What are signs before birth?

Question

What are the signds of birth...like the night before it happens?

Answer 1

just some tips and info:] you might already know but i will tell ya anyway!

DOG
1. The first stage will last anywhere from 6 to 12 hours. She will clean herself by licking her vulva and become restless. She might try to nest by scratching around in her bed, or someplace in your house. It is best if you already have a place ready for her to have her pups. The "whelping box" should be lined flat with newspaper, along with shredded newspaper on top. Do NOT use towels or blankets as puppies can get wrapped up inside them and suffocate. Newspaper will not only absorb any liquids, but can be changed easily. She may not want to eat, and she will want to go outside more often to "go". You might be able to feel contractions.
2 -She will begin to pant and the contractions will be closer together during the second stage of labor. She should be in her special box that you have made up for her by now. She will scratch around more now, her nesting behaviour in full swing.
3 - She should be actively in labor at this point trying to push the pups out. Don't be alarmed if she cries out, or seems to not want to lay still. Some dogs will lie down to have their pups while others will be quite restless. Make her stay in the whelping box, talk gently to her, encouraging her as she goes. Once she begins pushing, the pups should start coming pretty quickly. It is normal for puppies to come head first or breech. If she pushes for more than 20 min, and seems to be straining, call your Veterinarian. This is an emergency.
4. When she delivers her pups, they will be covered in the sac and the cord will be attached to the placenta. If she does not attend to the puppy you will need to step in and clear the sac from the puppy and stimulate the puppy by rubbing it with a clean dry towel. Make sure you have a clean, dry towel on hand for each puppy born.A bulb syringe works well for clearing the puppies airway. If momma dog does not chew the cord herself you can use dental floss to tie the cord about one inch from the puppy and cut the cord yourself. Then give the puppy to mom so she can lick and continue stimulating the baby. If the mother dog wants to do all the above herself by all means let her. There can be a few minutes between the birth of each puppy or it is perfectly normal for an hour to go by in between. You only need to worry if she is actively PUSHING and/or STRAINING for longer than 20 minutes. It is extremely important for the life of the mother to be sure and call your Vet if this happens. More than likely, she will do fine, but there is always the chance that something could go wrong, and you need to be prepared. The closer it gets to her whelping date, you should talk to your Vet and ask about emergency situations so that you will know what to expect.
Be sure to take her to your Veterinarian the next day to insure that all puppies have been born and that the mama dog is doing ok.
Additional Information - It is normal for her to have a green or brown vaginal discharge for 6 - 8 weeks but if the discharge is bloody - bright red, call your veterinarian.
Your dog should continue eating a high quality puppy food so that she gets proper nutrients. She will need to eat more than her usual amount and more often throughout the day. It is also a good idea to check her mammary glands for signs of infection and continue checking her temperature. If she begins to run a fever call your veterinarian immediately.
More than likely, "mother nature" will take over and you won't have to worry about anything. But it never hurts to be prepared.

You didn't say what your dog is doing. Can you tell if she is in labor? Is she eating and acting normal? Are you SURE she is pregnant?
If she is straining at all, acting lethargic, have a foul discharge or has been trying to have puppies in the last day or so, you need to get her to a Vet ASAP!



CAT


Twenty-four to forty-eight hours before the onset of labor your cat will seem more anxious and restless. It will often poke its head about looking for a place to nest and have the litter. But be advised that in some cases nesting behavior can occur as early as three days before delivery. At this point confine her to the room you want her to birth in. This should be a darkened room with an impervious floor in a quiet area of the house. Place food and water in the room.

Cats that are about to go into labor will usually lick their abdomen and vagina persistently. There is often a discharge that precedes birthing but the mother will lick it away as rapidly as it appears. Her cervix will be dilating but no outward signs accompany this. She will loose all interest in food and become serious and attentive to only her licking. If you are perceptive you may notice an increase in her breathing rate. It is quite common for the mother to sit with her mouth open and yowl loudly or pace the room. As her labor progresses and uterine contractions begin pregnant cats will lay on their sides and intermittently squat and press downward to expel the kittens. Do not interrupt or disturb the mother during these periods – just watch from a door left ajar.

The first kitten should arrive within an hour after the onset of labor. Sometimes labor lasts only a few minutes before the kitten arrives. Other kittens should arrive with an interval of ten minutes to an hour between them. Each kitten arrives wrapped in a jelly-like membrane filled with clear fluid – the amniotic sac. Good mothers immediately begin licking the kitten forcefully, which shreds this sac allowing the kitten to breathe. This licking stimulates the kittens circulation and respiration. In the exceptionally rare case where the mother does not free the kitten’s mouth from the obstructing membrane the owner should do it for her and follow this with a vigorous rubbing of the kitten in a soft towel to dry it and stimulate respiration. The mother will also chew off the umbilical cord at this time. If she forgets to do this to one or more of the kittens, tie off the cord with a length of dental floss and snip the cord about an inch long. It is important to let the mother do these things herself if she will because through licking and mothering the kitten she bonds with it and recognizes it as her infant.

The mother cat will probably begin nursing the kitten before the next littermate arrives. If she doesn’t place the kitten on one of her nipples. The nursing will stimulate her uterus to contract further so you may seen a bloody or greenish discharge at her vagina. She may eat a few of the afterbirths. There is no problem with this.

It usually takes two to six hours for the entire litter to be delivered. If labor persists beyond seven hours it is wise to take the mother and the kittens to a veterinary center. While she is delivering keep her area quiet, calm and dimly lit. Don’t become involved in the birthing unless you are certain that you are needed. Once the last kitten has been delivered you can quietly clean up the mess she has left behind. Place a fresh bowel of water and some cat food beside her – mother cats don’t like to leave their kittens for the first day or two. She should spend about seventy percent of her time nursing the kittens. Remember to keep a comfortable temperature in the room – kittens can not regulate their body temperatures during their first six days.

In a normal delivery, strong uterine contractions are accompanied by abdominal contractions and expulsion of the kittens. The first thing you will see is a small, greenish sac visible in the vagina, which will be followed by the kitten. The placenta is still attached to the kitten at this time. It will slowly drag out following each birth.

Although delivery of each kitten can take up to two hours the average time is thirty to sixty minutes. A kitten should not spend more than fifteen minutes in the birth canal. While in the birth canal, pressure on the umbilical cord deprives the kitten of oxygen. If you should see a kitten in this predicament grasp it gently through a soft clothe and pull it with a motion that is backwards and downwards. Grasp the kitten by its hips or shoulders and not by its legs. It is normal for kittens to arrive either head first or tail first.

After birth, The mother may discharge a bloody fluid for up to 10 days. Cats usually lick the discharge up as fast as it is produced. Only become concerned if the discharge becomes pus-like or has a strong odor.

Things To Keep On Hand When Your Cat Is Expecting:
Keep plenty of clean towels on hand when your cat is expecting. Go to WalMart and purchase a bottle of tame iodine solution (Betadine) for antiseptic, some Q-tips and a pair of blunt scissors. Buy a package of dental floss in case you need to tie off the kitten’s umbilical cords. A baby nose suction bulb works well to clean mucus from the mouth and nose of infant kittens. If it is cold, buy a heavy duty-heating pad.

Serious Problems:
You should contact your veterinarian if events do not unfold as I have generally listed them. Also contact your veterinarian if:
1) The pregnancy lasts more than 66 days
2) The mother’s temperature has been below a hundred for more than one day
3) The mother goes off food or becomes depressed, weak or lethargic
4) A kitten becomes lodged in the birth canal for more than ten minutes and you can not dislodge it
5) The mother continues to have contractions for more than four hours and no kitten appears
6) More than five hours elapse when you are certain another kitten is still present in the mother
7) The vaginal discharge has a strong odor or appears infected
8) You counted less placentas than you have kittens
9) Kittens will not nurse or appear weak
10) A mammary gland (breast) is hot, hard or painful
11) Kittens mew continuously, do not sleep and are agitated
12) Kittens are not receiving enough milk to keep their stomachs plump and distended
13) The Mother’s temperature is over 102.5 and two days have passed since birthing

Answer 2

Temp is not the best prediction of labor. You know your dog best when she starts acting weird you'll know. When my dog gave birth she didn't eat at all that day and she wanted to be in a quiet place by herself. I checked her every hour during the day. When I took her out that evening to potty she tucked her tail when she was squatting and she looked very uncomfortable. At that point I realized she would have the puppies very soon.

Answer 3

What did the book say when you were researching before breeding the litter?

When you bought your ' breeding quality ' dog, did the breeder tell you ' give me a call and I'll help you if you need it ' ??

When you were at your breed club meetings, didn't anyone stand around talking about the litter they whelped, opening it up for you to ask questions about your upcoming litter?

When you were building your comfortable, safe and secure, private whelping box, didn't you think ' Hey, I should find out what I am looking for, so I'll be prepared when the time comes, so I can do my best whelping this litter ' ???

When you were putting together all your whelping supplies, didn't occur to you that the thermometer was for something important? Or that you should maybe read up a little more on the subject?

When you thought about asking for time off work, for the ' special day ' didn't you think ' HEY, I should know when that special day will be here' ???

When you went to the vet and had the ***** checked out, and you notified the vet that you had a litter planned / on the way, did it occur to you to ask him what the signs might be??

COME ON PEOPLE. Why is breeding a litter of puppies like some sort of game ?? If someone is going to breed a litter, they should learn about the whole thing BEFORE HAND so that they can decide if they are willing to put in the time necessary to properly whelp, and raise a litter of puppies. Forget whether you have a purebred, cause obviously that matters to very few people, forget your health testing even, cause that is even less important to most people. BUT what about learning in advance the signs, and what to expect... What if you can't do it, what if you don't have the time, what if you need a c-section, what if you suddenly have to go on a business trip, what if your kid gets sick.. Have you thought of any of these things??? Or does the lives of a bunch of puppies mean that little to people... That they are not even willing to learn at least a little bit about whelping a litter ????????

NO wonder the shelters are so full of unwanted puppies. If you don't know how to tell if the puppies are coming, then you shouldn't be having a litter, cause YOU my friend are the one big reason that the shelters are full to the brim of unwanted puppies and dogs. Poor animals that are put to sleep because you didn't have the fore sight or thoughtfullness to do you HOMEWORK!

There is very good reason that everyone jumps down someone's throat when they ask ' is my dog pregnant ' or when they ask ' how do I tell if my dog is going into labour ' or ' how do I figure out how to breed my dogs '

With all the information available on the internet, it's far easier today to learn about whelping a litter than it was 20 years ago... USE IT, You should have read EVERYTHING!


IF YOU don't know these answers, then you have a whole lot of research to do before you even think about breeding a litter. STOP buying intact dogs so that you can produce a litter of puppies that aren't being raised properly, puppies that end up dumped off at the shelter, puppies that end up going to people for FREE cause you didn't learn what you needed to do before you had the litter.

Just cause you have an AKC or CKC registered dog, and the breeder was stupid enough to give you a dog that was intact, with full breeding rights, DOES NOT mean that your dog should be bred.

Just cause a dog is AKC/CKC registered, doesn't mean that your dog HAS to have a litter of puppies.

Just cause your dog can produce a litter of puppies, doesn't mean that it should be producing a litter of puppies.
Just cause someone tells you that your dog is nice, doesn't mean that you should have puppies.
Just cause the people across the road would like to have a puppy just like yours, doesn't mean that you should have a litter of puppies.

If you are not going to put in the time, the work, the effort to properly learn and whelp a litter of puppies, then leave the breeding to someone who has read the books, knows what to watch for, the person that sleeps in the whelping box for weeks at a time, cause they are waiting for puppies and they are caring for puppies, worried about puppies and just plain want to be there for the puppies.
If you aren't willing to fall asleep in the whelping box and have babies snuggle up to your face, and you aren't willing to risk getting poop in your hair, and after birth on your shirt and hands, and worry about sticking your hands where your female doesn't want your hands... Then QUIT breeding the litters that no one wants!

PLEASE!!!!!!!!!

Answer 4

Nesting is the number one-Your dog will seek out a private place and try to make it comfortable. Other than that, she'll sometimes stop eating, and will also lay down more than usual. Good luck with your new little ones!

Answer 5

Research before breeding and certainly before the b*tch is due to whelp would have been the right thing to do. Anyhow here is an informative site : http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/whelping.html

Answer 6

Usually they are drowsy and dont want you to touch them. They also try to find a very good spot to sit for a long time.

Answer 7

also there is a drop in her normal temp. it will go from 101 to 99 %

Answer 8

spay your pets.... this question has been asked 1000's of times,, so VERY SCARY to know that there are that many irresponsible, uneducated people out there -- didn't you think about asking this and tons of other questions when you had your dog at the vets for health screening BEFORE you bred her......

*************DP is 110% correct***********
*************DP is 110% correct***********
PELASE TAKE DP's words to heart!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 9

Good luck!

Dog and cat articles - on Pets.ca

Pregnancy signs in cats - cat is pregnant

Expecting kittens - Dr. Bruce Fogle DVM

* Early on, there are few outward signs of pregnancy.
* The cat may adopt a more serene disposition.
* Sensible nesting activity begins.

Pregnancy in cats lasts about nine weeks, but during the first half of that time a typical expectant cat gives few clues that she is pregnant. She hunts, rests, and generally behaves normally.

Under the influence of progesterone, the hormone of pregnancy, and with an ever increasing weight in her abdomen, she soon moderates her behavior, gradually reducing her activity level and resting more.

Is my cat pregnant?
If you think your cat might be pregnant, the first check her nipples. These become more prominent and pinker by three weeks of gestation. By four to five weeks after conception, your vet will be able to feel golf-ball sized swellings in her abdomen. At this time the developing fetuses are usually quite easy to count. Shortly afterward, her belly becomes a visibly enlarged.

Multiple fathers
Unplanned breeding of pedigree females by both pedigree and non-pedigree males, producing litters of both purebred and crossbred kittens, confirmed what breeders had long expected: a litter may be sired by several males. This could have a survival potential for the offspring.

In large cats, such as the lion, when a new male takes over a pride, it is not uncommon for him to kill all cubs sired by the previous dominant male.

The frequency of infanticide in domestic cats is unknown, but at least one highly respected world authority, zoologist David MacDonald of Oxford University, England, has observed a strange male cat enter a communal nest among bales of hay and kill six kittens belonging to three mothers before the cries of the survivors brought the mothers running back.

Risks during pregnancy
The greatest risk to unborn kittens occurs during the first three weeks of development in the womb. Both drugs and infections might seriously impair healthy development. If, for example, the mother is exposed to feline infectious enteritis (FIE, or panleukopenia) at this time, the surviving kittens will be born with severe brain damage. Even exposure to live panleukopenia vaccine is dangerous. Cats should be vaccinated before they are pregnant, to increase the amount of passive protection they pass in the first milk to their kittens.

Never vaccinate pregnant cats to increase the level of inherited protection. Never vaccinate other cats in the household of a pregnant cat. Live vaccine virus can be shed by vaccinated cats and affect the pregnant cat’s fetuses.

Pregnancy and hormones
During pregnancy, the production of progesterone rapidly increases, peaking at around the 35th day after conception. This induces the more serene disposition of pregnancy. At the same time, the belly starts becoming visibly more rotund.

Pregnancy can be as short as 57 days or as long as 70 days, but a few days before birth the female becomes restless and searches out her chosen shelter.

She rearranges her bedding material and spends increasing amounts of time in her chosen nest. This impregnates the region with her own scent, something that will eventually help her kittens orient themselves toward home.

As birth approaches, the mother loses her appetite and restlessly paces in the nest until contractions begin.

Pregnancy checklist
1. Do not even think of breeding from your cat unless you know you can find homes for the resulting litter.
2. Do not breed from your cat until she is emotionally as well as physically mature.
3. Ensure that your cat is well nourished during pregnancy, and especially after, during her period of milk production.
4. Test your cat and the proposed father, to ensure they are not carriers of viral diseases such as FIV or FeLV.
5. Do not let your cat "follow nature’s course" and breed with a feral tom. Feral toms are excellent breeders. They are also the most likely source of life-threatening infections such as FIV, FeLV, and feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)

Cats do not become visibly pregnant until after about five weeks. Shortly before this time, your vet will be able to tell you how large the litter will be.

A few days before birth, a pregnant cat will begin looking for a good nest, which she will scent-mark. This will help her newborns recognize home

Answer 10

hard panting, digging in her birth box and she might be thirsty.