Watching animals grow and develop, learn, play and interact is one of life's greatest pleasures.
Ensuring an animal's health in these formative stages will help set a solid foundation towards long-term adult health and wellbeing.
It all begins with genetics. Healthy parents are likely to experience a smooth birth process and produce healthy young with no congenital abnormalities and strong immune systems.
Dystocia (difficult birth) can weaken young animals and deprive them of oxygen which can damage the brain and other organs. Cats and horses generally deliver their young with few complications, while dogs more often encounter difficulty. It is important to closely monitor and observe the process, helping to provide a calm, quiet environment for birth and be ready to act at any sign of a problem.
Signs of dystocia may include extended periods of straining unproductively and abnormal discharge (green, black or large amounts of blood) from the mother's birth canal.