Dog labor: what's normal, and when to call the vet

Dog labor — what's normal, and when to call the vet

Published guidance, not veterinary advice. If you're unsure, call your vet.

The three stages

Stage one — 6 to 12 hours. She'll be restless, panting, nesting, maybe shivering. Her cervix is dilating. Her temperature drops about a degree, often below 99°F, roughly 24 hours before she starts pushing — which only means anything if you've been taking it twice daily and know her normal. Nothing visible happens in this stage. That's normal.

Stage two — the puppies. Her waters break, you see her pushing, and a sac or a puppy appears. Expect roughly one puppy an hour, though each individual birth takes 0 to 30 minutes once she's pushing.

Stage three — the placentas. One per puppy, usually within 15 minutes of each. Stages two and three alternate — puppy, placenta, puppy, placenta.

Normal things that look alarming

This is the section most people need at 2am.

Two puppies, then two placentas. Normal. Successive puppies come from alternate uterine horns, so they often arrive in pairs.

A long rest between puppies. Some dams deliver steadily, others rest. Up to two hours between puppies is normal.

Green discharge. Normal if a puppy follows immediately — it means that puppy's placenta has separated. If no puppy follows, call.

She doesn't cut the cord. The cord usually breaks by itself as she moves around. Have scissors and hemostats ready as a backup, not as the plan.

When to call the vet

Call your vet if:

• She strains hard for 30 minutes and no puppy comes
• Two hours pass since the last puppy and you know more are coming
• Green or black discharge appears and no puppy follows
• Green discharge appears before the first puppy
• A puppy or a fluid-filled sac is visible and stuck
• There is heavy bright red bleeding
• She collapses, goes markedly weak, or keeps vomiting
• She develops tremors or stiffness
• Stage one has run past 24 hours with nothing happening
• A puppy is born dead

Never give oxytocin or calcium at home. Both are used by vets in specific circumstances and both are dangerous in the wrong ones — in an obstruction, oxytocin can rupture the uterus. This page tells you when to call. It never tells you what to give.

Breeds where you call sooner

If she's brachycephalic, a toy breed, or has had a cesarean before, call at 20 minutes of straining rather than 30. Flat-faced breeds have higher rates of obstruction, toy breeds carrying a single large puppy are harder to deliver, and a dam who has had a cesarean is more likely to need another. Keep the room below 75°F.

Where the sources disagree

Where guidance differs, we've used the more cautious number.

References

• 1.**Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine — The normal whelping process, Riney Canine Health Center**
• 2.**Vets Now — My dog is in labor**
• 3.**Petunia — Whelping complications every breeder should know, citing PetMD, AKC and CARE Veterinary Group**
• 4.**BreedTools — What's normal vs not during whelping**
• 5.**Clinician's Brief — Diagnosing and treating canine dystocia**
• 6.**Texas Livestock Guard Dog Association — Whelping process**
• 7.**MiniVet Guide — Dystocia part 1: labor stages and diagnostics**
• 8.**Everypaw — The stages of dog labor, sourced from Vetlexicon Canis**

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