Often the owners of cats and dogs, not even wanting to have offspring from them, are looking for a partner for their pet and mating. Many are of the opinion that the pet is obliged to undergo at least one pregnancy and childbirth during its life. Some attribute this to the fact that, for the health of a beloved cat or dog, it is imperative to go through these stages in life, others believe that a pet who has not given birth cannot be happy. There are such owners who do not understand at all why all this is necessary, but carefully plan the pregnancy of their ward.
So how is this really?
Meanwhile, pregnancy is a very serious and difficult period in the life of a pet. During the bearing of the fetus, the body of the expectant mother undergoes tremendous changes: many systems and apparatuses of the organs reorganize their functions, the hormonal background changes, the body's needs for nutrients and their ratio also become different.
On average, pregnancy in dogs and cats lasts 56 - 64, sometimes it can take up to 72 days. It depends on the individual characteristics of the body of each pet. In the first month of change, the changes are almost not noticeable. However, from the third week, the stomach begins to slightly increase, the mammary glands swell.
From the second half of pregnancy, the restructuring of the body is rapidly developing. Visually, it becomes easy to understand that the pet is pregnant by a round tummy, smoothness and caution of movements. Also, an attentive owner notices changes in the behavior of the future mother. Games and fun for pregnant darlings become secondary, pets become more serious, collected and attentive.
It is necessary to look after a pregnant favorite with special attention and care:
- qualitatively and competently change the diet (enriched with necessary vitamins and nutrients, in the second half of pregnancy this is monitored very strictly - it is convenient to transfer to special branded diets for pregnant women or provide food for puppies / kittens);
- pets are closely watching physical activity (exercise is very important for the body, however, many exercises are excluded and gradually reduce the activity of the pet);
- they carefully protect the four-legged girlfriend from drafts, freezing, overheating and other dangerous factors, as well as monitor the psychological comfort of the pregnant pet;
- prepare in advance a place for childbirth and the maintenance of mother and offspring.
About 1 - 2 days before the birth, the pet’s state clearly changes - the abdomen lowers, the body temperature drops slightly (normal in cats and dogs, the temperature is 37.5 - 39º C, before delivery it can reach 36.8 - 37.2 º C) .
Anticipating the imminent replenishment of the family, the expectant mother begins to look for a suitable place - she chooses a nook, builds nests and halabuds, so you need to carefully monitor the pet and direct it.
After a long preparation, finally, the moment of birth occurs. How the offspring will occur depends on many factors: the organization and management of pregnancy, the state of the mother's body, the conditions of detention, the quantity and condition of the fetus. In general, this is a complex and very responsible process, which sufficiently depletes the strength of the woman in labor.
With physiological birth, help is usually not required. The darling in most cases manages itself. However, it is important to monitor the process and keep the number of a veterinarian on hand, in case something goes wrong and the birth will be difficult.
The period after childbirth is no less important - the mother needs not only to regain her strength, but also to feed strong babies.
There is an opinion that a woman who has never become pregnant will get sick, unlike at least giving birth. In fact, both pet-bringing pets each season can never get sick, and have never been mated.
But if you reason like this, then one pregnancy does not affect the body of the pet in the future - this does not increase immunity, does not reduce the risk of infection with parasites, and chronic diseases, if any, do not disappear. However, if the pet has poor health, pregnancy and childbirth can exacerbate the situation. Therefore, you need to weigh the pros and cons, consult with a specialist who will examine the dog or cat and only then make a decision.
If the owner decided to rejoice at cute puppies or kittens, I’m sure that he can attach offspring and surround the pet with special care and attention during pregnancy, then it is definitely worth finding a pair of his ward.
If replenishment is not necessary, the owner does not have the time, finances, or even the elementary desire to keep puppies or kittens and spend efforts on caring for the pet during pregnancy - you can not torture yourself or the pet.
In this case, childbirth will harm more than help health. The same applies to contraindications to have offspring due to the health of the four-legged girlfriend.
Many people are determined not to give birth to a darling. In this case, it is worth considering the question of sterilization or castration (these are two different operations and are performed for pets of both sexes). Such measures greatly simplify the life of the owner, as well as protect the health of the pet. According to statistics, castrated and sterilized pets live on average 2 to 4 years longer.
As a result, we can say that pregnancy and childbirth undoubtedly affect the body of a pet, as it is a very complex and responsible process. However, the state of health in the future childbirth is not affected. The need for at least one offspring acquisition is just a myth.
The appearance of babies in a four-legged girlfriend is a true miracle, but it is very important to properly prepare for childbirth by planning a pregnancy, providing your pet with the necessary care and taking care of her correctly in the postpartum period.
It should be remembered that the owner is responsible for all puppies or kittens until they find a new owner!
