How to Care For a Pregnant Bichon Frise / What to Do For of the Mother
How to Care For a Pregnant Bichon Frise? The term of pregnancy within the dog is around 60 days or nine weeks, during which your future puppies will develop from a couple of formative cells right up to perfectly formed little dogs able to come out. Having some guidelines to follow and know what to expect from successful conception up until the birth can be helpful, so inspect out week by week pregnancy guide to help you through the period of gestation.
Week By Week Timetable
- Week 1 – Some signs of Naseua – nutritional supplement
- Week 2 – Feed and Normal Exercise – Beging adding puppy food to the diet
- Week 3 – Watch for an increased desire for more food – give her what he will eat
- Week 4 – Limit Strenuous exercise – Puppies are growing – Consult Vet For More Vitamins
- Week 5 – Increase in Weight – Ultrasound if needed
- Week 6 – Tummy is growing – Nipples become Darker – help her prepare her nest ( Whelping Location)
- Week 7 – She will begin Shedding Hair on Her Belly in Preparation of Birth – Stop Puppy Food
- Week 8 – See and Feel Puppies Moving in Her Tummy – Avoid any hard Exercise to avoid early delivery
- Week 9 – Normally they will stop Eating Right before Birth ( Ours did it Approx 24 Hours)
Week one- Days 0- 7
Ovulation and subsequent mating and fertilization occur- although you need to mate female Bichon Frise more than once for successful fertilization. The countdown to birth begins from ovulation, although it is often difficult to follow ovulation independently and without testing your females body temperature daily.
Your female may begin to exhibit some signs of nausea. Be on the lookout for any potential signs of infection which could have been contracted during mating. A light pink discharge from the bottom may or might not be present- this is often normal, and no cause for concern.
Keep up your usual feeding and exercise regime but consider adding a nutritional supplement in consultation with your vet to support the pregnancy and your females changing needs. Do not use any flea treatments or wormers during the period of gestation without first consulting your vet.
Week two- Days 7- 14
During the second week of pregnancy, the cells which will become your puppies begin to grow and separate, and therefore the tiny new embryos descend into the uterus for the remainder of the period of gestation. Your dog should still be fed and exercised normally during this point.
Week three- Days 14- 21
During the third week of gestation, the embryos will begin to implant into the uterus, where they are going to receive the vital nutrients and life support that the females body provides during their time in the womb. The fetuses are under a centimeter long at this stage. Continue to feed and exercise normally but begin to watch your female for increased appetite and supply for her developing needs accordingly. Do not make any sudden or unnecessary changes to the content of her diet.
Week four- Days 21- 28
At the last of the fourth week of pregnancy, a vet or experienced breeder could also be ready to detect the presence of the developing puppies by gently palpating the abdomen. The eyes and spine of the fetuses begin to develop, and their faces begin to take shape.
The fetuses grow to around 1.5 centimeters long during week four. Your females teats may begin to swell at this stage, and she may have a thin, clear discharge from the bottom. The fourth week of fetal development is considered to be one of the most formative stages of the pregnancy when the growing puppies are most vulnerable to damage and developing defects.
At this stage of development, begin to limit rough play and particularly strenuous exercise in your dog. Consult with your vet about your females changing nutritional requirements and determine if you need to feed any supplements.
Week five- days 28- 35
The amniotic fluid within the uterus increases to guard the pups around day 32 of gestation, then you and your vet will not be able to detect the presence of puppies by palpating the abdomen.
From week five onwards, the puppies are much less vulnerable to developmental issues and defects. The individual toes begin to make, and claws and whiskers start to grow. The fetuses also develop their male or female sexes during this point. Your females weight will begin to noticeably increase at this stage, and you should increase her food rations now if you have not done so already.
If you have decided to have an ultrasound scan done on your female during pregnancy to try and ascertain the number of puppies and identify any problems, this is often performed during the fifth week.
Week six- days 35- 42
Your female will have a noticeably larger tummy and her pregnancy is going to be obvious to most people. Her tummy will grow daily, and her nipples will become noticeably darker. The puppies will begin to develop their markings and therefore the skin pigmentation which will eventually determine their color and appearance.
Increase the food which your mother is given to as much as she wants to eat. Increase the ratio of puppy food in her diet. You may well be feeding a multivitamin supplement at this time too. Start to organize the bed or box which the bitch will use for whelping and make it comfortable and inviting for her and well padded. Decide where you would like to locate the box for the birth and first few weeks of the puppies’ lives and encourage your female to begin sleeping there.
Week seven- days 42- 49
Your mother will begin shedding the hair on her belly in preparation for the birth- this is often totally normal and no cause for alarm! The puppies will continue to grow and develop, and now look almost completely fully formed.
Towards the end of the seventh week, stop feeding the puppy food you have been introducing and go back to feeding her regular nutritious food- as much as she will eat. This triggers the mothers body to begin to store calcium from the rich puppy food she has been fed until this point, an important mineral during the later stages of the pregnancy.
Week eight- Days 49- 57
Your puppies might be born at any time from now onwards, so be prepared! Avoid any rough and tumble play or stimulation which might lead to the onset of early labor, as ideally, your pups should spend another week in the womb.
Your female will probably begin ‘nesting’ at this stage, and you may even be able to see and feel the puppies moving within her tummy when she’s lying down. Towards the end of week eight, your female will start producing colostrum, the forerunner to her nutrient-rich milk, and then the milk itself. Continue to feed as much as your female will eat and prepare for the birth!
Week nine- Days 57- 65
Make sure you are ready! Your female should be well established in her whelping bed and nesting by now. She will likely become quiet and more introverted than normal, preparing for birth. Feed as much as your female will eat but be prepared that her appetite may drop off as the time of whelping comes closer.
Begin taking your bitch’s temperature several times a day, and if the pregnancy progresses past the 60th day, every few hours day and night in order to identify the impending onset of labor.
How to tell if Bichon Frise is Pregnant?
If you think you are seeing dog pregnancy symptoms in your Bichon Frise, the first thing you need to do is to confirm it as early as possible. Dogs are different from people. Signs of pregnancy in dogs are not that easy to detect, so you will need to look closely.
Fortunately, there are procedures to help you find out if your dog is pregnant including a dog pregnancy test and ultrasound. Pregnant dogs need proper care and nutrition, just like humans do, so it is best that you give these to her, right from the start of the pregnancy.
Over all the Years we Raised Bichons – we had one false pregnancy, Everything went according to plan except no puppies, Our Vet discovered this for us.
Early Dog Pregnancy Symptoms
Behavioural Changes
Bichon Frises are normally fun and friendly dogs. If one day, you suddenly notice a certain aloofness and irritability in her mood, then it’s time to get her tested. Pregnant dogs experience mood swings just like any pregnant woman. You can handle this by adjusting to her moods and helping your dog adjust.
Decreased Appetite
At the early stage of the pregnancy, your dog will lose her appetite and may even refuse to eat. This is normal so don’t panic. She’ll eventually regain her appetite as the pregnancy progresses. This dog pregnancy symptom is quite similar to morning sickness with or without the vomiting part.
Engorged Nipples
Early signs of dog pregnancy include swollen nipples. The swelling will continue all throughout the pregnancy in preparation for feeding the new pups when they finally arrive.
Sudden Decrease in Activity
Loss of energy to do things is one of the symptoms of dog pregnancy that you will probably observe if your dog is normally active. This sudden feeling of exhaustion is caused by certain hormonal changes in your dog’s body.
Weight gain and larger abdomen;
If the activities of your dog have not changed, yet you notice that she is gaining weight, then there is a possibility that your dog is pregnant. Observing your Bichon Frise’s stomach will also help you determine if she is pregnant.
What to Do if Your Mother is Expecting
The first thing you need to do is to visit your veterinarian. You’ll want to get your dog onto a good dog pregnancy supplement and make sure her diet is appropriate for a pregnant female. Your vet will probably perform some tests including a Canine Pregnancy Test Kit (which you can do at home), to determine if your dog is indeed pregnant.
The vet’s test involves getting a blood sample from your dog to determine the presence of relaxin, a hormone that only a pregnant dog will be able to produce. Belly palpation will also be performed by your vet. During this procedure, your vet feels the stomach of your dog for significant changes and puppy movements.
You may also have your dog undergo an ultrasound. An ultrasound is one of the surest ways to find out if your dog is pregnant. If you are a Bichon Frise breeder, you may want to have your own portable ultrasound equipment. If you observe dog pregnancy symptoms in your Bichon and confirm that she is pregnant, you will need to make sure that she eats a healthy diet.
Conclusion
We began giving our Females some puppy food in their diets when they were pregnant. Puppy Food has extra vitamins and nutrients that puppies need to grow and stay healthy.
This will help her as the puppies in her are growing. We did not continue feeding adult dogs puppy food. They would love it but it would greatly add to your dog becoming overweight.
Chart of Bichon Birthing Accessories
| Breeder Box | Do Not used Wired Dog cage |
| Heater | We use space heater for whole Room |
| scale | To Weigh Puppies make sure they are Gaining Weight |
| Clean towels | Chande during Birthing to clean up |
| Protected Space | Keep Mother away from other Dogs to avoid Distress |
| Draft Protection | Drafts can chill and kill a Puppy |
| Squash protection | Mothers can accidently squash a puppy |
| clean bedding | to replace after birth - will be wet |
| Seclusion | Needs her Privacy - she can get Hyper |
| Rubber Gloves | Keep things Clean and from Blood |
| Scisorrs & Thread | For Cutting Cord |
Bichon Puppy Loss Chart - Prioritized
| Reason | Solution | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| stuck | Size of Puppy Tiny Mom | |||
| not formed | ||||
| Not Breathing | ||||
| Heat Loss | Mother not able to keep warm | |||
| Not Nursing Enough Food | Scale - catheter | |||
| Cleft Palate | ||||
| Labor Stopped | Take to vet after Hours | |||
Puppy Birthing Complications
| Complications | Steps |
|---|---|
| If Unsure | Take to Vet If Time allows |
| Keep Mother Isolated | If Other dogs around she could get defensive and accidently Hurt Puppies |
| Puppy Accidentally Crushed | Make sure Not Giving Birth in Dog cage - puppies can work themselves through mesh and get Damaged |
| Not Breathing | Gently Give it Mouth to mouth |
| Not breathing | Massage Puppy trying to gently force fluid from his lungs |
| Puppy Stuck | Gently Pull |
| Puppy Breech | Help Guide legs out |
| Puppy Cold | Raise Enviorment to 85 degrees |
| Puppy Cold | Change Wet Bedding |
| Puppy Cold | Warm Puppy up put on Your body till body heat warms him |
| Puppy Cold | No drafts - No metal Floor Pan on Cage |
| Puppy not going on Nipple | Help Guide him to nipple till he gets hand of it |
| Puppy not feeding | Try Small baby Bottle let him suck - do not force him - can drown him with milk going in lungs |
| Puppy not feeding | Use puppy Milk Supplement |
| Puppy Not feeding | check for Cleft Palate |
| Puppy Not Feeding | Take to Vet - he can show you Catheter Feeding |
| Puppy Not Growing | Make sure Mother has plenty Food Water |
| Puppy Not Growing | You can check on scale |
| Labor stops or is prolonged over 24 hours | Take to vet - C section can save litter and Mother if needed |
| Mother does not Remove Membrane | You will Need to Manually remove it |
| Mother does not chew through Umbilical Cord | You will need to cut it 1/2 " away from puppies body tier with thread |
And Recommended Steps
