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| BREEDING The following information is intended for those who are considering or beginning the process of breeding. 1st important note, Do Not use any kind of Flea Treatment during pregnancy as this can have a disastrous effect on the puppies. Make sure that you worm your female for Hook Worms and Round Worms BEFORE breeding as they can be passed on to the puppies and can cause death. With that said, We will start by assuming that you have already chosen your Stud. You will need to have your female Artificially Inseminated at your vet. You can do this with your desired Stud present or if you have chosen a Stud in which the sperm had to be shipped to you~ you will need to take that sperm with you to your vet. After insemination you will then want to confirm pregnancy. The correct time to do a ultrasound to confirm pregnancy is around 4 weeks. By the 6th week, you will be able to visibly confirm pregnancy. By the 7th week of pregnancy, additional food intake is required. For every 2 cups of food given, add another 1/2 cup. Do this at every feeding for the remainder of the pregnancy. If your female becomes constipated, add a small amount of mineral oil to her food until the condition clears. About a week before her estimated due date, your female should be introduced to a whelping area. The whelping area should be quiet, secluded, warm and dry. After the 59th day of pregnancy, you should carefully watch for signs of whelping. The gestation period normally lasts 9 weeks, but can vary from 61 to 65 days. During the last week of pregnancy, your female will have to urinate much more often than normal. It is important that you let her out more frequently, so that she can eliminate excess fluids. She will begin to appear nervous and uncomfortable, while she is in fact looking for her whelping spot. She may begin vomiting, shivering or panting and scratch at her bedding trying to nest. Two or Three days before the expected date of delivery, your female's temperature should be noted. Approximately 12 to 24 hours before labor begins, the rectal temp drops from a normal 101.5 F to 99 F. The drop in temp indicates that delivery is near. Unless a emergency C-Section is required, the choice for Free-Whelping or a elective C-Section should be made well in advance of the expected delivery date. There are Pros and Cons regarding Elective C-Sections versus letting your Bulldog Free-Whelp. Free Whelping can be dangerous, and you will need your vet on call if you end up requiring a emergency C-Section. At the 1st sign of trouble you need to get your female Vet Assisted Help IMMEDIATELY. A puppy can turn sideways or the head can be to large and easily block the birth canal. This can be fatal to both puppies and mom. So, please decide very carefully and with much thought before deciding on Free-Whelping. However, if C-Section is chosen, you will have to keep the puppies on a heating pad, bottle feeding them every 2 hours around the clock for the 1st few days. You will have to let them be with mom for only short feedings to get her milk to come in. By the 2nd day, she should have a supply enough to feed the pups from her own milk every 2 hours. However, you may still need to supplement with bottle feeding as well. Please keep in mind that her body may need a day or two to catch up with what has happened. She was pregnant one minute and the next minute she wakes up with a litter of puppies. This may also cause her milk production to be late. And dont forget that she will need lots of extra care as well - she just had a very serious and painful surgery. On a last note ~ Please, Do Not Breed Your Female more than ONE TIME per year! She needs time to recover from Pregnancy and Delivery - rather it be from Natural Birth or C-Section. And Please Do Not Allow Your Female to Undergo a C-Section more than 3-4 times in her Lifetime! This can cause SERIOUS Health Problems for your female. | |
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