LoveToKnow Dogs:AllComments

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Hi Brent,

I'm so glad you learned something helpful from the article. Best wishes that your dog has a safe delivery. Let us know how the litter turns out. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

my pitbull is anysecond going into labor she is having 17 i cnnont belive this is crazy thanks so much for this info

-- Contributed by: brent

Hi Alex,

Aside from the info in this article, check out Canine Gestation. There's some useful info there about temperature drop and onset of labor. Beyond that, just try to be around as delivery day draws near so you can be with your dog when she goes into labor.

Good luck, and keep us posted. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Well last Saturday my girl was loosing quite a lot of clear mucas...I thought this was her plug, but a week on and she is doing fine, Millie is 8weeks this Monday so any time from Monday and I am so looking forward to our little 6 pups being born, hope all will go well and will let you know asap when it all takes place and if she does only have 6 pups....WHO knows could be more as some Vets do get the numbers wrong from the Scans!!!! SO EXCEITED. This is our first time for having pups hopefully it will go smooth with out any problems for my girl. Oh love her!!!! Got any tips for me to look out for as she is 8weeks this coming Monday. Bye

-- Contributed by: Alex

Awesome Carly. Let us know how the litter turns out. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

thanks Kelly for your comments. and yes i took her to the vet last Tues the 8thi took her in because i thought she was having a false labor. surprise he said she was due in 7 to 10 days. well she woke up this morning and wouldn't eat, i could tell something was different. her tmmy was very hard. and then she went and got in the cat box to sleep!!!! she has never done tht before. well i have to go looks like one is coming now. she has 2

thanks

carly

-- Contributed by: we are in labor

Hi Carly, and welcome to the site.

Actually, it's best to keep dad and all other dogs away until the litter is four to five weeks old. This is because the puppies' immune systems need more time to become functional, and exposure to other dogs could make them susceptible to viruses and other types of infections. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

does anyone know if and how long you keep the dad away? I have two yorkies and this is her first preganacy. I am trying to get as much information that I need. Any help would be appreciated. thanks

-- Contributed by: carly

Hi Glynna,

It does sound like your female is having a bit of trouble settling into motherhood. She should really stay with the pups at night to keep them warm. Did you take your dog to the vet for a post delivery checkup? The vet would palpate the uterus to make sure no placentas were retained. Your female may also actually be looking for a place to transfer her litter if she isn't happy with her current whelping box.

As for the Tums, it does provide some calcium although I've never used it in this manner. Did your vet tell you how many to give each day? Too many might interfere with your dog's digestion. I really prefer to add a spoonful of cottage cheese to mom's daily meal to provide added calcium.

Thanks for your questions, and I hope it all works out well. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hi Bronagh, and welcome.

It's usually better to keep all other dogs away from the mother from delivery through the first four weeks of the puppies lives. This prevents interference issues, allows the new mom to relax and focus on her job and keeps the pups safer as their immune systems begin to develop.

You will most ilkely find that your dogs have the same relationship they always had once the pups have been weaned and gone to new homes.

Thanks for your question, and good luck whatever you decide. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

My shih tzu just had puppies 6 days ago . At night she comes into our bedroom and gets under the bed( Which she has never done before this delivery) and she begins to scratch or dig at the carpet. Is this a common thing for the female dog to do after giving birth. Also our vet told us to give her "Tums" while she is nursing, does anyone know if this is for calcium?

-- Contributed by: Glynna

Hello, I have two small dogs and they are both girls. Daisy and Coco, Daisy is the mother and she has been spayed but i am thinking about getting Coco bred. I want to know if daisy should be separated from Coco when she is delivering and when she is looking after the puppies. I have heard that some dogs might try to adopt or kill a puppy from another dogs litter, i also want to know that after the puppies have gone that Coco and daisy's bond will still be there because they are quite close. Thankyou!

-- Contributed by: Bronagh

Hi Lauren,

Given your situation, I think the best thing you can do is have a vet give your dog an ultrasound. This will either reveal how many puppies there are and help set a due date according to their developmental size, or it might provide relief knowing that it's just another false pregnancy. Either way, you'd learn what you're dealing with so you could make your plans accordingly.

Thanks for your question, and I hope things work out for you. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hello, I am extremely worried about my female. She appears to be pregnant and did just have a heat last month, however this is not the first time this has happened and there was to pregnancy. When I was pregnant with my son she experienced a false pregnancy after her heat and I am pregnant again now and now she is showing signs like she did before. How do I tell the difference? The big issue is she would be due on Halloween and I am moving on that day way out of town and I am afraid of her starting labor while we are on the road! This is why I am trying not to wait and see if she passes 63 days to find out. Any advice? Please email me at PeachesL7@live.com Thank you!

-- Contributed by: Lauren

Hi Lori,

It's possible that a mating could have taken place, but it would depend on what that fluid is. It could be urine from your male excidtedly marking the area. It could also be semen from a breeding that didn't result in a tie, but if the floor was totally wet, I doubt it. By any chance was there a water dish in the room with the wet floor? It's possible the dogs could have spilled it while they were tussling.

As you can see, it will take further investigation to figure out if a breeding took place. It may be simpler to ask your vet to perform a pregnancy blood test about three weeks after your female goes out of heat. This is the surest way to know if she is pregnant.

Thanks for your question, and best wishes.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

My female is in heat, my amle has been going after her, when I came into the room I found my floor totaly wet like someone poured water all over. Is this an indication they may have connected?

-- Contributed by: lori

Hello again Monji,

The sections in the article above titled "Assist Delivering Puppies" and "When a C-Section May Be Necessary" will give you tips on whether a pup is in trouble.

As for how many pups for a first time mom, it really doesn't matter whether she has had a litter before. It all depends on how many eggs she released during her heat cycle and how many of those eggs were fertilized. Sometimes litter size runs in families. If you can find out how many pups were in the mom's own litter, it might give you a rough idea of how many pups to expect.

Once the delivery seems finished, it's important to take the female to the vet within 24 hours for a post partum check up. This way the vet can check for any retained placentas or dead pups that could cause a life-threatening infection.

Thanks for your questions, and I hope the delivery goes smoothly. Good luck!

-- Contributed by: Kelly

My friends dog is pregnant and she wants me to deliver the pups , I am OK with this but how do you know when the puppies are in trouble? And does a first liter have many pups?

-- Contributed by: monji

Hi Brandon,

It sounds very possible that your dog might have retained a placenta. My best advice is to take her to the vet right away for a post-whelping exam. Your vet will feel the uterus to assess its condition, and make a diagnosis and treatment recommendations from there.

In the meantime, it's important to coax your dog to eat. Try offering boiled ground beef and rice, and leave some of the broth in it. If need be, you can put the bowl in the whelping box with her so she doesn't have to stress over leaving her pups while she eats. You might also want to purchase a tube of Nutri-Cal from your local pet supply. This is a high calorie suppliment that is excellent to use in this situation. It comes in tube form, so all you have to do is squirt a dollop on your dog's tongue and she will lick until she swallows it. Most dogs like the flavor.

Thanks for sharing your situation, and I hope these suggestions prove helpful.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

My dog had a litter of three pups two days ago and she goes and uses the restroom but she doesn't want to eat anything and seems as if she gets more and more drained as time goes on. She also pants as she did while delivering her pups. i'm not sure if she is done whelping or if it is some what normal. Any advice would be helpful.

-- Contributed by: Brandon

Hi Natalie,

Dripping is okay, but pouring could be sign of a problem with the uterus. If this is still going on, call your vet immediately. I hope everything turns out alright.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

how much blood loss is to be expected after the puppies have been born? We let her out (after about two hours with the pups) to use the restroom, and she bled all over the house. When standing her up, (breifly) it came pouring out.

-- Contributed by: Natalie

Hi Tabatha,

Do you mean your husband thought he could feel two pups? Take a little time to rest your hand against your dog's abdomen and see if you can still feel any movement. When you have a small litter of just two pups, it can take longer to deliver because there isn't much pressure from behind to help push the last pup out. That said, how is your dog acting? Does she seem to have settled down like it's all over? Or, is she still panting and pushing from time to time? This can offer a clue as to whether there is actually one pup left to be delivered.

My best advice is to give your vet a call. I always take my dogs in after the birthing has finished anyway. My vet will palpate the uterus to check for any retained placentas or pups, and then give the dog a pitocen shot to finish evacuating the uterus and encourage milk production, as well as an antibiotic shot to head off a possible infection.

Hopefully nothing has gone wrong, but it's well worth a trip to the vet to ensure your dog's good health. Thanks for your question, and let me know how things turn out.

-- Contributed by: Kelly

My dog has been in labor for 2 hours and my husband said that he saw 2 but only 1 was born...what should i do?

-- Contributed by: Tabatha

Hello again Brianna,

I don't think your dog will necessarily need a C-section because she is a decent size herself, so I hope you won't worry too much about that.

Now let's talk about due dates. If you can't take your dog for an ultrasound, you'll have to try to estimate a due date. Do you remember when she was in season? A heat cycle lasts about three weeks, and it's usually during the second week when most breedings take place. You can count forward 63 days from the beginning of the second week, and this will tell you approximately which week your dog will be due. All you really need to prepare for her is a box big enough for her to have her puppies. Most females are able to handle the entire process by themselves, so you may not need to intervene at all. However, if you do, just refer back to this article for tips.

Thanks for your questions, and I'm sending good wishes your way. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

My dog is pregnant and i havent taken her to the vet yet how do you know exactly how far along she is when you didnt take her to the vet? My family doesnt want anything to do with my dog being pregnant so im scared to help my dog deliver by myself. They dont want to spend any money on her so i dont know what to do. My dog is only about 40 pounds and an 80 pound dog got her pregnant is this going to result in a C-Section? Please help me i have no idea how to help my dog with this!!!

-- Contributed by: brianna

Hi Sam,

Right now the puppy's place is with mom. You can stroke the pup so it becomes conditioned to the human touch, but now is not the time for holding it. The less mom is disturbed, the more she'll settle down to her job. Once the puppy is up and walking on it's own, you can hold it for short five minute sessions as long as mom doesn't become too agitated. By five weeks old, it's alright to hold it for longer sessions.

Thanks for your question, and congratulations on the litter. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hi, my dog just gave birth to one puppy on 3/30/08, I was wondering about how frequently we can hold the pup, and if there are any consequences for holding her to long? Thank you.

-- Contributed by: Sam

My Dogs Had A Puppy Two Week Ago. When Can I Yours Frontline On The Mother Of The Puppy Thankyou LYNETTE Slade

Hi Lynette,

This is a very good question, and one that is best addressed to your vet. My thought is that if there are directions for how old a puppy has to be before you can use the Frontline on it, you should delay using it on your bitch until the pups reach that age. Remeber, they will come in contact with it on the mother.

Thanks for your question, and please let us know what your vet advises. I'm sure other dog owners might have this same question.

-- Contributed by: lyn

hi my ... has recently bred with a dog, im not sure if she's pregnant. im hoping she is! but i was just wondering, in early stages if there's any possible way of telling whether she is pregnant and also when she does eventually go into labour how risky it is and whether i need to take time out of work. the articles are really useful thankyou !

Hi Molly, I'm glad you're enjoying the site. Our article on Signs Of Dog Pregnancy will help you know what to look for. Your vet can also perform an ultrasound after three weeks gestation to detect any embryos.

As for delivery time, many bitches are perfectly capable of handling the birth all by themselves. However, there is a risk of running into difficulties. I have always taken off of work to be around once my bitches went into labor. Sometimes a puppy just needs a little extra help coming out, but in some cases, a bitch simply can't push out her pups and requires a C-section. You just never know what might happen, so it's better to be there if at all possible.

Thanks for your questions, and best of luck.

-- Contributed by: molly

how long is a dog pregnant for ?

Hi Shannon,

Dogs are pregnant for about 63 days. You can learn even more by reading our articles on Dog Pregnancy and Signs Of Dog Pregnancy. I think you'll find the information useful.

Thanks for your question :)

-- Contributed by: shannon

hi, I have 2 biches, border terriers, while one of them was in season she slipped her collar while over the park and just ran, after searching for her found her with a dog , now she is pregnant, have taken her to the vet , and had a scan, my question is how will she be with the other border ... when the puppies arrive or should I separate them in case of aggresion,and if I need to assist in the birth what kind of cord should I use ,if needed, hopefully she will do the necessary,they both live happily together at the moment but could this change, I do hope you can give me some sound advice, many thanks

Hi Irene,

I always advise giving the new mom privacy for the first few weeks. This gives her time to settle in with her pups, and it protects the pups until they have received some of mom's immunities through nursing. When it's time to introduce everyone, be sure to supervise the interaction very closely. One or both bitches could become possessive and/jealous.

I'm assuming the type of cord you're asking about is is for tying off the umbilical cords? I've always used sewing thread, but you must be careful not to tie it so tight that it cuts through the cord. You could probably also use embroidery floss.

Hope that answers your questions, but come back if you have more. Good luck with the delivery!

-- Contributed by: Irene

What are the first signs of my dog being pregnant?

Hi Marissa,

I think you'll find our article Signs Of Dog Pregnancy very helpful!

-- Contributed by: Marissa
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