Your dog’s birthing process doesn’t necessarily mean it’s over when all those cute and cuddly fur puppies are out. When your female dog gives birth, just like human mothers, her body goes through a lot of physical changes for days, weeks and some even months!
PHYSICAL CHANGES
“After giving birth, your dog will experience spotting, a process of discharging natural fluids that are mucus-like & bloody”
After giving birth, your dog will be physically exhausted and will show some post-partum panting. This will go on for a few hours and then will begin to slow down while motherhood slowly creeps in.
Aside from that, your dog will also experience spotting, a process of discharging natural fluids that are mucus-like & bloody, so there is no need to panic, as that is completely normal! This discharge is called lochia.
Monitoring the type of discharge your dog expels will help you determine whether her spotting is normal or already a sign of a serious condition that merits veterinary attention.
Bloody discharge after giving birth may be normal but if you feel like it has long been overdue, please contact your veterinarian as soon as possible and ask for medical advice. You need to rule out complications like postpartum hemorrhage, which can result from poor blood clotting. As pet parents, we have that internal “parent” feeling when something doesn’t seem right, follow your gut and get help if you think something isn’t right!
STAGES OF LOCHIA
The spotting of your dog will go through three stages. During the first stage, the discharge will be composed of blood and some shreds of fetal membranes. This lasts usually for 3 to 5 days. On the second stage, your dog’s lochia will probably become thinner and will turn brown or pink. This will continue until around the 10th day after your dog’s delivery. And for the last stage, the lochia will now turn whitish or yellowish and this is where the spotting of your dog will finally end (whew)!
MENTAL CHANGES
After giving birth, changes do not only include physical but mental ones as well. Just like how mentally changing being a mother can be for us humans, it is almost the same for dogs. Your dog will also go through mental changes for delivering a litter of lives into this world.
Mental changes include a variety and mix & match of emotions that will result in certain behaviors. When the pups are being delivered, your female dog is overwhelmed and excited that she puts eating and going to potty temporarily on hold.
Her newborn pups can also trigger strong maternal instincts in your dog. Your once calm and well-socialized dog can become possessive (or aggressive) to whoever goes near her litter. She will also become overprotective and will try to hide her pups from people or other pets at home she sees as a threat. During these times, it is best to give your mama dog a stress-free environment and some privacy.
POSTPARTUM CARE
Just because all the puppies are safe now doesn’t mean you can stop taking good care of your mama pup. Postpartum care for your female dog is important. Below are some pointers on how to take good care of your female dog after her successful delivery.
Monitor your dog at all times. Make sure you regularly check on her during the first week after giving birth, which we all know usually isn’t a problem, as our fur-babies tend to always be right by our sides. But in this situation, it is very important to constantly be checking up on her for various reasons, such as making sure she doesn’t roll over her pups, take them away from each other making them cold, separating them from each other, etc.
Give your dog a healthier diet. Mama dog will need all the nutrients she can get as she will be nursing her fur babies for many weeks. It is suggested that instead of giving her two large meals, you should provide her with several meals a day instead and give her easy access to fresh water. Increase the amount of food to up to three times her normal feeding and give her calcium to prevent milk fever.
Provide multivitamins. Not just any multivitamins but multivitamins that are specifically manufactured for dogs that will provide your dog the proper amount of nutrients she needs to help her body recover from giving birth and staying in shape again. Pet Parents® Multivitamins for dogs is a powerful daily health support.
House your dog and her puppies in a stress-free environment. While your female dog is lactating and recovering from delivery, stress should be avoided. It is best to not accept any visitors yet, so your dog can gain her strength in no time! The more time she has to relax, the less stressed she will be, and the quicker she will recover.
Maintain good hygiene. Maintain good hygiene and constantly check her mammary glands for any signs of infection. Inspect and clean them daily. Keep her away from all soiled materials inside the whelping box. Use a washable whelping pad that you can change out regularly. This will keep her pups away from infection. As your dog will continue discharging lochia in the following weeks, in this case, dog diapers are a great option so that your mama dog won’t be soiling the whelping box bedding and everyone’s comfortable, dry and happy!
Pet Parents® is the leading manufacturer of washable dog diapers and washable dog belly bands. We have sizes that will fit the tiniest of teacup chihuahuas to the largest Great Danes, and any breed in between.
We’re proud to say we are the #1 choice for pet parents and their pets. As Pet Parents ourselves, we strive to create products that help you and your pets live healthier and happier lives. If you have any questions about dog diapers or how to get the proper fit for your mama dog, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. We are always more than happy to answer any questions you may have
“As your dog will continue discharging lochia in the following weeks, dog diapers are a great option.”
