My dog had puppies, but there was a long gap. Is this normal?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If it has been 2 days since the last puppy was born and you think there are more, she needs to see a Vet immediately to confirm that. She likely needs a C-section to get the remaining puppy(ies) out. Pochie can get really sick and the remaining puppy could die. I hope this helps and I wish Pochie 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)

You should look for signs compatible with more contractions and up to 4 hours in between puppies could be still fine. If more than that, you should ideally seek veterinary attention as soon as possible as c-section might be needed. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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.

Yes, that’s normal. Mattie should be spending most of the day and night with the puppies at this point. When they get several weeks old she will leave them more but it is normal for mother dogs with new puppies to only leave them to potty and come right back to stay with them. If she’s eating and drinking and the incision looks normal then this is nothing to be overly concerned about. If she seems dull, not eating or inattentive to the pups then bring her in for a recheck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Some dogs are just not great mothers. A lot of times this behavior is repetitive with subsequent litters so I would consider spaying her after the puppies are weaned. She could start to improve in her habits but she may not. Sadly you will have to do more work if she won't cleaning them, etc. Hopefully she is at least letting them nurse. You can encourage her to lay in the whelping box with them more. It is ok for her to leave them for periods of time. Be sure Loki is eating high quality puppy food and that all of her mammary glands feel normal. Also be sure the puppies are having normal stool. I hope this helps and I wish Loki and her pups the best!

It usually takes about 1-2 hours between puppies, but can be shorter or longer. If it takes longer than four hours between puppies, then Bella should be checked by a vet, because this can indicate a complication. Increasing milk has a lot to do with nutrition. Making sure she is on a high-calorie food meant for lactation is the best thing you can do to increase milk yield. Allowing her to eat as much as she wants is advised during the first 3 weeks of lactation. She can then go back to meal feeding as the puppies are weaning. For more information about whelping, I recommend you read the article at the link below. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/breeding-for-pet-owners-whelping-in-dogs I hope that helps and all is well with Bella.