SQ
Senior Member - Vegan for the animals
Here are some important articles:
1. Labor and Birth: http://ratguide.com/breeding/birth/labor_and_birth.php
This article includes: Natural Birth, Stages of Birth, Complications
1. Labor and Birth: http://ratguide.com/breeding/birth/labor_and_birth.php
This article includes: Natural Birth, Stages of Birth, Complications
Poor nutrition, hormonal imbalance, disease, stress, or even fetuses lodged in the birth canal are some of the things that may cause a birth not to progress normally.
Signs of possible complications may include distress, excess bleeding, pale extremities, hard contractions with no results, or the cessation of contractions despite the appearance of more babies. Darker, thicker blood spotting or brownish blood can be indicative of trouble. In the case of hemorrhage generally the babies cannot be saved. Blood loss of the female can be life threatening and may require an emergency spay.
Generally female rats will deliver with few complications if proper health, nutrition and common sense provisions for safe nesting and birth are applied.
Be sure you have your precautions in place before the litter is due. Inform your regular vet of the impending birth, research exotic emergency vets in your area, and have phone numbers handy.
Hopefully the arrival of the new litter will be natural and free from any complications.