WELL, now that we have cared for and adequately fed our prospective mother, the time has arrived for her to deliver her puppies/kittens.
For me, the guiding principle has always been: Let the mothers take care of themselves. The least interference from the owners may turn out to be the best procedure. Having said that, the caregiver must keep a watchful eye, and act if necessary, and with veterinary advice – directly or via columns such as “Pet Care”.
The following would represent some “dos and don’ts” relative to the owner’s involvement in the whelping/kittening of their wards:
1. Firstly, we must be able to recognise when she is about to give birth to the offspring.
a) She gets restless; she gives the impression that she is searching for something – which in fact she is. She is looking for an appropriate place to deliver her babies.
b) In the attempt to make her “nest”, she might dig a hole in the earth – somewhere secluded under the house. She might hide in a cupboard. (Cats are especially prone to seclusion and human avoidance. The cats of my youth had a predilection for our wardrobe).
c) She might go off food.
d) Her breasts become swollen. If you pull at the nipples, you will observe droplets of milk.
e) The abdomen is very distended.
f) Her body temperature may drop below 100°F/38°C.
2. Organise a whelping/kittening box if you can. If not, just put together some old clothes, towels, or newspapers in a secluded corner. Do this about a week before she is scheduled to give birth, so that she grows accustomed to her “delivery bed”. The size of the whelping/kittening box is dependent on the size of the mother. She must have space to manoeuvre without crushing the newborn puppies/kittens.
3. Dogs/cats generally do not like too many strange faces peeping at them when they are about to give birth. So, please keep your well-meaning neighbours and friends away from the dog/cat when she is about to give birth. (It would be remiss of me not to mention that some dogs actually seem to feel reassured when they know that the caregiver, with whom they have bonded, is close by. A gentle petting of the bitch’s head accompanied by some soothing and endearing words could be calming, and will do no harm – just don’t overdo it).
4. The general environment must be familiar as well as conducive to an easy birth (no draft, relatively isolated, no human traffic, no noise, clean).
5. The bedding for the new pup/kitten must not be sawdust or straw, which could get into the mother’s and her newborns’ respiratory passages and create difficulties. The newspapers/soiled cloths and towels should be changed regularly.
6. If the cat/dog is of the long-haired breeds, then you should carefully clip the hair from around the breasts and vulva, or let your vet do it for you.
Next week, we shall discuss if, when, and how the caregiver could assist in the delivery of puppies/kittens should birthing problems arise.
It has been reported that our colleague Dr. Nardeo Bassoodeo has carried out 107 surgical interventions which have the potential of being entered into the Guinness Book of World Records. The spays and neuterings were implemented in association with “Paws for a Cause Inc. over an 11-hour non-stop period. Congratulations should be in order!
