http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.

html

Pregnancy Timeline

Week One DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

1 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

* Ferlizaon occurs * 2 cell embryos are in the oviduct * The embryo is fairly resistant to external interference in development CHANGES IN THE BITCH * Possible morning sickness * Possible personality changes
2 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

CARE OF THE BITCH * Normal feeding * Normal exercise if she didn't normally get exercise before pregnancy, she should start geng moderate exercise every day * Check any and all medicaons with vet prior to administering * No inseccides (i.e., ea treatments) * No live vaccines TO DO LIST * Put together pedigree on lier * Write contract * Contact AKC for lier registraon applicaon * Start taking puppy reservaons Week Two (Days 814) DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

* Embryo will be 4 cell at start of week and 64 cell by end of week * Embryo enters the uterus CHANGES IN THE BITCH

3 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

* Possible morning sickness CARE OF THE BITCH * Connue as with Week One TO DO LIST * Nothing special this week Week Three (Days 1521) DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES * Day 19 Implantaon of embryos in uterus

CHANGES IN THE BITCH * See above

4 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

CARE OF THE BITCH * See above TO DO LIST * Nothing special this week Week Four (Days 2228)

5 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

6 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

* Development of eyes and spinal cords * Faces take shape * Fetuses grow from 510 mm to 1415 mm * Organogenesis begins Embryos are at their most suscepble to defects * Days 26 32 are the best days to palpitate (i.e.. feel for the puppies) CHANGES IN THE BITCH * Possible clear vaginal discharge * Mammary development begins * Aer Day 26, palpitaon may be possible to diagnose pregnancy

7 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

CARE OF THE BITCH

* Limit strenuous acvity (such as working, jumping, long runs) * Add 1/4 cup coage cheese or a hard boiled egg to food on alternang days TO DO LIST * Schedule ultrasound or palpitaon with vet if desired

8 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

Week Five (Days 2935) DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

9 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

* Development of toes, whisker buds, and claws * Fetuses look like dogs * Gender can be determined * Eyes (previously open) now close * Fetuses grow from 18 mm 30 mm * Organogenesis ends embryos are now fairly resistant to interference with development CHANGES IN THE BITCH * Swelling becomes noceable * Loss of "tuckup" * Weight will start to increase CARE OF THE BITCH * Slightly increase amount of food and switch to puppy kibble. If you feed one meal a day, add a small extra meal. If you feed twice a day, slightly increase one of the meals. * Add daily mulvitamin for dogs * Palpitaon no longer possible due to uids in uterus TO DO LIST * Nothing special this week Week Six (Days 3642)
10 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES * Development of skin pigment * Fetuses should weigh around 6 grams and be 45 mm long * Fetal heartbeats can be heard with stethoscope CHANGES IN THE BITCH * Nipples darken and enlarge * Abdomen connues to enlarge CARE OF THE BITCH * Add coage cheese or hard boiled egg to food daily * Increase the amount of food in the extra meal * Bitch should start sleeping in whelping box TO DO LIST * Assemble whelping box * By this me you should be fairly sure that the bitch is pregnant. Nofy the people on your puppy list. Let them know when you expect delivery. Week Seven (Days 4349) DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES * Growth and development connues CHANGES IN THE BITCH * Abdomen hair will start shedding * The bitch will start to look pregnant at this point

11 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

CARE OF THE BITCH * Slightly increase both meals TO DO LIST

* Stop any roughhousing or jumping * Radiographs (Xrays) possible to determine number and size of puppies Week Eight (Days 5057) DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

12 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

* Fetal movement can be detected when bitch is at rest * Puppies can safely be born from now on

CHANGES IN THE BITCH

* Milk may be squeezed from nipples * The bitch will be very large.

13 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

CARE OF THE BITCH * Add moderate lunch TO DO LIST * Gather whelping kit (see below) * Prepare phone list for help/support. It should include your vet's phone number, the emergency clinic's phone number, the number of any friends who will be oering support during whelping, and anyone else you might need to contact before, during, or aer whelping (like your oce to let them know you won't be in!) * Make sure your car is gassed up and ready for a possible emergency trip to the vet's oce. Week Nine (Days 5865) DEVELOPMENT OF THE PUPPIES

* Growth and Development connues CHANGES IN THE BITCH * Nesng behavior may be seen * Bitch may become distressed (panng, pacing, acng uncomfortable) * Temperature should be
14 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

around 100.2100.8 degrees Farenheit * When temperature drops to around 9899.4 degrees Farenheit, puppies should be born within 24 hours * Appete may disappear as whelping approaches CARE OF THE BITCH * Start taking temperature three mes a day TO DO LIST * Nofy vet or emergency clinic when temperature drops so that they will be ready if you have any problems * Keep detailed records on temperature and behavior of bitch * Double check that whelping supplies are ready

THE FIRST STAGE OF LABOR During this stage, uterine contracons begin. The bitch will appear very restless and may pace, dig, shiver, pant, or even vomit. This is all normal and all an owner can do is see that the bitch has water available should she want it. This stage of labor is very long, lasng 612 hours and culminates with full dilaon of the cervix in preparaon to expel a puppy. THE SECOND AND THIRD STAGES OF LABOR

15 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

16 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

The second stage is the "hard labor" stage in which the puppy is expelled. The third stage refers to the expulsion of the placenta and aerbirth. Each pup may not be followed by aerbirth; the mother may pass two pups and then two placentas. This is normal.

17 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

18 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

19 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

Puppies are born covered in membranes which must be cleaned away or the pup will suocate. The mother will bite and lick the membranes away. Allow her a minute or two aer birth to do this; if she does not do it, then you must clean the pup for her. Simply remove the slippery covering and rub the puppy with a clean towel. The umbilical cord may be ed in a knot about one inch from the pup and cut with scissors on the far side of the knot. Be careful not to pull on the umbilical cord as this can injure the puppy. The mother may want to eat the placenta but this is probably not a good idea as voming it up later is common; it is best to clean away the placenta yourself. Expect one pup every 4560 minutes with 1030 minutes of hard straining. It is normal for bitches to "take a rest" partway through delivery and she may not strain at all for up to four hours between pups. If she is seen straining hard for over one hour or if she takes longer

20 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

than a four hour break, Then she is in trouble and may have a puppy stuck, or have other problems explained below, seek a veterinarian should be consulted. Expect some puppies (probably half of them) to be born tail rst. This is not abnormal for dogs. Some mes the puppy is very large and can have trouble to get out. There is something you can do but you must be careful and gentle.

With clean hands place your nger in the bitch and feel where the puppy is, if the puppy is head rst then you can hook the puppy with you ngers like this.

21 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

Gently pull down and out. If they are feet rst then this is how you pull them out, again down and gentle.

22 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN IF: 3060 minutes of strong contracons occur with no puppy being produced. Greater than four hours pass between pups and you know there are more inside. She fails to go into labor within 24 hours of her temperature drop. She is in obvious extreme pain. Greater than 70 days of gestaon have passed. It is normal for the bitch to spike a fever in the 2448 hours following birth. This fever should not be accompanied by clinical signs of

23 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

illness. Normal vaginal discharge aer parturion should be odorless and may be green, dark redbrown or bloody and may persist in small amounts for up to 8 weeks. PROBLEMS TO WATCH FOR... METRITIS (INFLAMMATION OF THE UTERUS) Signs of this condion are as follows:

fever foulsmelling vaginal discharge listlessness loss of appete no interest in the puppies decreased milk producon If these signs are noted, usually in the rst day or two postpartum, a veterinarian should be consulted. Your dog may have retained a placenta or have suered some trauma during delivery. Animals who have required assistance with delivery are oen predisposed to metris. She will likely need to be spayed. ECLAMPSIA This condion results when the bitch has trouble supporng the

24 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

calcium demand of lactaon. Calcium supplementaon predisposes a bitch to this condion. Usually aected animals are small dogs. They demonstrate: nervousness and restlessness no interest in the pups s, painful gait This progresses to: muscle spasms inability to stand fever seizures This condion generally occurs in the rst three weeks of lactaon and a veterinarian should be consulted immediately. MASTITIS (INFLAMMATION OF THE BREASTS) Normal nursing glands are so and enlarged. Diseased glands are red, hard, and painful. In general, the bitch does not act sick; the disease is conned to the mammary ssue. The bitch may be sore and discourage the pups from nursing; however, it is important to keep the pups nursing the aected glands. This is not harmful to the puppies and helps ush out the infected material. Hot packing may be helpful.

25 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

Post Partum * Make sure each puppy gets some of the bitch's colostrum (rst thin milk) within rst 24 hours. Colostrum is loaded with anbodies to protect the puppies from disease. It also helps to condion their tummies to accepng food. * Lochia (vaginal discharge) should be reddish to reddishbrown (green is okay on rst day). If you see black discharge, contact your vet immediately! * Within 56 hours of last puppy's birth, take bitch and puppies to vet for check up. The vet will ensure that the bitch hasn't retained any puppies or placentas and that the puppies are in good health. Ask your vet to check the puppies for cle palates and what opons are available. This vet visit is something that should not be skipped. If the bitch has retained a placenta or puppy, she could quickly develop a serious infecon which could prove deadly.

Copyright 2000 Soverensta Staordshire Bull Terriers all images are the property of Soverensta Staordshire Bull Terriers

"">

26 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM

http://www.soverenstaffords.com/breeding.html

27 of 27

2/23/2013 1:54 PM