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Pre-labor
Usually dogs increase their digging, restlessness, panting, and nesting behavior within the last 12 to 24 hours before whelping (about the same time their temperature drops below 99 degrees). She may refuse to eat just prior to whelping. You may observe some abdominal rippling or contractions, but you will not see your dog pushing at this stage. This stage can last up to 24 hours. Do not leave your dog unattended once her temperature has dropped.

Labor
Labor begins when your dog begins to push out the puppies. Sometimes dogs act like they have to relieve themselves and want to go out. Go out with your dog and watch her carefully. She may actually be delivering a puppy. Dogs can deliver puppies from many different positions, including laying down, sitting, squatting, and standing. Some dogs are silent while others grunt, whine, cry, or howl while pushing. Puppies can be born head first or rear-end first; each way is normal. Sometimes a rush of clear fluid comes out before the puppy.

When a puppy is delivered through the vaginal area, the puppy may or may not be enclosed in a fluid filled sac. Your dog should lick at the new arrival and may bite and tear at the sac with her teeth. Sometimes she may pick up the puppy in her mouth. When placenta arrives she may eat it. It is not necessary to keep track of the number of placentas she passes as retained placentas are not a problem in dogs. Dogs use their teeth to rip the umbilical cord near the puppy's tummy. If a pup only comes part way out, you can help the mom and gently pull on the pup (see below).

If your dog does not perform the tasks of licking and getting rid of the membranes, then you will need to help. Since puppies are very slippery, use your washcloths to firmly grasp the puppy and wipe away all the fluid and sac from its face. Rub the puppy vigorously until you hear a cry. Use the ear syringe to suction fluid from the mouth and nostrils. You can use the floss or thread to tie off the umbilical cord about one inch from the puppy's tummy. Then, saw the cord with the scissors blade.

If the puppy seems to be lifeless or gasping for breath, firmly grasp the puppy and washcloth in both hands, puppy's tummy toward the ground. Support the puppy's neck well. Swing the puppy firmly toward the ground in an arc, being careful not to let the puppy hit the ground or other objects. Repeat this several times, rubbing the puppy vigorously in between swings. Use the ear syringe to again suction the mouth and nostrils. This procedure should clear the lungs of fluid and stimulate the puppy. The puppy's mucous membranes should be pink when it is doing well.

Once the puppy is cleaned up, dried off, and breathing well, weigh it and record its weight. Daily weighing of the pups is important and is the easiest method for making sure they are doing well. If all your puppies look alike, you can mark them each with a nail polish on different toes or different places on their bodies. You can also use different color ribbon. Make certain to change the ribbons as the puppies get bigger. Check the puppies frequently to make certain they do not get caught by their collars.

After the puppy is weighed, place it with its mother. Help the puppy find a nipple and latch on. Watch to make sure it does not slip off the nipple. You may need to open its mouth and place it on the nipple to help it get the idea. It is important that each puppy gets some of the milk on the first day, since it has special antibodies. Contented puppies nurse vigorously and sleep quietly, although they twitch and move while sleeping. Newborn puppies that are constantly crying are probably hungry, cold, or uncomfortable.

Your dog should deliver each puppy within about one hour of continuous pushing. She may rest for several hours (or several minutes) between puppies. Provide her with some food and water during the delivery period, although she may not want to eat or drink. Delivering a large litter may take over 12 hours, including rest periods. It is a good idea to have a shoe box lined with towels available in which to place pups while the mother delivers the next puppy. This small box must be kept at about 85 degrees. Use a heating pad buried under several layers of towels or a light bulb above the box. Monitor the temperature with the room thermometer. NEVER place puppies directly on the heating pad or they may burn. Then put all the pups back with the mother between delivery of pups. Nursing puppies stimulate uterine contractions and may help keep the labor moving along.

Important signs to watch for during delivery:

If you see any green discharge BEFORE the first puppy arrives, please call your veterinarian. Green discharge AFTER the first puppy arrives is NORMAL.
If your dog strains continuously for one hour and no puppy arrives, please call your veterinarian. A puppy may be stuck somewhere in the birth canal.
Puppy stuck in the birth canal
Sometimes puppies get lodged just before making it all the way out. You may be able to help move the puppy along. If you can see part of the puppy hanging out of the vaginal area, use a washcloth to firmly grasp the puppy. Make certain that you are able grasp more than one tiny body part. If just one leg is out, gently feel around to see if the other leg is accessible. Once you have a good grasp maintain gentle, steady pressure DOWNWARD, in the direction of the line of the birth mother's tail since that is the direction of the birth canal. As she pushes, you need to increase your pull; when she stops pushing, maintain the puppy's position rather than letting it get sucked back in. The puppy should come out within a minute or so. If you can not grasp the puppy, or if no progress is made, please call and bring your dog in IMMEDIATELY.

After the puppies have all arrived
Once you are certain that all the puppies have arrived clean up the area and put the puppies with their mother in the box. Make sure the mother has had a chance to relieve herself, although it may be difficult to get her to leave the pups. The mother will continue to have a great deal of discharge for the next few weeks. She may also pass some placentas after all the pups have arrived. The discharge during this period may be red, brown, green, or black in color. Watch for any signs of pus in the discharge. Also watch the mother for refusal to eat, fever, or listlessness. Contact your veterinarian immediately if any of these signs are present.

Generally, the mother should eat heartily for the next few weeks. If she has three or fewer puppies feed her the regular amount of food. If her litter is larger, feed her as much food as she wants. Divide her food into several meals, rather than giving her one huge meal a day. It is also very important that she have free access to fresh water at all times, as this helps maintain milk production.

Puppies are unable to maintain their own body temperatures during the first week of life. The mother's mammary glands provide the heat, as well as the food, for the puppies. They will cuddle up to her or "dog pile" on each other when they are not nursing. Keep the puppy area warm and draft free. A room temperature of about 70 degrees should be sufficient. If the mother is in the box with the pups, there is no need to use a heat lamp or heating pad, in fact these may confuse the puppies about where to go to get food, make the mother very uncomfortable, or overheat the pups. If the pups are in a large area without their mother, then a carefully placed heat lamp may be helpful in cold weather. Ask your veterinarian for details.

As previously noted, it is very important to monitor the puppies' weights on a daily basis. Sometimes the pups may lose a tiny bit of weight the first day, but after that they should make steady gains. Weight loss or lack of weight are important signs that the puppy is not doing well. Make certain that each puppy is getting sufficient time at a nipple several times throughout the day. Note if any pups are not able to hold onto the nipple, are pushed away from the mother on a regular basis, or have milk coming out of their noses. Check their umbilical areas for signs of redness or infection. Contact your veterinarian if you notice any of these signs.

The mother should stimulate the puppies to eliminate on a regular basis by licking them vigorously. If she does not lick them, it is important that you stimulate them. Take a cotton ball or washcloth and soak it in warm water. Squeeze out the extra water and gently wipe the area from under the puppy's tail to its tummy. Make sure to include the penis for the boy puppies. As the pups get older the mother will usually continue to lick them, as well as lick up any puddles or piles they leave.
Pet Health Topics

► Toxins
► Medications
► Whelping (Dogs)
► Puppy Care
► Kitten Care