Whelping & Queening A Litter
Giving birth can be an overwhelming process for pets, especially if complications arise. At our office, we offer whelping and queening services along with neonatal care for pet owners and breeders.
The process of giving birth for canines (whelping) and felines (queening) is instinctual, but some pet owners prefer to have a veterinarian assist with the birthing process, especially for breeds that are known to have troubles. Some common reasons for assistance with whelping or queening a littler include:
- Certain breeds (e.g. Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, and Persian Cats) tend to have difficulties delivering their offspring, and a Cesarean section might be necessary. Having a veterinarian present and prepared makes the transition from a live birth to surgical extraction of the newborns easy and risk-free.
- If newborns are premature, a veterinarian can nurture them to adequate health and help prevent loss of multiple newborns.
- Occasionally a litter has one or multiple still borns (non-living babies). These can hinder the birth of live offspring. A veterinarian is properly trained to handle a stillborn so birthing the rest of the litter isn’t disrupted.
- Mammary glands can become infected or blocked. As a result, the offspring cannot feed. Under close veterinary care this issue can promptly be addressed before it results in infant death.
The process of giving birth for canines (whelping) and felines (queening) is instinctual, but some pet owners prefer to have a veterinarian assist with the birthing process, especially for breeds that are known to have troubles. Some common reasons for assistance with whelping or queening a littler include:
- Certain breeds (e.g. Boston Terriers, Bulldogs, and Persian Cats) tend to have difficulties delivering their offspring, and a Cesarean section might be necessary. Having a veterinarian present and prepared makes the transition from a live birth to surgical extraction of the newborns easy and risk-free.
- If newborns are premature, a veterinarian can nurture them to adequate health and help prevent loss of multiple newborns.
- Occasionally a litter has one or multiple still borns (non-living babies). These can hinder the birth of live offspring. A veterinarian is properly trained to handle a stillborn so birthing the rest of the litter isn’t disrupted.
- Mammary glands can become infected or blocked. As a result, the offspring cannot feed. Under close veterinary care this issue can promptly be addressed before it results in infant death.
