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Lake Meridian Animal Hospital

Labor & Delivery

If your pet is pregnant or you are planning for pregnancy, consult with our doctors to have the right delivery plan.

Overview

The creation of life is an exciting time. We are here to support and help with your pet's labor and delivery with trained doctors, technicians and modern technology. Giving birth at our hospital is the safest and most comfortable option for your pet.

When should I bring my pet to the hospital for labor and delivery?

If your pet has become pregnant or if you suspect your pet is pregnant, make an appointment with our veterinarians. We will perform a pre-natal exam as well as an ultrasound to determine how many puppies or kittens you can expect.

As your pet nears the end of pregnancy, look for signs that labor is beginning. These signs include restlessness, anxiety, panting, pacing, nesting, refusal to eat, or even trembling. This stage of labor can last anywhere between 6-36 hours, during which contractions are occurring. If your pet is expressing signs of labor, call our hospital immediately.

C - Sections

In canine reproductive medicine, emergency C-sections are frequently required when whelping complications occur. We also perform elective C-sections to avoid potential problems during delivery, or to provide optimal conditions for maximal puppy survivability, particularly in breeds with known whelping difficulty such as Bulldogs. We are fully staffed to provide you and your dog with a smooth experience from beginning to end, including on-site pre-anesthetic bloodwork testing, safe anesthetic protocols, post-operative Laser treatment for faster healing, canine fresh frozen plasma administration to newborns, tube-feeding instruction, post-operative dewclaw removal and tail docking, an in-house incubator for puppies, and more. Our goal is for your bitch's delivery to be as smooth as possible and for you to feel completely at ease with puppy care before leaving.