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After giving birth to the bitch, it is common for the mother to generate a bad odor, both by vaginal discharges and by the puppies that are constantly on top of her to nurse. Also, if it's summer, the heat makes the smells increase in intensity. But as owners, we want our dog to be as comfortable and as comfortable as possible right now.
At PeritoAnimal we will try to answer a question that many owners usually have, if it's bad to bathe the bitch after giving birth. There is no yes or no, but time and advice to get the best results during the postpartum period.
Characteristics of a postpartum bitch
in the first 48 hours after delivery, our bitch will be exhausted, physically and mentally, as happens with women. We are facing a dog with little or no appetite, no energy, who just wants to sleep.Childbirth leaves them very stressed and they just need to rest, as in the first hours they have 6 or 8 puppies clinging to their breasts for 20 hours a day.
Your recovery will be natural and spontaneous, but in some cases, especially the first time, it can take up to 1 week. But there are certain precautions that we must take into account before giving him a bath. We do not recommend bathing you before the first week postpartum., because we don't want to add more stress to the mother's life and, the worst thing is that the puppies will continue to mess. You will continue to have vaginal discharges for 1 week to 10 days after delivery.
what you can do is clean it with damp cloths with warm water. This will make the bitch feel better, as no one likes being dirty and smelling bad, and we don't take risks with the little ones, who, as they still can't see, often even find the breast, suck anywhere and we can become intoxicated. them with the soap we use. You can also use wet washcloths.
In addition to bathing, there are other factors you need to take into account with your furry mom. We will explain what they are next.
The feeding
Although it is advisable to help a female dog with her puppies when she is very weak or seems exhausted, the truth is that the mother will take care of almost everything regarding the puppies, while we will have to take care of her. At the beginning we mentioned that it may happen that she does not eat for the first few days, but we cannot allow that to happen. The puppies will be nursing all the nutrients that live in her, so you must have reserves for her.
We can choose one puppy food, which is a very caloric and nutritious food for these stages of life. In general, we will need a food with many proteinsSo you might consider choosing homemade food.
O feeder must always be clean, to eat whenever you want, and the puppies allow it. It shouldn't be far from where she sleeps with the little ones. The same is true with water. The bitch lost a lot of fluid during the birth and now, breastfeeding the little ones, we don't want her to become dehydrated. If you see that she does not eat or drink, you should consult your veterinarian. Sometimes bitches are so devoted to their puppies that they forget about themselves.
Prevent breast damage
The breasts must also be under our care, especially for 2 reasons: for the health of the female and for the health of the offspring. We must make sure that the puppies are properly fed, that they have enough milk and that they do not just abuse one breast, leaving it almost dry and in pain.
The breasts can get sick, causing mastitis and a lot of pain in the mother, which will drive the puppies away, preventing them from eating. It can happen with 1 or more breasts and the main sign will be the appearance of fever or high temperatures in the area. You should consult your veterinarian whenever you notice these symptoms to treat the problem as soon as possible.
During the first month of life of the puppies, the baby teeth appear and, with them, the lesions in the bitch's breasts. Some bitches drive away those who can already eat alone, but when they still can't eat alone, you should be careful and separate them.
