Giving birth can be a frightening, confusing and painful experience for both the dog and the owner.
You will see strong contractions, followed by a clear fluid from your dog's vulva – a puppy should follow within the next 20-30 minutes. Puppies are usually born within 20 minutes of each other, but it's quite normal for mum to have a rest during delivery, and may not strain at all for up to two hours between pups.
During the first stage of labor, the cervix begins to dilate and uterine contractions begin. These contractions are painful and perplexing to a dog. She will probably appear quite uncomfortable and restless – pacing, shivering and panting. She most likely will not eat, and she may even vomit.
Delivery process can take anywhere between an hour to 24 hours. If labor lasts for four hours with no puppies or between puppies call your veterinarian. Traditionally, a pup is born within 45 to 60 minutes.
Step 1: Grasp the puppy with a clean towel. Step 2: Applying steady traction, gently pull the puppy at a slight downward angle. Continue pulling gently and steadily until the pup is delivered. Step 3: If you are unable to remove the puppy, contact the veterinarian immediately.
This stage of labor typically lasts 6 to 12 hours. At the end of stage I, the cervix is completely dilated. If your dog has not started whelping within 24 hours after beginning stage I labor, veterinary assistance is recommended.
ONSET OF LABOR: Within 6 to 24 hours of the onset of labor, the mother will become extremely nervous and restless (whining, crying, panting, shivering, wants in and out, refuses food, etc.). This is normal.
Steady strong contractions have continued for over half an hour without producing a pup. Prolonged resting phase continues over 4 hours when there are more pups to be delivered. There is a foul smelling or bloody vaginal discharge. The mother-to-be has excessive vomiting or is extremely lethargic.
They are ways to help induce your dog's labor. First, take your dog for a short, and not arduous, walk. Second, try massaging her nipples; this can stimulate her contractions. Third, try gently massaging her abdomen starting at her sides.
Some pet owners try to avoid these costs by using natural home remedies such as rubbing the mother's nipples which may help stimulate the production of hormones known to induce labor. Others believe walking the dog in short intervals can help along with massaging stomach muscles.
When your dog is getting ready to give birth it is normal for her to refuse food. However, you should try to get her to keep drinking water. She will need the water so that she doesn't become dehydrated during the birthing process. Additionally, staying hydrated is crucial to her milk coming in right after birthing.
Steady strong contractions have continued for over 1 hour without producing a pup. Prolonged resting phase continues over 4 hours when there are more pups to be delivered. There is a foul smelling vaginal discharge. Mother-to-be has excessive vomiting or is extremely lethargic.
If the mother is still trying to care for any dead pups after a few days, be sure to remove them even if it causes the mother distress. Parasites from the decaying carcasses can be passed on to the mother and the remaining pups. If the mother or surviving pups seem ill in any way, remove the dead puppies immediately.
The best way to determine if a dog still has puppies inside her is to x-ray her abdomen. Sometimes, it is possible to palpate and feel the presence of pups, but occasionally a pup may be within the birth canal and be missed using this method.
Hardened Abdomen
Contractions in female dogs usually start forty-eight to seventy-two hours before delivering her babies. Sometimes you may hear whining or yelping during contractions. If your dog's stomach should feel different or very firm, this means she is about to have her puppies.
Stage 1 of Canine Labor
Some dogs have a very noticeable opening stage, and with some it can go by with them mostly resting. During the first stage of labor, dogs may be very restless and unsettled and mum may pant, shiver, nest and dig – this is all perfectly normal and a part of preparing for the actual delivery.
It may be challenging to obtain an accurate count of the number of afterbirths since most dogs will eat them quickly. If the afterbirth is not passed, it usually disintegrates and passes out of the uterus within 24-48 hours. This usually happens when the dog defecates.
The whelping mother will then go through occasional minor contractions for several hours before active labor with intense contractions. You will notice your dog panting rapidly, moving restlessly, whining and sleeping deeply during the first stage of labor.
Your dog's waters may break, which will be seen as clear fluid. In normal labour, your dog may show weak and infrequent straining for up to 2 hours (or at the most 4 hours) before giving birth to her first puppy.
Generally there is no more than 1-2 hours between puppies. The bitch's body temperature returns to normal at the start of this stage. The first pup is usually delivered within 4 hours of the start of this second stage labour.
On average, giving birth to an entire litter takes 3-12 hours from the start of contractions/straining. Exact timing varies, but most dogs give birth to their whole litter with 6 hours. The process should never take longer than 24 hours – any longer and the risk of a problem becomes very high.
Puppies can live in the uterus for up to 24 hours after labor starts. Dogs in labor for 3 hours without delivery of the first pup should be examined for evidence of complications. If you are comfortable with this, you may don a glove and do a vaginal examination to assess position of the puppy.
Stalled labor and delivery problems refer to abnormal uterine contractions during birth. There are 2 types of stalled labor and delivery problems in dogs: primary and secondary uterine inertia. Primary uterine inertia is a rare condition that occurs when a dog doesn't experience contractions at all.
Some breeders report their dogs' mucus plug being expelled up to a week before labor starts, with an average of about four to five days, but others report birth taking place within a few hours after they notice a mucus plug released all at once in a big clump, or the presence of a "blood show." The blood, in this case, ...