My dog had only two puppies. Could more be inside her?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Mocha. If she had x-rays while pregnant and she was only expecting one puppy, then she is probably doing fine. However, if she was expecting more puppies or you don't know the number of puppies, she will need to see her veterinarian. She will need an x-ray to ensure there are not any more puppies that have not been born yet. I hope this information helps!

She may have only had 4 puppies overall. If there are no more puppies now and she looks happy, has no more contractions and does not get lethargic, stop eating or drinking, then there should be no more puppies. Only an x-ray or the palpation of a very experienced veterinarian will be able to tell for sure whether there is a puppy left behind or not, Should Po get lethargic, or appear sick or not eat, then she may have another one, possibly dead, left behind and definitely needs to be seen by a veterinarian.

If you suspect there are more puppies that have not been born yet it is best to seek emergency care ASAP, especially if she has gone several hours without producing another puppy. Your vet may be able to examine or X-ray her to see if any more puppies are in the birth canal. Most small breed dogs typically only have 1-2 puppies in a litter normally, but there can be exceptions and if she seems in distress or you suspect a stuck puppy, seeking care ASAP is needed.

The only way to know for sure is to have an x-ray taken by your vet. If she is still panting and having contractions, then this is a sign that she isn't finished delivering pups yet - so if she's doing this and hasn't had any pups in the past hour, I would recommend taking her to an emergency vet for x-rays. Normally, when labor is finished, the mother will settle down and lick her puppies (or puppy, in this case) and allow them to nurse. If she still seems distressed and panting, or is still having visible contractions, then I would be concerned that there may be one or more puppies still inside her.

Wow! That is unusual but hopefully everyone is doing well! As a veterinarian it is my duty to recommend the safest plan, which would be to have her evaluated by a veterinarian and an x-ray to make sure she does not have any more retained fetuses. Hopefully everyone is nursing well and mom is feeling good and eating well. I recommend weighing the pups daily to make sure they are gaining weight and thriving. If Mom is not eating or she seems to feel poorly then she should be evaluated as soon as possible. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

The only way to know for sure if Killer still have puppies in her abdomen is to have her seen by a vet immediately for x-rays. It's very serious that she had a puppy four days after the others, and this is not normal. She could have other puppies still in her uterus, and if left there, it will cause a severe infection that can kill her. Please take her into a vet now.

It isn't unusual for a dead puppy to be born long after a healthy litter is born. It is likely that the puppy was stuck in the birth canal and took longer to deliver and died while being stuck, or it could have been dead in utero and was later expelled with the last placenta. Usually there is no problem with the mother provided she eats, drinks and takes care of her puppies. If she gets lethargic, or if she has smelly discharge from the vulva (greenish non-smelly discharge is normal) then she should be seen by a vet .