Cleaning is a must whenever a mother dog gives birth. She is going to attend to the babies but needs cleaning for herself to avoid infection and the spread of germs. Remove dirty bedding from the whelping box. Take a wet cloth and clean her softly. Do not give her a full bath for a few days.
Key Ideas to Remember:
- Use a clean, warm, damp cloth to clean any blood or fluids from the mother dog’s fur.
- Be careful and do not force the mother dog away from her pups.
- Wait several days to bathe the mother dog after whelping.
Table of Contents
Method 1: Cleaning the Area Where She Delivered Her Puppies.
Step 1: Clear all the dirty items after she has delivered.
After the mother dog has finished giving birth, any dirty newspapers, blankets or other items should quickly be removed. These items may contain blood, fluids, and tissue from birth.
The timely removal of such dirty items reduces the chances of infections and results in a clean environment.
Step 2: Keeping the Whelping Bed Clean and Comfortable for the Mother and Pups
After cleaning the whelping box of the soiled material, make sure to provide a clean, soft bed for the mother and her litter. The older bedding has to be taken out and new blankets placed.
For the first few days, newspapers may also be spread, since the mother may remain constantly with her puppies and even avoid going to the bathroom.
Make sure the bedding is puppy-safe. Avoid loose threads, large loops where a puppy could get a paw caught, and any holes a puppy could become trapped in. Bedding that is too plush can cause a suffocation hazard for puppies.
Step 3: Change the bedding of the whelping box daily.
Whelping box bedding has to be cleaned daily for the first few weeks. While the mother will not move out of the box for the first couple of days, this may be done several times a day. Monitor the bedding closely, and if need be, change at any time.
During the first several weeks, the mother dog will do waste management for the puppies. So you may see the waste of the puppies in the bed. Cleanliness has to be maintained because a healthy mother means healthy puppies.
Avoid using any dangerous bedding material, like wood shavings or sawdust, that may be harmful to the bitch as well as the pups. Instead, use a soft washable material with disposable liner sheets under it for hygiene purposes.
Method 2: Bathing the Mother Dog
Step 1: Clean the mother by gently rubbing her with a damp cloth.
After the puppy is born, clean the mother dog using a warm, wet cloth. Wipe the hair and skin clean of all blood, tissue, and fluids, being careful to wipe back from the vulva. This will avoid bacteria growth as well as reduce the possibility of infection.
The next coming weeks will continue to see the mother dog passing fluids and tissues. Any mess made has to be cleaned properly in good time to maintain hygiene for both the mother dog and her puppies.
Step 2: Ensure gentle care of the mother dog.
Be very gentle when cleaning the mother dog. It is very easy to upset her by being rough. Be very cautious when around the place she has given birth. If you upset her, it could stress her and her puppies.
Also, don’t separate the mother and her puppies while cleaning her. Moving her away from them could make her upset.
Step 3: Deliver any retained placenta.
The bitch will naturally lick her puppies and eat the placenta after each birth. If she hasn’t been able to do that for all of them, then there may be some placenta that isn’t cleaned from them. When you see one, gently wipe it off with a preferably warm, moist towel.
Be cautious while washing them, particularly at the belly button area. Handle the puppies with due care, so it does not hurt them while cleaning.
Method 3: Maintaining the cleanliness of the mother
Step 1: Wait for a few days before you bathe your dog.
This is especially so in the first few weeks, right after giving birth, when the mother dog will want to be with her puppies all the time. They need to bond with her through smell, so do not bathe her at this time.
You can only bath her after two to five days of giving birth. This way, she becomes more capable of taking proper care of her puppies and bonding with her is better.
Step 2: Make sure the mother dog is dried off completely.
Ensure that you dry your dog’s underbelly very well after bathing before she goes back into the box. Dry her underbelly with the towel, especially when she has long hair. Let her air dry, if possible, for a few minutes. It’s a crucial step, especially for dogs with long hair.
A wet underbelly can make the puppies cold, which might lead their body temperature to dangerously drop and put them at risk.
The hair of a long-haired dog must be given a good drying with the help of a blow-dryer.
Step 3: Trim the canine.
Moreover, if you have a dog with long hair, you might want to trim the hair underneath the body. This might not only make it easier for the puppies to find the nipples, but it will clean up the area to be more bacteria-free.
You also may want to consider clipping the hair around her bottom before her delivering to keep things as neat and clean as possible. This can be quite important as if the hair becomes soiled from blood, fluid, or tissue during farrowing, you may wish to shave it off rather than wash it.
Conclusion
The mother and her puppies must be kept clean and comfortable after birth. Ensure that she, along with the puppies, is made clean and comfortable by making the mother undergo a very light wash, keeping her warm, and also handling her fur. Always remember to be gentle in cleaning her, allow her to go with her puppies, and make sure that she is totally dry before she goes back to her box.
Trimming her fur can also help in keeping the area clean for the puppies. Lots of tender loving care will make the mother and her pups have the best start in life.
FAQs:
When is it safe to bathe the mother dog after whelping?
Probably, one should wait a few days before bathing the mother dog because, at this time, she is trying to handle the puppies and bonding with them.
Can wood shavings or sawdust be bedding materials?
Soft fabric in bedding, as opposed to wood shavings or sawdust, is going to be safer for the mother and her puppies.
How do I deal with a case where the mom dog can be upset by cleaning?
If the mother dog becomes upset, back off and talk softly. You may need to reassure her before resuming cleaning.
How often do you need to change the bedding in the box?
Bedding should be changed every day, especially during the first weeks, so that everything is clean for the mother and her pups.
Do I need to cut the hair of the mother dog before the whelping?
It will be easy to maintain cleanliness, especially around the belly, by trimming her fur; this is not mandatory, though. This depends on your judgment and the preference of the mother dog.