When your pooch is expecting it can be a very exciting but worrying time. Here is some general information on everything you will need to know from nutrition, worming, preparing for birth, whelping, after birth and also weaning.
Nutrition
As a mum-to-be, your dog's nutritional needs will start to change from the fourth week of pregnancy, and she will experience the biggest spike in these changes from her sixth week of pregnancy.
At this six-week mark, the pace changes as her puppies are quickly developing. To meet these extra demands, her food amount should be increased. It’s also best to feed her little and often during this period, as a tummy full of puppies will mean she won’t have much room for food.
Weeks 1-4: Your dog can have her usual portion sizes.
Weeks 5-6: Gradually increase her portion size during these weeks, so she is now eating 10-20% more of her usual portion sizes.
Week 7-9: Continue to increase her portion sizes so that by week nine her meal size is about 30-50% more than normal.
Pregnancy in dogs lasts on average for 63 days but can vary from around 60 to 65 days. Litter sizes can range from one puppy in miniature breeds to over twelve puppies in giant breeds - holy moly.
Diet after Pregnancy
Diet is vital especially after birth as mum will be feeding the pups and recovering from labour so meeting the nutritional needs is key. Butternut is a great fit and feeding mum little and often until puppies start to wean is ideal in providing the nutrition and nutrients needed. Feeding a highly digestible diet with good access to carbohydrates helps Mum with slow-burning energy.
Free choice feeding for up to 3-4 weeks after birth supports mum and recovery/feeding. Mum will often need 2-4 times her normal pre-pregnancy gram amount and this can be split into mini feeds through the day until weaning(free-choice). As puppies start to show interest in mum's food and weaning you can start to reduce the free-choice feeding and intro weaning options for puppies. Slow and steady and often guided by the mum.
If you need advice about how to get your pregnant dog started with Butternut or advice with amounts and your new mum, get in touch with our Customer Love team and they'll be able to answer any questions you might have.
Worming
Worming is very important for an expectant Mum as worms can be passed on to puppies whilst in their tummies or through mum's milk. The go-to wormer for expectant Mums is Fenbendazol, as it is suitable for both Mum-to-be and young puppies. You should worm Mum from day 40, every day until 2 days post whelping. Once the puppies have been born and are of 2 weeks of age, worming is then advised for both Mum and Puppies. The puppies will then need worming again at 5 weeks and 8 weeks of age. At 8 weeks the puppies will then be old enough to go to their new homes. Worming is advised every month from 8 weeks of age until the puppy is 6 months old. Panacur can be bought from your local vets or pet stores.
Whelping Box
Once you know your pooch is expecting, it is always a good idea to be prepared and have everything ready. A whelping box is somewhere comfortable where your Mum to be can have her puppies, keeping her puppies warm and comfortable and also safe!
The box should be:
Warm and comfortable
In a quiet room, where there will be minimal disturbances but you are still able to keep a close eye on Mum and her babies.
Lined with clean, washable and absorbent bedding such as towels.
Large enough for your pooch to lay, stretch and turn around in.
Have high sides to stop the newborn babies from escaping, but low enough for Mum to step over to get out.
Preparing for birth
As your dog prepares to give birth, you may notice their behaviour change and the preparation stage of pregnancy usually lasts for 6-12 hours but can last for up to 36 hours, especially if your little one is a first-time Mum or nervous. Behaviours often seen in this stage are:
Becoming restless
Hiding away
Panting
Eating less
Nesting- this is where your pooch may dig, pace or circle around their whelping box.
Passing a small amount of red/brown mucus from the vulva and weak contractions (but not straining)
Giving Birth
Once your pooch is ready to give birth they will start having strong contractions and feel the need to strain. Usually, your dog will not require help during her labour but it is very important to monitor her without interfering too much.
The first puppy often takes the longest to be born. If the contractions are weak then this stage can take between 2 to 4 hours. If the contractions are strong then you should expect your first puppy between 20-30 minutes.
There will be a gap between each puppy which can generally be between 5 minutes to 90 minutes. If at any point your little one is having strong contractions and straining without progressing or producing a puppy then contact your vet immediately.
Between each puppy, your dog should be comfortable, settled and licking her newborn until contractions restart.
Puppies are born in a thin sac that the Mum will remove enabling the puppy to breathe.
After each puppy, your dog will pass a placenta which they often eat. A placenta should appear 15 minutes after a puppy is born. Do not worry if they are not passed in order ( a few puppies may be born then their placentas). It is really important that all placentas are removed as they can cause an infection called ‘metritis’. If your dog has a large litter then stopping Mum from eating all the placentas can be a good idea as too many may cause vomiting or diarrhoea.
There will be some clear or bloody fluid passed from your dog’s vulva during whelping which is normal. However, a lot of blood is not! Call your Vet immediately.
You may see a small amount of green-tinged discharge following a pup being born which is absolutely normal. However, a thick green discharge without a puppy can indicate a problem. Contact your Vet immediately.
If you are at all worried or concerned when your pooch is giving birth then please contact your vet immediately.
After Labour
On average it can take a dog 3-12 hours from the start of contractions/straining to give birth to an entire litter but this time can vary. The process should never take longer than 36 hours. If this is the case then contact your vet immediately. Your pooch will be very hungry and tired after giving birth to her puppies. This is a good time to offer your dog a meal and give her time to rest and bond with her new babies. Make sure they are in a quiet, comfortable area with very little disturbance.
Problems during whelping
Most dogs give birth without any help, but sometimes problems do arise and are common in flat-faced breeds such as Bulldogs and Pugs. If any of these problems arise then please contact your vet immediately.
General illness- If your pooch seems unwell, has any symptoms of illness or is just ‘not herself’ at any point before, during or after whelping.
Straining but no pup- Contact your vet urgently if your dog has been straining for 20-30 minutes without producing a puppy – there may be a problem.
Green discharge- If you see a green discharge coming from your dog’s vulva before the first puppy is born, it could mean that an unborn pup is in distress (for example, if their blood and oxygen supply is failing). This is an emergency. Please call the Vet. After the first pup is born and there is a light green discharge then this can be normal.
Bleeding -You will often see some fluid and bloody discharge during a whelping, but anything more than a few drops of blood is abnormal and should be checked by your vet immediately.
Exhaustion - If your dog’s labour continues for a long time, or she is an older dog with less energy to start with, she may become exhausted, stop straining and need some help from your vet.
Puppy stuck - Large puppies, deformed puppies, and puppies delivered backwards can sometimes become stuck inside the pelvis or part way out. If your dog has a puppy stuck inside her, call your vet immediately. Do not touch or try to pull out the puppy without specific advice and guidance from your vet.
Sac problems- Some dogs need help removing the birth sac from their puppies (especially first-time mothers). Give your dog a chance to remove it herself, but if she hasn’t removed it fairly quickly after a puppy is born you may need to help her. Simply tear a hole in the sac and free the puppy’s head so they can breathe. Avoid using scissors, just tear a hole using your fingers – call your vet immediately if you’re struggling.
Umbilical cord problems- Most dogs nibble through their puppy’s umbilical cords (which attach the puppy to their placenta) as soon they are born. It’s not essential that they are removed straight away, but if left too long, they can become infected or cause problems. If any of your puppies still have their umbilical cords attached a few hours after they are born, you may need to tie and cut them off yourself. You may also need to tie off any cords that are bleeding (often caused by the mother overenthusiastically nibbling them). Always call your vet for advice about how to properly tie and cut an umbilical cord – doing it incorrectly could cause an infection or hurt the puppy.
No puppies - If your dog has been confirmed pregnant, and hasn’t shown any signs of labour a few days after she is due (usually around 66-68 days after she was mated), contact your vet for advice.
Stillborn puppies -Always have your dog checked over if she gives birth to any dead puppies.
Fading or unwell puppies- Contact your vet immediately if any of your dog’s puppies aren’t breathing/moving, stop breathing, aren’t able to move/feed or have signs of illness.
Weaning
Puppies are generally ready to start weaning between 3-4 weeks of age as this is when they start growing teeth so suckling off Mum can become uncomfortable.
Butternut is perfect for weaning as it is suitable for pooches right from weaning to being an OAP. Butternut is a great diet for weaning as it is highly digestible and easy on those little tummies. The food will need to be easy for the puppy to lap, so blending the Butternut food with water or with a puppy milk substitute to make a porridge-like consistency will help.
Offering the food in several saucers will help the puppies explore which means there are lots of feeding stations and food available for all. It can be a very messy process as the puppies will walk through the food at first before licking it off their paws. Do not worry, this is normal as they discover food and they will soon realise it's really yummy and is there for eating and not playing! As the pups are growing, offering four to six meals a day will help with their growth and development.
Do not limit the amount of food each time, let the puppies eat until they are full and do not want anymore. Gradually over the weaning process, the amount of water/milk added to the Butternut will decrease and the Puppies should be eating Butternut on their own by 6-7 weeks of age.
Transitioning onto Butternut when your dog is pregnant
Step 1:
Gently does it - there are a lot of changes going on for your dog right now, so it's important to introduce a new food nice and slowly. We'd recommend adding a spoonful of Butternut to her old food and gradually increasing this by another spoonful each day, and reducing her old food until she's on her full portion of Butternut.
Step 2:
Keep it simple - start with just one recipe so as not to add any unnecessary pressure to your dog's digestive system. Our chicken, turkey, game and veggie recipes are all low in fat and easy to digest, making them a great option for both transitioning and during pregnancy.
Step 3:
Split it up - as the puppies grow, there'll be less and less space for your dog to squeeze a full meal into her stomach. For the duration of her pregnancy try feeding her 3-5 smaller meals throughout the day to ensure she's still getting the energy she needs without feeling too full.
Step 4:
Calories - once your girl is fully transitioned, you can gradually increase her calorie intake by adding extra food into her bowl and/or introducing her to our richer recipes such as pork, or beef. These recipes contain slightly more calories.
Step 5:
Take a step back - if you notice any tummy upsets, slow it down and take a step back.
Please send us photos when the big day arrives!🐶
Please note these are feeding guidelines only. We understand you know your pooch best so it's totally understood that you may need to make some changes to suit them.