Witnessing the birth of a group of puppies together with their mother is a tender and exciting experience. Dogs and cats give birth without the need for specific interventions ; There are, however, some things that are best to know and do before the happy event. Let’s find out what.

Dog birth: natural remedies

First of all it is good to prepare the nest box . Prepare a box large enough for mom to lie down comfortably and there is additional space for the puppies.

The box must be open at the top and have one side lowered just enough to allow the mother to enter and exit without difficulty, but in the same way it must prevent future puppies from going out. The bottom must be covered with several layers of newspapers and finally with light- colored cotton sheets that must be changed as soon as they become dirty.

The position of this kennel-nest is very important: it must be placed in a room that is familiar to the dog , but outside the passageways. The nest should be prepared a couple of weeks before the event, so that the bitch gets used to its presence and becomes familiar with it.

When the mother is ready for childbirth, she lies lying sideways , the body temperature, already from the previous day, is slightly lower than average, and the cervix begins to dilate.

The contractions are the beginning of the actual birth which on the whole never lasts more than 24 hours. After about two hours from the start of the contractions, the first puppy arrives, followed by the others with an interval of about 30-60 minutes.

When the puppies are born, the dog will eat the placenta in which they are still wrapped and will cut the umbilical cord with her teeth. Only when the birth is complete and the animal relaxed, the owner will be able to approach, taking care, however, not to touch the puppies yet because at this stage the mother is overprotective and her reactions could be aggressive. 

Cat birth: natural remedies 

It is possible to understand that the birth is approaching when the cat becomes more restless . Less calm behavior indicates that the time has come to prepare the basket that will house her during birth and after, together with the puppies.  

As with dogs, cats also experience a drop in temperature in the 24 hours before giving birth, together with a greater need for pampering and attention. 

At the time of delivery, when the contractions begin, the cat will be able to stand or lie down and it is easy for the breathing to become more labored and to purr.

Each kitten will be expelled together with the placenta, which will then be eaten by the mother, who will also take care to tighten the umbilical cord with her teeth.

The birth of a cat is on average quite fast and takes about 6 hours .