My dog is pregnant. When is she considered overdue for labor?

Thabk you for submitting your question regarding your dog. The gestation period in a dog can be up to 72 days depending on the date that you are counting from and it can vary between pregnancies. I suspect that she will have the puppies soon. If she appears to be in distress and has not given birth, then you will need to contact her veterinarian. Good luck!

Hi Alan. A dog's pregnancy can last between 58-68 days. If Bella is more than 69 days pregnant, this is not ok and she has to see a vet immediately. I would take her into a vet now to get checked out.

You can feel the puppies typically around the 6th week of pregnancy (days 35-42), but she could be further along than that. A dog's typical gestation length is 58-68 days. I would have Chloe seen by a vet to have her pregnancy confirmed, and the vet can do x-rays or an ultrasound to see how far along she is in her pregnancy.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Just like in humans the loss of the mucous plug is not a reliable way to predict the onset of labor. The rectal temperature usually needs to drop below 99 F. Stage 1 labor should start 10-24 hours after the rectal temperature drops below 99F. That sometimes isn't reliable either. 52 days is soon. Average gestation length is 60-63 days. I think you still have about a week left, give or take a day or 2. Good luck!

It could be normal discharge. I would not be concerned about it if she is still acting normal and eating and drinking ok. We only get alarmed if we see green or black discharge (which could indicate placental rupture). Here is more information on other things to watch out for that could indicate she is having complications of her pregnancy. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=678&S=0&EVetID=0 Continue to monitor her and expect her to go into labor around day 65, but it can occur anywhere between 58-72 days gestation. Best wishes and take care.

Dogs have the same gestation period no matter what their size or the litter size. Average is 63-65 days. There is no way to know if she will deliver early, late or on time. You will just need to monitor for signs of impeding delivery as that will give you the best idea as to when to expect the puppies. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Your Vet is correct! The average length of a canine pregnancy is 60-63 days. We consider dogs overdue if 72 days. If she is acting fine and you are monitoring her temp just continue to watch her. Here are some tips: 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) Good luck!!