When Can Dogs Be Bathed After Delivery?

Your dog giving birth is a joyous occasion, but the event does tend to be a messy one. Keeping Sasha's nesting box clean is vital to her health and the health of the puppies, and keeping Sasha clean is one step in accomplishing that. You should change out the bedding once your dog is done giving birth. She'll clean her puppies. You'll want to give her a bath, but you shouldn't do it right away.

  1. Wait Awhile

    • There's more than one reason to hold off giving your dog a bath after her pups are delivered. In the first few days after giving birth, Sasha won't want to leave her pups for longer than a few minutes at a time. Separating her from her babies long enough for a bath will make her anxious. There's the issue of keeping the puppies warm during her absence, too, since for the first couple of weeks they're not yet able to regulate their body temperature. Additionally, if your dog has a thick coat, it will take a long time to dry, and even with a blow dryer you might not be able to get her totally dry. This can be dangerous for the puppies because they can become damp and chilled if Sasha isn't completely dry before she returns to nurse them.

      Wait about two weeks before giving your dog a full bath, says vet tech Jacque Koyle; mama and puppies will be better able to handle a separation that could be up to an hour or more.

    Cesareans

    • If Sasha has to deliver by cesarean, that's all the more reason to put off bathing. Getting her surgical wound wet opens the door for infection. It's usually advised that you don't bathe your dog for at least 10 days after a surgical procedure like a c-section or spaying.

    Alternative Solution

    • Even though giving Sasha a full bath right after she gives birth is out of the question, you'll still want her to be clean. Give your dog a full bath before she gives birth to get her thoroughly clean from nose to tail. After the puppies are born, spot cleaning is the best way to keep Sasha fresh. Puppy wipes or even just a rag and warm water can be used to wipe down Sasha's teats and hind quarters within a few hours after delivery. You can repeat the spot cleaning daily or as needed until you can give Sasha a full bath again.

    The Pups

    • Sasha will do a pretty good job keeping her puppies clean, but sometimes pups can get surprisingly dirty. Whether they've tromped through the dog food, rolled in the dirt or their own mess or picked up ink from the newspaper you laid down in their box, there are times you might need to do more than just clean them up with puppy wipes. Besides, getting them used to bathing will serve them later in life, especially if their coat type needs professional grooming. You can bathe a puppy that is as young as 3 weeks old, if necessary. Use a gentle, puppy formula shampoo and keep the suds away from their little faces to avoid getting the lather in their eyes. Rinse and dry them thoroughly to keep their skin healthy and to keep them from catching a chill.