Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook.pdf - Mr. Walnuts

476 •DOG OWNER’S HOME VETERINARY HANDBOOK
Encourage puppies to nurse between deliveries. This stimulates the dam’s uterine
contractions and helps bring down her milk.
Most puppies are born at intervals of 15 minutes to 2 hours apart, but this
varies. The average time to whelp a litter of four to six puppies is six to eight
hours, but large litters can take considerably longer. Dams who are whelping
their first litter often take longer than experienced dams. Active straining
returns 5 to 30 minutes before the delivery of the next pup. Occasionally the
interval between puppies is as long as three to four hours. But if you suspect
that the mother has not finished delivering all her puppies and she rests for
more than four hours, or if she actively strains for 30 to 60 minutes without
delivering a puppy, notify your veterinarian without delay.
Twelve to 24 hours after the dam has delivered her last puppy, have her
examined by your veterinarian to be sure there are no retained puppies or placentas.
An oxytocin injection (breeders call this a pit shot) may be given to
clear the uterus. This also stimulates the letdown of milk.
ASSISTING A NORMAL DELIVERY
When labor is going well, there is no need to interfere. But on occasion a
large puppy may get stuck in the vaginal birth canal. The head or presenting
part appears during a forceful contraction and then slips back when the dam
relaxes. In most cases this can be corrected by lubricating the birth canal liberally
with K-Y Jelly. If the dam does not deliver the puppy within 15 minutes,
you will have to help.
Put on a pair of sterile disposable latex gloves. As the presenting part of the
puppy appears at the vaginal opening, place your thumb and index finger on