The ins and outs of labour
It would take me ages to walk home from primary school because I would talk to all the cats along the way. And, sometimes, they would inevitably follow me home.
Several of these cats mysteriously produced small furry kittens after a short time and it was all amazing to a small boy.
Nowadays, being a vet means that I rarely see a normal birth.
Lea is a 2-year-old healthy tortoiseshell moggy whose mum called us at the hospital this week saying Lea had produced two healthy kittens, but appeared to still have a large belly and was still unsettled.
After another hour, during which Lea had only shown a few weak attempts at pushing, we organised to see her at the hospital.
Lea was in trouble, as she had a large kitten wanting to come out in to the world and she was unable to push him free due to his size.
This, as with people, is an emergency situation, so we quickly had Lea safely anaesthetised and ready for a caesarean. Unfortunately, in our patients, epidurals aren’t an option as they don’t respond to requests to lie still for us.
Caesareans are a real team effort, with one nurse dedicated to looking after mum and several others on hand to look after the newborns.
A special anaesthetic is used for mum so she is awake quickly afterwards and so the young ones aren’t too sleepy when they emerge. Warmth, as always, is another important ingredient, so we use special heat pads both for mum and the little ones.
Kittens are tiny fragile things and it as always a tense time for me after I pass one over to the nurse after removing them from the mother’s uterus. They seem to take forever to start moving and then squawking.
The nurses soon had two little wet kittens to revive, one of which was the troublemaker and, after 5-10 minutes, they were both moving around and looking for their mum’s breakfast bar.
Lea woke up soon after and proceeded to carry on from the nurses with vigorous licking and nuzzling of her additions.
Kitten and puppy season is well under way and some tips for impending parenthood may be useful:
Go out for dinner, go to the movies and sleep in, because none of this will happen
when the children come along
The majority of delivering of puppies or kittens occurs naturally and with no complications.
The length of pregnancy in a dog or cat is about 63 days. So, if you know the approximate mating date, which isn’t always possible:
Provide a low cardboard box or basket in a quiet, warm room where they can nest and get used to prior to the birth, although they will often choose your cupboard or under the bed.
Once it all starts:
When labour starts, try to leave them alone as much as possible
Try to check on them from a concealed distance or as least disruptively as possible. Don’t sit with them – this is the opposite to us and may not go down well with your partner.
Once they are born:
Limit handling of the kittens to an absolute minimum in the first hours and days as this can interfere with the maternal bonding
Weigh the kittens twice daily to check that they are gaining weight.
When to call us:
Whenever you like – seven days When the pregnancy is longer than the expected 63 days
Steady contractions have not produced a kitten or puppy after one hour
No straining for two hours after a kitten or puppy has been born and there are likely to be more to come.
Discoloured or smelly vulval discharge during pregnancy
When you have a vomiting or ‘‘unwell’’ mother-to-be.
Remember, if you don’t want more furry additions to the family, give the hospital a call on 357 9993.