Originally Posted by angelof7  DOG LABOR STAGES
EXHAUSTING BUT REWARDING
Restless, Nesting, Panting, Vomiting, and Crying during each contraction.
LABOR CAN LAST 4 - 24 HOURS
Now that we did all of our homework and fed mommy appropriately with plenty of protein, the puppies grew and grew and grew!
The first sign that the new puppy-family is on the way usually is signaled by the bitch's lack of interest in food about twenty-four hours
before whelping. Then you may notice she will lick at her vulva and have slight abdominal cramping. Then the abdominal
contractions become more frequent...about every half hour. All of a sudden you may notice a shiny, grayish sac drooping through the
vulva; it looks like a gray water balloon. The bitch may walk around with this hanging out and will often open the "water sac" and a
clear fluid will run out. The pup's on the way! In most cases the pup will be delivered within an hour of this sac being presented for
your viewing pleasure since now the pup is surely in the pelvic canal. The first pup often is the most difficult for the bitch to pass,
and she may strain quite hard and even moan a bit.
After the pups were born, Momma may not want you to leave her side. From the first contraction until the puppies are born is not as
fast as one would think. Although, all dogs are different.
She may become uncomfortable one night, then recognizably restless by the next morning. Start recording the time, length and
durations of contractions.
As the contractions got closer and closer, she may became restless, nesting, panting, vomiting, and crying during each contraction.
It is a possibility that she might have to rush to the vet.
CALL YOUR VETERINARIAN IF:
30-60 minutes of strong contractions occur with no puppy being produced.
Greater than four hours pass between pups and you know there are more inside.
She is in obvious extreme pain.
Greater than 70 days of gestation have passed.
Stages of Labor
Stage I
Cervix dilates.
Pups begin to move into position for delivery (six to 24 hours).
Your dog will pant, shiver and act restless.
She may vomit, and her belly may begin to droop.
She may be fearful and need your reassurance.
Stage II (The actual birthing process)
Your dog may lie on her side in her whelping box or other chosen area, or she may remain standing.
She'll whine or groan as the contractions become more severe and frequent.
Reassure her with kind words and a gentle hand (but make sure that only one or two people are with her during this time so she
won't feel disturbed).
It is a good idea to have a helper available.
This process will last anywhere from six to eight hours for a typical litter of four to six puppies, but a larger litter can take much
longer.
The amniotic sac begins to emerge from her vagina
Her "water" breaks and a straw-colored liquid emerges — one pup should come out within minutes.
The mother will tear the protective amniotic wrapping and eat it.
While she licks her puppy clean and helps to stimulate his breathing and blood flow, she'll chew and eat the umbilical cord.
The next pup will emerge in the same way, anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours later
Stage III (The afterbirth
One placenta is expelled after the birth of each puppy, and the new mother will usually eat some or all of it.
While your dog rests between pups, make sure that the newborns have access to the nutritive and antibody-containing colostrum
that her nipples produce at this point.
While she's giving birth, move the pups to a warm part of the whelping box, or place them in a box heated to 85 degrees F (29.4
degrees C) with a hot water bottle. Hypothermia (low body temperature) or cold temperature shock is a leading cause of death in
newborn puppies. |