My pregnant dog's in labor 8 hours with dark discharge. Is it serious?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Bella may be in labor. If that is rupture of allantochorion then she should deliver a puppy with in a hour. I am worried about the smell you are noticing. If there is no puppy born in 1-2 hours then I would take her to the Vet. I am assuming that her pregnancy has been confirmed with X-rays. If it hasn't then I recommend that you have an X-ray taken. Smelly vaginal discharge, a distended abdomen and increased thirst can also indicate an infected uterus (pyometra) which is a surgical emergency. I hope this helps and I wish you and Bella the best!

Poor Abby! Yes, I would definitely be concerned. It is very abnormal for there to still be a puppy left inside her after all this time, so it’s clear that things did not go properly when she was in labor. I would be very concerned that there could be more dead pups inside her, or that she could develop a serious uterine infection from this. I would recommend taking her to an emergency vet today for an exam. The doctor there can take x-rays and ultrasound her uterus to check for additional puppies, and can also start her on antibiotics or other treatment if needed depending on what is found.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would have Hazel examined by a vet. I’d be worried about a miscarriage or a uterine infection (pyometra). Sadly there is nothing we can do about a miscarriage but a pyometra is serious and life threatening. The vet will do an exam, blood work, belly X-rays and maybe an ultrasound to see if the puppies are alive. I wish you and Hazel the best!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If she has been having active contractions for more than 4 hours with out the delivery of a puppy this is an emergency. Greater Swiss can have trouble giving birth and we have many in our area then need C-sections. Below is a handout I give clients. I would call your Vet as soon as possible to discuss. Whelping and When to be Concerned Stages of Labor: -Stage 1 tends to start 10-24 hours after temperature drop (usually below 99 F). -Stage 1: nesting. Can persist for 3-24 hours before abdominal contractions begin -Stage 2: Visible abdominal contractions. FIRST PUPPY SHOULD ARRIVE WITH IN 1-2 HOURS. -Stage 3: passage of placenta. Usually occurs within 15 mins of passing puppy. If it does not happen, don’t worry. When to worry/Call: -Strong contractions > 45-60 mins without birth of a puppy -Weak and infrequent contractions >4-6 hours without birth of puppy ->4-5 hours between puppies (after birth of first puppy without birth of the next puppy). On average a puppy is born every 45-60 mins. HOWEVER, the mother can often rest for several hours between puppies. This rest period is NOT associated with contractions and usually doesn’t exceed 4-6 hours. -If one puppy is born and she is having VISIBLE contractions for >2 hours without 2nd puppy. Recommend calling around 1 hour mark to talk to someone. -Failure to enter active labor (contractions) 24-36 hours after rectal temp falls below 99 F -Mother is in obvious pain: biting at vulva, crying) -No puppy within 2 hours of seeing green vaginal discharge -No puppy within 1 hour of seeing clear fluid from vulva (rupture of allantochorion) -No puppy within 1 hour of seeing a clear/water filled balloon at vulvar lips (puppy is in birth canal)

Unfortunately your photo did not attach to your message. Please try again and hopefully it will go through so we can evaluate it. A good rule of thumb is that if you are seeing black or green discharge, then that is considered abnormal and she should be seen by your vet right away. Her whining sounds a little concerning as well, especially if she is doing it continuously and seems to be in distress. A vet visit sounds like a good option for her @ this point. I hope that things work out well for your pregnant doggie. Best wishes and take care.

Yes I would be concerned about River. While it is normal to see a greenish discharge after puppies are born, having it before puppies can indicate premature separation of the placenta. It's also concerning that two hours have passed since this sac broke and there is no sign of puppies. Boston Terriers frequently have problems giving birth and often require c sections to give birth safely. River needs veterinary attention now. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

These are signs possibly related to a uterine infection/inflammation called pyometra. Personally I would start an antibiotic treatment (amoxycillin is harmless for puppies). If the discharge continue it may be worthy to discuss c -section. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.