If your Chihuahua has recently given birth to a litter of pups, it is normal for your focus to be drawn to all of those cute, snuggling, whining balls of fur. This is very natural and understandable. After all, you made it through the difficult part: both mom and the puppies are in good spirits and good health. You may now sit back and take pleasure in seeing the younger ones develop, correct? I certainly hope so, but please don’t overlook the importance of the mother. She still depends on you to monitor her well-being and pay attention to her needs. This is what you should do while your Chihuahua is in labor!
Signs That Your Chihuahua Is In Labor
🟫 Nesting and isolating.
Because Chihuahua mothers are so protective of their offspring, they always want to give birth in a secure environment. Nesting is the term used to describe this behavior. Chihuahuas should never give birth outside since it is dangerous for them to do so. Since of this, they will look for a warm, comfortable environment to have their puppies because they know that this will make them feel more secure.
🟫 Body temperature suddenly drops.
Chihuahuas typically have a body temperature of 101.3 degrees Fahrenheit on average. If her temperature drops below 100 degrees, this is an indication that your Chihuahua will go into labor within the next twenty-four hours; the sooner you get her to the veterinarian, the better.
Chihuahuas frequently carry their bed around with them and will scrape the fabric in order to keep the surface clean. Do not make the mistake of attempting to decide where your chihuahua should give birth to her babies. It is simply going to make her more stressed out to interfere like this. The fact that she was able to select the optimal location contributed to her feeling of control and safety.
🟫 Sensitivity (Sometimes they want you, sometimes they don’t).
Chihuahuas in labor may also want you around more. It’s instinctual. They desire a trusted companion throughout the procedure. Be there for your chihuahua during labor. After labor, your chihuahua may not want anyone around in the meantime. This is because some chihuahuas want to stay in a quiet place to feel safer.
🟫 Hardened abdomen and vomiting.
Female chihuahuas contract 4 to 72 hours before giving birth. Contractions may cause whimpering or yelping. If your chihuahua’s stomach feels different or solid, she’s already experiencing labor so prepare yourself.
Chihuahuas in labor also often vomit. Clean up and give your chihuahua water if she vomits during delivery to prevent dehydration.
🟫 Licking of her private area and enlargement of mammary glands.
Several days before she gives birth, your chihuahua’s mammary glands will swell. To keep clean, your chihuahua may lick the region around the birth canal after giving birth. Chihuahuas can show pain signals by shivering at times. A gentle touch and reassuring words can go a long way toward making her feel better.
How To Help Chihuahua Give Birth
🟥 Prepare a box.
Construct a whelping box approximately one week before the chihuahua is anticipated to give birth to her puppies. Both cardboard and plywood are acceptable materials for constructing this box. The puppies will be able to feel secure and protected within this environment. It should be about four square feet in size, and it should be situated in a part of the house that is secluded from the activity that occurs in the rest of the house. To ensure that your Chihuahua puppies are as comfortable as possible in their new home, you could line the box with blankets or towels.
🟥 Check the signs of labor.
Look for labor indicators in your Chihuahua. Her pregnancy status may be determined by your vet. Take the chihuahua’s temperature twice a day starting on the 59th or 60th day of gestation. She will birth her babies within 24 hours if it descends below 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Chihuahuas get restless and scratch their bedding. She may scream and vomit early in labor.
🟥 Help the mother to reach for amniotic sac.
Identify the amniotic sac as soon as possible. The chihuahua mother should push the puppy out of the sac and tear it open with her teeth. It’s perfectly normal for her to try to consume the sac, therefore there’s no need to stop her. You can help your Chihuahua clean its new puppy by breaking open the sac if she won’t or can’t. If it doesn’t work, try rubbing the puppy with a towel to make it cry and breathe on its own if you can’t get her to do it.
🟥 Cut the umbilical cord.
You should use clean scissors to snip the umbilical cord of your chihuahua puppy approximately half an inch from the mother dog’s tummy. After doing so, you should tie up the end of the cord using thread or dental floss and rub iodine over it. Towel-cover the heating pad and place it in the box you’ve prepared for the chihuahua puppy. The chihuahua mother will feel more encouraged to keep laboring if she can see her youngster from the box.
🟥 Go to the vet after the labor.
To ensure that all of the chihuahua puppies are born alive and healthy, you will need to help with the births and cut the umbilical cords multiple times. Once the birthing process is complete, you should let your Chihuahua relax outside, then bring her back into the whelping box with the puppies so that they can suckle. Within the first 24 to 48 hours after giving birth, go to the vet. The vet will check to see if she has experienced any problems.
Caring For Chihuahua After Giving Birth
🟩 Things to do immediately.
Any dirty bedding in the whelping box must be discarded and replaced with fresh, clean bedding. After your chihuahua has given birth, she should not be bathed. Use a warm, damp cloth to wipe her down gently. You should hold off on giving her a thorough bath for a while. If you want to make sure the puppies don’t become sick from any soap residue when they’re nursing, wash her with a light soap and rinse her off well.
While the puppies are nursing or napping, mother should quietly rest and sleep for several hours. When she finally opens her eyes, she should be wide awake and ready to care for her new litter of puppies.
🟩 Things to do days after giving birth.
Examine your chihuahua daily. Assess her appetite, water, urination, feces, temperature, and behavior. Puppies cannot regulate their bodily temperature. They should be kept warm in a whelping box if the mother chihuahua is away.
Newborns are most vulnerable in the first week. Keep the pups warm, draft-free, and away from other pets, neighbors, and their kids. Well-fed puppies should be quiet, eat, and sleep 90% of the time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. After giving birth, how should I feed my chihuahua?
A. Give her healthy food. Increase the number of meals without increasing meal size.
Q2. When may you touch chihuahua puppies?
A. By three weeks old, you can gently handle the puppies for reasons other than health care. You can gently pick up the puppies, hold them, and put them back in the box once their eyes are open.
Q3. After giving birth, how does a chihuahua behave?
A. If someone comes near the pups, she may whine and shake and become attached to her primary caretaker. She may also lick the pups too much, making them cold and damp.
Final Words
Knowing puppies are coming makes a chihuahua pregnancy exciting. Helping the mother chihuahua and her puppies through these early stages requires knowing about proper care.
Chihuahuas need frequent checks for illness, weight loss, and puppy behavior after giving birth. Before giving pregnant or nursing chihuahuas medications or vitamins, check with a vet. Finally, before changing your pet’s diet, medicine, or exercise, consult also your vet.
Here at ILoveChihuahua, we share our personal experiences as owners of this feisty breed. We talk about recommended methods, dog supplies picks, and advice on common Chihuahua problems. Our goal is to promote responsible dog ownership, so there would be fewer Chihuahuas in shelters.
