No matter how cute a pregnant dog is, giving birth is a stressful, painful, and confusing experience for the dog and the owner. Therefore, be prepared for unexpected things to happen.
To contribute and help in the labor and make it a smooth process, you need to understand the signs of normal labor. If you notice that your four-legged furry friend is suffering, you should call your veterinarian immediately.
As an owner, you will probably be left in uncertainty. However, your veterinarian can help you with examining the vaginal wall cells with a microscope and tell you a more precise delivery timeframe.
Observe the possible indications and signs that show the puppies are about to come. Unfortunately, your actions are limited because you can’t do much besides comforting your dog.
In consultations with veterinarians, we reviewed the 10 most common signs a dog is going into labor soon.
Let us guide you through the whole process of giving birth.
Gestation
Gestation in dogs lasts 63 days. It is challenging to know the exact time of conception because the female dog can get pregnant before and after ovulation. Therefore, your vet will probably say that you can expect new puppies between 58 to 70 days.
Female dogs have an exciting phenomenon, also known as false pregnancy. Your dog will show signs of pregnancy even if she is not pregnant. This may confuse you as a pet parent; therefore, we suggest you make ultrasound and X-rays examinations to determine how many puppies you can expect.
What Essential Items Do You Need for the Labor?
Here are the materials you will need to prepare before your dog starts delivering puppies:
- Blanket
- Whelping box
- Heat lamp
- Baby scale in ounces
- Bulb syringe
- Canine milk replacement
- Thermometer
- Canine bottle feeder
- Your vet’s contact number
If you keep yourself organized, you will make the process as smooth as possible.
Top 10 Signs That Show Your Dog is Going Into Labor
Canine labor usually lasts from four hours to twelve hours. Giving birth can be stressful for the owner, so here are the most common signs that show your dog is going into labor:
#1. A sudden drop in body temperature
It is vital to keep a daily chart of your dog’s rectal temperature during pregnancy. Dog’s temperature is the most accurate sign before labor.
The normal body temperature in dogs ranges between 100 and 101 degrees Fahrenheit. In the final week, you will notice that the dog’s temperature drops to about 97 degrees and remains low for two consecutive readings, taken 12 hours apart. This is a critical alert that little puppies will arrive soon.
Indeed, you’ll notice another rectal temperature drop, but a lower temperature in two consecutive days is the sign you should look for. After the temperature dropping, you should expect the labor within the next 24 hours.
#2. Loss of Appetite and Vomiting
Don’t panic if your pregnant dog stops eating and throws up suddenly; it is not sick; probably, it is in the early stages of labor. This will most likely happen 24-48 hours before giving birth.
In the last week of gestation, little puppies in the dog’s stomach will move into a birth position, organs will move from their original anatomical position, and it will consecutively cause a significant bowel movement.
#3. Nesting behavior
Sometimes, I wonder what amazing creatures are they? They instinctively build the puppy’s nesting place even before they are born.
However, pregnant dogs don’t always nest, especially if they have a safe nesting box. The best solution is to provide them with a low-sided box lined with blankets and newspaper where she can deliver the new litter.
When their labor senses begin, they will probably stay in their comfort nesting box or try to build one. This behavior manifests in the last week before the due date, and indeed, you’ll notice your pregnant dog nesting the whole day before delivery.
Most animals have a biological instinct to deliver the puppies during the night to protect them from lurking predators. However, as a domesticated species, dogs do not have any natural predators, so that they can deliver the puppies at any time of the day.
#4. Milk production
Swollen breasts and extended nipples are the first signs that the dogs start producing milk. Although, this is not a rule; some females come into the milk production before the labor starts, while others do after the labor.
Sometimes, this is an excellent sign that your dog goes into labor, but considering the range of time a dog starts lactating, this is not an accurate indicator.
#5. Lethargic behavior
In the final days before dogs go into labor, they tend to spend resting time before carrying their litter which requires a lot of energy. Some visual facial expressions or body language of your dog may show worried and anxious behavior before the labor begins.
You may notice brows furrowing and watery eyes and gluing to your side and cuddling. If your puppy seems more sluggish during the pregnancy, don’t panic, it could be a notice that the labor is about to begin. Your job is to provide her with encouragement and love.
#6. Excessive panting
Excessive panting dogs show panting due to aiding temperature regulation or physical exertion. However, this behavior is not seen while resting or the ambient temperature is not high.
When dogs pant excessively in cycles followed by a short pause, it could signify that the labor begins. It is one of the surest signs that the labor started.
#7. Shivering
Usually, onset shivering indicates that the body temperature is rising. The dog’s rectal temperature drops for about 48 hours before puppies arrive, but it could sharply rise right before contractions begin.
The dog will most likely feel cold during shivering, and it is a pretty certain sign that you the labor is starting.
#8. Contractions
The female dog can undergo uterine contractions just like humans to push the offspring out.
If you are unsure whether the contractions started, place your hands gently on the dog’s abdomen and see if the stomach is rippling; stomach muscles tense up and relax during one contraction.
Contractions last two to three hours before dogs go into labor and push the first pup out. During this time, dogs are extremely sensitive, and they would want you close to them until the puppies turn out fine.
#9. Pushing
Once your dog starts pushing, you will know that your dog is going into labor. Dogs naturally know how to push, and they will probably lay down or squat on all four legs, similarly like they are trying to pass a stool. Since it looks very similar to taking a poop, it might confuse new pet parents.
They will focus only on pushing and defocus on the environment at this phase. Even if you try to help with the labor process, you cannot do much about it, therefore, call the veterinarian’s phone number and get immediate help from a professional.
#10. Emerging amniotic sac
The fluid-filled amniotic sac will begin to protrude from the vulva, and the offspring makes its way toward the birth canal. Before the first puppy arrives with the placenta, your dog must take several pushings.
Sometimes, the placenta can retain, but the dog will push it before the next pup makes its way through the birth canal.
Unless there are some complications, dogs don’t bleed before the labor begins. However, there are some cases of tearing the vulva when the first puppy makes its way. This is not something to be worried about because the tears heal quickly after the whole litter is delivered.
There are some cases where the sac ruptures as it comes out from the vulva. After this, the delivery will occur within a few minutes or even seconds.
The puppy could still be in the sac after delivery, and the mother will help in the opening by chewing the sac and tearing the umbilical cord. This will release the fluid, and the mother will clean up the face of the puppy and will stimulate it to breathe again.
A Few Words About Subsequent Arrivals
If you haven’t taken ultrasound or X-ray exams, there is no way to know the exact number of puppies your dog carries. Until the entire litter of puppies is born, your dog will constantly go through the process of delivering and pushing with each subsequent puppy.
In between births, your dog can rest for a few minutes or even more, but you will know that the next puppy is on its way when the panting and pushing continue.
Dog Labor Complications
In the perfect world, pregnancy and a dog giving birth is a magical process that you will share with your four-legged furry friend. However, the birth process is not always flies and butterflies, and your dog can experience many complications.
Complications during labor can occur at any point. One common complication is when the puppy gets stuck in the narrow birth canal, so you should grasp the puppy with a towel and take it gently before the next contraction occurs.
In rare cases, the head is the last part to emerge, so you must pull it with extra attention through the pelvis. If this happens, immediately seek veterinary intervention.
In some cases, contractions can stop, and there is nothing you can do on your own to induce the labor. This is another case where you should seek for emergency vet and take your dog to a hospital.
Your vet will apply oxytocin injections to induce labor and stimulate uterine contractions. He may also decide to perform a C-section if everything else fails to stimulate the birth process.
If the dog’s labor lasts for four hours with no newborn puppies in between, you should call an emergency vet or call your veterinarian.
When Should You Call an Emergency Vet?
During your dog’s birthing process, many things can go in the wrong way. You should be prepared for anything and call your vet to ask for help.
These are the situations where you should seek help:
- Unusual dam
- If your dog had difficult pregnancy in the past
- If the labor lasts for more than 24 hours
- If more than 3 hours of the first contraction passed, and there are no puppies yet
- If the dog takes more than 1 hour in between puppies
- If there are no more contractions before all the puppies come out
- If your dog experiences severe distress and pain
- If the newborn puppies seem weak
During and after the dog pregnancy, you should expect the unexpected. Therefore, your vet’s assistance may help the well-being and health of both your dog and new puppies.
FAQ:
Final Thoughts
A dog giving birth is an exhausting and long process, where the body goes through many transformations. We have great news: most dogs do not need any help with the birthing process. When the dog’s birthing process is accomplished, your job is to take care of each newborn puppy, place towels, and blankets on the whelping box, and be a responsible pet parent.
*photo by Romaset – depositphotos