Hopefully they are old enough and have received their health clearances first. Some things like luxating patella, cardiac, MPS VI, and Legg-Calve Perthes ect.
Average gestation is 59 to 63 days from the first tie (calculator in first link below) though can be a little earlier around 57 or up to 68 (time to be concerned and are more likely to need assistance or c-section at that length and more so on smaller breeds). During the pregnancy some of the standard prenatal care consists of things like confirmation by ultrasound or blood test earlier around 3 or 4 weeks to confirm and try and be sure she doesn't have something like pyometra instead and knowing whether difficulty is very likely based on the later visuals if not a general c-section breed (if your breed is prone to difficulty or a c-section breed it is important to know that ahead of time and preferably before breeding though it can happen to any dog).Towards the end of pregnancy you will do an x-ray or ultrasound. This is where we try to evaluate for likelihood of difficulty and c-section based on the pups themselves and things like their size and rate of growth leading to the whelp and how many and if she is likely to run into difficulty from exhaustion and things. Knowing how many if not exact is exciting but also gives you an idea of when she's done or if there is a pup left to decay and cause infection and even helps evaluate distress when she has stopped or seems to tired to continue or there is too long a period in between pups and you know there are more during a free whelp and things like that so is imperative and invaluable (and standard) when whelping.
During early labor the females temperature will drop to around 98. It is important to know when this occurs since if there are no pups within 24 hours of the temperature drop (active labor) there is likely a problem and the vet should be called (or if c-section that it is time to head in). If the pups are free whelped (non c-section) the dam is examined 24 hours after to be sure there are no complications (rupture, torsion, prolapse hemorrhage ect.) and retained placenta's or pups to cause deadly infection. She may need or benefit from an injection to help clean her out faster at that time (also to try and prevent infection). The veterinarian will usually go over the next steps and more common danger signs and problems (like mastitis and eclampsia) for the nursing stage at that time. The pups see the vet between 3 and 5 days old for tail docking and dew claw removal and usually get a look over then as well if all is going well.
www.askabreeder.com
http://drnelsonsveterinaryblog.com/2009/01/01/canine-labor--when-to-call-the-vet.aspx www.minpin.org
www.operationblueprints.com
www.learntobreed.com
www.dogbreedinfo.com
www.marvistavet.com
www.marvistavet.com
www.lowchensaustralia.com
www.bullmastiffsonline.com
www.wildheirlabradorrescue.org
www.dogfoodanalysis.com
www.bornfreeusa.org
Average gestation is 59 to 63 days from the first tie (calculator in first link below) though can be a little earlier around 57 or up to 68 (time to be concerned and are more likely to need assistance or c-section at that length and more so on smaller breeds). During the pregnancy some of the standard prenatal care consists of things like confirmation by ultrasound or blood test earlier around 3 or 4 weeks to confirm and try and be sure she doesn't have something like pyometra instead and knowing whether difficulty is very likely based on the later visuals if not a general c-section breed (if your breed is prone to difficulty or a c-section breed it is important to know that ahead of time and preferably before breeding though it can happen to any dog).Towards the end of pregnancy you will do an x-ray or ultrasound. This is where we try to evaluate for likelihood of difficulty and c-section based on the pups themselves and things like their size and rate of growth leading to the whelp and how many and if she is likely to run into difficulty from exhaustion and things. Knowing how many if not exact is exciting but also gives you an idea of when she's done or if there is a pup left to decay and cause infection and even helps evaluate distress when she has stopped or seems to tired to continue or there is too long a period in between pups and you know there are more during a free whelp and things like that so is imperative and invaluable (and standard) when whelping.
During early labor the females temperature will drop to around 98. It is important to know when this occurs since if there are no pups within 24 hours of the temperature drop (active labor) there is likely a problem and the vet should be called (or if c-section that it is time to head in). If the pups are free whelped (non c-section) the dam is examined 24 hours after to be sure there are no complications (rupture, torsion, prolapse hemorrhage ect.) and retained placenta's or pups to cause deadly infection. She may need or benefit from an injection to help clean her out faster at that time (also to try and prevent infection). The veterinarian will usually go over the next steps and more common danger signs and problems (like mastitis and eclampsia) for the nursing stage at that time. The pups see the vet between 3 and 5 days old for tail docking and dew claw removal and usually get a look over then as well if all is going well.
www.askabreeder.com
http://drnelsonsveterinaryblog.com/2009/01/01/canine-labor--when-to-call-the-vet.aspx www.minpin.org
www.operationblueprints.com
www.learntobreed.com
www.dogbreedinfo.com
www.marvistavet.com
www.marvistavet.com
www.lowchensaustralia.com
www.bullmastiffsonline.com
www.wildheirlabradorrescue.org
www.dogfoodanalysis.com
www.bornfreeusa.org
