is needed to open the sac, clear the kitten’s airways, cut the umbilical cord with blunt scissors, and dry the kitten. Medication to stimulate contractions is not administered before the first kitten is born. In the third stage, the placenta is expelled, with one placenta for each kitten.
If there are brownish discharges, labor hasn’t started within 2–4 hours, or the water broke more than two hours ago with no contractions, a veterinarian should be contacted. Likewise, seek help if the second stage lasts more than 12 hours, contractions are weak for over three hours, or too intense for over 20 minutes. Also, if the next kitten hasn’t arrived within 2–4 hours of the first, consult a vet.