How to give birth to a Chihuahua

Video: CHIHUAHUA GIVING BIRTH (TO 7 PUPPIES!)

Content

Steps
Part 1 of 4: Preparing for Childbirth
Part 2 of 4: Ensuring Comfort for the Chihuahua Before Childbirth
Part 3 of 4: Assisting Childbirth
Part 4 of 4: Caring for the Chihuahua and Her Progeny After Childbirth
Warnings
Tips
Additional articles

Chuhuahua is a small breed of dog that may experience some complications during childbirth. Chihuahua puppies have a disproportionately large head, which creates an increased risk of fetal trapping in the mother's birth canal. For this reason, as well as in order to avoid unnecessary stress and additional danger for the Chihuahua itself and its puppies, it is necessary to prepare for this crucial moment. Plus, knowing the symptoms of certain problems will help you safely guide your dog through all stages of labor.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Preparing for Childbirth

1 Understand what a normal Chihuahua pregnancy should be. On average, dogs have a gestation period of approximately 58-68 days. Try to clearly remember the date of conception so that you can determine the approximate date of birth. Chihuahuas usually give birth at 8 weeks of gestation.
2 Show your dog to the veterinarian. If you deliberately decide to use your dog for breeding purposes, check with your veterinarian in advance. Make an appointment for your second veterinarian visit at about 30 days of pregnancy. If the pregnancy in the dog was not planned, it will also need to be shown to the veterinarian as soon as possible after the fact of pregnancy is found out.
- Your veterinarian will provide you with critical information to help you ensure your dog has a healthy pregnancy. Overweight pregnant dogs have a higher risk of complications during childbirth. However, pregnancy is not the best time to put your dog on a diet, as it requires more calories to grow and develop the litter. In such a situation, one of the recommendations may be to delay the transition to nutritious, high-calorie foods (for example, food for puppies) until the last 2-3 weeks of pregnancy. At this time, the dog will already have a large belly, and he will constantly want to eat.
- The veterinarian can also x-ray the dog and count the number of puppies. This can be done at 45 days of gestation. For a Chihuahua, 3-4 puppies are considered the norm. Knowing the exact number of puppies expected will allow you to better prepare for their birth. If there are too few or too many fetuses in the belly of a Chihuahua, complications may arise during childbirth. In such a situation, the veterinarian will advise on the choice between vaginal delivery and elective caesarean section. Moreover, knowing the expected number of puppies, you can always understand whether the birth is over or is still in progress. For example, if a dog was diagnosed with 4 fetuses, but only three puppies were born and labor stopped, you will immediately understand that something went wrong and you can contact the veterinarian.
3 Buy a formula for feeding your puppies in advance. In case the dog has problems feeding puppies, it will be necessary to have a special milk formula on hand, as newborn puppies need to be fed every 2-4 hours.
- You can find formula and feeding bottles for puppies at most major pet stores. If you can't find a ready-made formula right away, you can use goat's milk instead, but it's not ideal for long-term use. Goat milk should only be used as an emergency alternative until you purchase a special puppy formula.

Part 2 of 4: Ensuring Comfort for the Chihuahua Before Childbirth

1 Isolate a pregnant Chihuahua from other dogs 3 weeks before delivery. To protect the expectant mother and her offspring from contagious diseases or diseases such as canine herpes, isolate her from all other dogs 3 weeks before the expected due date.
- It is also highly recommended to keep the lactating bitch separate from other dogs for another 3 weeks after giving birth.
2 Prepare a nest for the dog and her puppies. Set up a puppy crate in a quiet, secluded place about a week before your due date. A puppy box (also called a nest box or puppy pen) will protect puppies during labor and in the early days by keeping them safe from the surrounding area and possible hazards.
- A puppy box can be a simple cardboard box. You can also purchase a special puppy crate in the store or make one yourself. On the net you can find many different schemes for making puppies, ranging from the simplest to elaborate projects that can accommodate even grown puppies.
- For a breeding box, properties such as ease of cleaning and disinfection, the ability to increase in size and strength are desirable. Depending on your specific circumstances, you may also want your baby crate to be portable.
- Make sure that the dog can easily climb over the walls of the puppy box, and that they are strong enough so that newborn puppies cannot get out.
- An effective and easy replacement for a puppy crate can be a children's inflatable pool with a bed of old towels or blankets.
- Place the puppy box in a calm, quiet place away from other pets and the hustle and bustle of the house. Provide a cozy warm place for your dog to go to to safely whelp.
3 Monitor your Chihuahua's behavior. As the due date approaches, you may notice that the dog begins to show signs of nesting behavior and a tendency to retire or hide. This is completely normal for the last few weeks of pregnancy. However, the opposite is also possible, when a pregnant dog is clingy and needs attention.
4 Watch for symptoms of imminent labor. There are several signs by which one can understand about the imminent onset of childbirth. Be sure to memorize them so that you can be ready when the time comes.
- In a dog, before giving birth, the mammary glands swell due to the arriving milk. This can happen several days before giving birth, so be careful.
- A few days before giving birth, the dog's vulva will also enlarge and become more relaxed.
- Most dogs stop eating when labor begins. Also, vomiting or selectivity in food can often occur.
5 Take your dog's temperature. About 24 hours before giving birth, the dog's temperature will drop by 0.5-1 degrees. To get an idea of your dog's normal temperature, start taking your dog's temperature regularly 1 to 2 weeks before giving birth.
- To take a Chihuahua's temperature, lubricate a rectal thermometer and insert it 1.5 cm deep into the anus for three minutes. Her normal temperature is likely to be between 38.3-39.2ºC.
- When you notice a drop in temperature of 0.5 degrees or more, it is likely to start labor within the next 24 hours.
6 Determine the onset of the first stage of labor. During this period, the dog's body is prepared for childbirth. It begins to produce hormones that relax the cervix. This is so that the puppies can pass through the birth canal when contractions begin. The same hormones prepare the uterine muscles involved in contractions for work. This stage allows the dog to prepare for the more regular contractions of the second stage of labor.
- Usually the first stage of labor lasts about 24 hours. There is no particular cause for concern if the dog begins to behave strangely, but nothing will happen to him all day.
- You may not even notice that the dog is in the first stage of labor.She can hide and start making a nest for herself, but the same thing can happen noticeably before the onset of labor.

Part 3 of 4: Assisting Childbirth

1 Let your dog decide what to do. Chihuahuas may breathe hard, whine, wander in discomfort, or hide. She may want to be with you, or she may prefer privacy.
- Provide subdued lighting and a calm, secluded atmosphere for your dog.
- The safer and less stressful the dog is, the better prepared it will be to meet the needs of its puppies.
2 Offer the Chihuahua water. Once the dog is in the active stage of labor, it should not be fed anymore (and it is unlikely that it will want to). Nevertheless, she should definitely be offered water, although she may refuse it.
3 Watch for contractions. When the Chihuahua starts to have contractions, it will be easy to spot. A kind of waves will roll over her belly. If you place your hand on your dog's belly, you will feel the uterus tighten and contract.
- As you approach directly to childbirth, the contractions will become more and more frequent. The dog can stand up, which is quite normal. Don't force her to go to bed.
4 Prepare for the second stage of labor. This is the active stage of "pushing", which results in the birth of puppies. In this case, the dog lies on its stomach and pushes with obvious efforts. You will probably see her holding her breath and tightening her lateral muscles. During pushing, the dog may grumble or growl, which gives the impression that it is exerting all its strength in childbirth.
- The birth of each puppy, on average, takes 30 minutes of vigorous labor activity. However, the timing varies greatly: some puppies are born within minutes, while others may take up to an hour to be born.
5 Watch for dangerous symptoms or complications. The most likely complication is fetal stuck in the birth canal. Because Chihuahuas have large heads, the puppy's head may be physically too large to pass through the birth canal. If the puppy's paws are already visible from the vulva, and the dog continues to push, but nothing happens for 60 minutes, you should contact your veterinarian. Do not pull on the puppy's paws, as you may injure him internally. Usually, you should contact your veterinarian in the following cases:
- if, after the first stage of labor, active labor does not begin within 24 hours;
- if a puppy is not born after 60 minutes of pushing;
- if the dog is clearly experiencing severe or atypical pain;
- if not all puppies were born, but the dog did not have new attempts for two hours.
  - Be aware that some dogs rest between puppies. The dog can relax for up to two hours before pushing again.
  - However, if you know the exact number of puppies and yet not all of them have been born, and labor has stopped for more than 2 hours, this is cause for concern.
6 Observe the mother and each newborn puppy closely. Puppies can be born head or tail first. Both are considered the norm. During birth, each puppy will be in its own fetal bladder. The mother should burst the bladder, then gnaw through the umbilical cord and lick the puppy. It is usually best to let your dog do it all on his own without human help, as this is part of developing his maternal affection for puppies. Don't be afraid to give your dog a few minutes to figure out what's what.
- If the dog does not rupture the membranes within the maximum allowable 2 minutes, then you yourself must do it carefully with clean hands. Remove the slippery bubble and rub the puppy with a clean towel. Tie the umbilical cord in a knot about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the puppy's belly and cut it on the other side away from the knot.
- If the puppy shows no signs of life, clean the liquid from its nose and mouth. Rub the puppy vigorously, gently applying pressure to his body to stimulate breathing. Encourage your dog to lick its puppies on its own. You may need to place your puppy right in front of your dog's nose several times, especially if this is his first birth.
7 Allow your dog to go through stage three of labor. In this case, the birth of a "succession" (or placenta) occurs. Usually, the afterbirth comes out after the birth of each puppy. Try to note for yourself how many successions were born, so as not to miss the case when any of them remain in the womb. If this happens, contact your veterinarian.
- Most likely, the dog will eat the placenta. Do not interfere with her in this, this is a normal biological process.

Part 4 of 4: Caring for the Chihuahua and Her Progeny After Childbirth

1 Feed your dogs well. It is very important that both the mother and the puppies receive adequate nutrition: the former for recuperation after childbirth, and the latter for proper development.
- Most dogs eat the placenta after giving birth. She is very nutritious and gives the mother a much needed boost to care for her offspring.
- Give a nursing bitch puppy food. Prepare to feed her up to three times her normal feed volume. Also, the dog should always have clean fresh water for drinking. Place bowls next to the puppies so the dog does not have to leave them when he wants to eat or drink. Lack of feed or water will result in decreased milk production.
2 Continue monitoring your dog's health for several weeks after giving birth. Hope everything goes well, but be prepared for complications. Since the Chihuahua is a small breed, any infection in a dog can quickly become life-threatening. Check with your veterinarian if you suspect any of the following conditions in your dog.
- Metritis (inflammation of the uterus). Symptoms include fever, musty-smelling discharge, lethargy, loss of appetite, decreased milk production, and loss of interest in your puppies.
- Eclampsia (and its consequence in the form of 'lactational mastitis'). Symptoms include increased nervousness, anxiety, loss of interest in puppies, and a stiff and painful gait. If eclampsia is left unaddressed, symptoms can progress to muscle cramps, fever, seizures, loss of grip, and death. This condition usually develops about 2 to 4 weeks after delivery.
- Mastitis (inflammation of the mammary glands). Symptoms include redness, roughness, and tenderness of the breasts. The mother may try to stop the puppies from feeding, but you need to make sure they continue to feed, as this will help clear out the infection with milk (without causing any harm to the puppies).
3 Monitor the condition of the mother and puppies. The main rule of caring for a dog after giving birth is to ensure that she does not refuse to feed the puppies and does not begin to show symptoms of any ailments.
- A healthy mother will be alert and attentive to her puppies. She will only leave them to go to the toilet and return immediately. The rest of her time she will be engaged in licking and feeding the puppies.
- The dog may or may not eat, but he should drink water and go to the toilet in the usual way. She will continue to bleed, but there should be no pain.

Warnings

Do not add calcium supplements to a pregnant Chihuahua unless your veterinarian has recommended it. Eclampsia and lactational mastitis often occur in small breeds within a few weeks of giving birth, but the risk of developing them is higher with supplemental calcium intake during pregnancy. Your dog will get everything it needs from a puppy food that already has a higher calcium content.

Tips

Arrange with a friend or family member with you. You may need someone to look after the newborn puppies while you help the dog itself. If complications arise, additional support will be essential.
Keep your veterinarian's phone number, as well as your veterinarian's emergency call number handy, at all times during the late pregnancy of your dog.
Most dogs give birth without serious complications. It is very important that you just follow the process and only intervene when necessary.