How Long Do Dogs Bleed After Giving Birth?
Dogs bleed after giving birth for usually about three weeks, though it may last up to eight weeks, and the discharge, called lochia, should decrease significantly after the first 24 to 48 hours. The bleeding is heaviest in the first few days, when it is dark red to black, and it decreases steadily over the […]
Caring for a Mother Dog After Giving Birth
Caring for a mother dog after giving birth means three things: feeding her well, checking her every day for the first two weeks, and knowing the warning signs that need a vet the same day. She needs up to four times her normal food at peak milk production, clean water at all times, a vet […]
Signs a Dog Is Done Giving Birth: How to Tell
A dog is likely done giving birth when she settles and rests calmly, nurses her puppies without straining, has had no contractions for a sustained period, and the number of puppies born matches the X-ray count taken after day 55, with one placenta for each puppy. No single sign proves she is finished. The most […]
How to Help a Dog Give Birth: A Calm Guide
The best way to help a dog give birth is usually to prepare well in advance, stay calm and quiet during labour, observe without interfering, keep simple notes, and call your vet promptly if a red flag appears. Most dogs whelp without hands on help from their owner. Your role is to provide a safe, […]
Whelping Supplies Checklist: Everything You Need for Birth
A whelping supplies checklist is a list of everything you need gathered and ready before your dog goes into labour, grouped so you can find each item quickly in the middle of the night. The short answer is this: have your whelping box set up, plenty of clean towels and washable bedding, a thermometer, a […]
Whelping Box Ideas: DIY Plans, Sizes and Safe Setups
A whelping box is a low sided, enclosed pen where your dog gives birth and nurses her puppies for the first few weeks. The best ones give her room to stretch out fully with her puppies beside her, sides low enough for her to step in and out but high enough to keep newborn puppies […]
Dog Temperature Before Labor: Drop, Chart and Signs
What is a normal dog temperature before labor, and what does a drop mean? A healthy pregnant dog has a normal rectal temperature of 100 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 37.8 to 39.2 degrees Celsius. In the day before whelping, that temperature usually falls below 100 degrees Fahrenheit, often to 99 degrees or lower, […]
How Long Does Dog Labor Last? Stages and Timelines
How long does dog labor last? For most dogs, active whelping takes a few hours, while the whole process from the first restless signs to the last placenta can take much longer. Stage 1, when contractions begin and the cervix opens but there is no visible pushing, usually lasts 6 to 12 hours, commonly up […]
Dog Labor Stages: Stage 1, 2 and 3 Explained
Dog labor has three stages. Stage 1 is the start of contractions and the opening of the cervix, with restlessness, panting, nesting and a temperature drop, but no visible pushing, and it usually lasts 6 to 12 hours, commonly up to 24 hours, and occasionally up to 36 hours in a first time mother. Stage […]
Signs of Labor in Dogs: What to Watch For
The signs of labor in dogs usually appear in the last day or two before whelping, and the most useful early clue is a drop in rectal temperature to below 100F (37.8C), often to 99F or lower, usually 8 to 24 hours before labour. Other common dog labor signs include restlessness, panting, pacing, shivering, nesting, […]