Health of the bitch

HEALTH OF THE BITCH
  • Each mammary gland and nipple should be checked at least once a day for redness, hardness, discharge, or streaking color. If mastitis develops, the veterinarian should be notified immediately. If caught early, milking out the affected gland and applying hot compresses will help prevent a spread of the problem. Sometimes, antibiotics are necessary. If she gets multiple glands with mastitis, the puppies will need to be bottle fed. The puppies' nails should be trimmed weekly starting within days of birth. This will help prevent some of the scratches on the dam's mammary glands. The deciduous teeth start coming in around day 11. Check the mammary glands of the bitch daily for bite marks.
  • The bitch will have a bloody discharge from her vulva which may be quite heavy for several days. It should decrease in amount and become darker and be almost gone within 2-3 weeks.
  • The bitch's hair coat may have become very thick and luxurious during the pregnancy. Around the time of weaning, the bitch starts to shed. This extreme loss of hair coat is natural and it should be back to normal in about another 4-5 months. This shedding is more extreme than a normal shed cycle and some bitches become quite bald. This is often called 'blowing a coat.'
Last modified: Thursday, 7 June 2012, 9:58 AM