Mother Dog Could Die in Labor- Keep Her Safe

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Most dogs can give birth naturally without problems… but what happens when things do go wrong during the birth of puppies? It’s better to be safe than sorry! Here is some important information about dog labor and delivery that can save the life of a puppy or mother!

A dog’s pregnancy lasts around 63 days from the date of ovulation. If you need more help determining the due date, check out this post for all the details.

How a Normal Labor should Progress for your Dog:

Step 1: Prepare mom before labor begins. Set up the whelping area and help her acclimate to it. Days before birth, you may see momma dog digging in the yard, gathering soft items like clothing or blankets, and tearing bedding. This is called nesting- the process for mom to prepare a safe home for her puppies when they come. Mothers may prefer a quiet, dark, warm, cave-like place for birth. Making the whelping box like this can help mom feel comfortable and calm.

Step 2: Take your dog’s temperature daily to see when her hormone levels drop in preparation for delivery. Need to know how? Instructions can be found here. The drop in temperature often indicates that mom will give birth within 24-48 hours. If her temperature drops and she does not give birth within 48 hours, there could be a problem and it is best to call the vet to be sure.

Step 3: The body prepares for birth as the cervix dilates and the contractions begin. Nesting may intensify. Mom may act frantic or restless. She often pants and avoids food and water. There may be thick, clear vaginal discharge resembling egg whites. Make mom as comfortable as you can. Take her outside for bathroom breaks as needed but always accompany her as she may deliver a puppy outside. This stage can last for several hours, usually 6-12 hours before the first puppy is born.

Step 4: Puppies are coming! Each pup will be in its own sack, which needs to be removed so that the pup can begin breathing. Each pup will have its own umbilical cord and placenta, which mom should chew off. The babies can present feet first or head first, no problem either way. Puppies should breathe and nurse right away. Puppies are born wet and should be kept warm using a heating pad/heat lamp next to mom. Keep the puppies with mom when possible, but be sure that she does not accidentally lay, sit, or stand on the babies. Puppies are usually born within 30 minutes of each other, but a “whelping pause” of up to 2 hours is normal. Green, red, and brown discharge are all normal (discharge can continue for 3-8 weeks after delivery and should not have a rotten smell).

Step 5: After all puppies are born, mom will rest and care for pups. Contractions will stop. She will focus on her babies and settle in. Continue to watch mom for at least 2 hours as a whelping pause looks very similar to the end of labor (but is not the end)! Having an xray done in the last few days of pregnancy helps the breeder to know how many puppies to expect, taking away the stress of wondering if there are more puppies to be born or not.

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What Complications can I Watch Out For?

**Always discuss intervention techniques with a licensed veterinarian before using them on your dog.

-Mom does not know what to do. A new mother may be unsure how to care for her puppies and may need help. Umbilical clamps/scissors can be used to cut the cord yourself if mom does not. A bulb syringe can be used to help puppies breathe if mom does not lick them to stimulate their first breath.  

-Too long of a whelping pause. If you have an xray of puppies in mom’s belly, you’ll know if there are more puppies to come. If there are retained puppies but labor has stalled for over 4 hours, it’s best to call a vet to see what techniques he recommends. It may help to take mom for a short walk, take her outside to go potty (watch to see if a pup is born outside), encourage puppies to nurse which can stimulate her uterus to contract, use feathering techniques, and use the wheelbarrow method.

• Feathering is done by placing 2 fingers inside the vagina and curling the fingers downward, mimicking the feeling of a pup being born, or moving the fingers in a circular motion (do not hurt mom).

• The Wheelbarrow Method is done by elevating mom’s pelvis above her head for a few minutes at a time. This can encourage a transverse puppy to rotate.

-A puppy may get stuck in the birthing canal. If you can see a bulge of a puppy trying to pass through the birth canal, but mom has had strong contractions and pushing unsuccessfully for 45 minutes, it’s time to help! A tube feeding tube and syringe can be used to insert lube such as KY jelly or Vaseline or coconut oil around the pup to help it slide out. If the pup is within your reach, you can insert a finger and slide it around the pup to encourage descension. Do not pull on the pup, especially on the feet or head. If the pup is higher in the birth canal, a gloved finger can be inserted in mom’s anus to push down behind the pup and “pull” it along the birth canal. The Corkscrew Method and the Woods Cross Method can help.

• The Corkscrew Method involves holding the pup’s shoulders with a few fingers and gently twisting the pup in a corkscrew direction. This can help the birth progress.

• The Woods Cross Method involves laying mom on her back and pressing her hind legs to her belly to help the stuck pup emerge.

-Mom can be calcium deficient. It is wise to have calcium ready to supplement. Be sure to contact a vet before giving mom anything, and do not provide calcium before the first pup is born. Calcium deficiency can cause odd behaviors in mom- such as aggression towards her own pups.

-Green discharge before a puppy is born could indicate a problem. Green discharge is seen when a placenta separates from the uterine wall, meaning that puppy has a short time to live in utero. If puppies are being born, green discharge is no concern. If puppies are not being born, green discharge could be concerning.

-A pup may be unresponsive after birth. Rub the puppy firmly but not aggressively to stimulate breathing. Encourage mom to lick his face. Suction amniotic liquid from his mouth and nose using a bulb syringe. Use the “Accordion Method” to help expel any fluid deep in the pup’s lungs. Give the pup oxygen using an oxygen concentrator. A homemade oxygen mask can be made from a plastic cup- poke the oxygen tube into the base of the cup and slide the open end over the pup’s head. Place a drop of 5-Hour Energy in the back of the puppy’s mouth- only one drop- to give the pup some energy to breathe and nurse.

-Be prepared with your vet’s after hours contact information and have a backup emergency vet’s information on hand for quick answers. In the moment, it is very difficult to find the information you need while caring for mom and babies!

C-Sections for your Dog

Some dogs, like humans, can deliver safely via c-section if vaginal delivery is not possible. It is best to research your breed long before the dog’s due date to know if your breed is more susceptible to a c-section. For example, breeds with a larger head and smaller pelvis (French Bulldog, English Bulldog, Pekingese, Scottish Terrier, etc) may not be able to birth puppies naturally. Smaller breed dogs are also more likely to need human intervention at the time of labor.

A major, and little known, correlating factor to success at the time of delivery is litter size. When a female is pregnant, the fetuses tend to grow to fill the space of her uterus. That means that singletons (only one puppy) or even litters of 2-4 puppies can be larger in size at birth, increasing the difficulty for them to pass through the birth canal. On the other hand, litters of 5-12 puppies don’t have as much room in the womb to grow, so they tend to stay smaller. This makes it easier for these pups to pass through the birth canal.

Labor is triggered to begin by a sequence of changing hormones, including a drop in progesterone. The hormones may not be strong enough to even put mom into labor at the correct time if there are only 1-2 puppies. If labor is not beginning on its own, mom may need reverse progesterone testing (measuring her progesterone levels at the end of pregnancy rather than testing her progesterone at the time of breeding) to determine the exact time when puppies should be delivered via c-section.

C-sections may also be needed if there was an emergency during the birth.

No matter how your dog delivers her puppies, all that matters is that the babies arrive safely!

If you want to be prepared for your dog’s labor, here are some helpful items that can decrease your stress and save lives!

Your KNOWLEDGE will prevent the most problems and save the most lives. Here is how you can learn even more!!