My dog had puppies, but seems to be having trouble delivering more.

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)

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.

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.

Poor Angel! If she's been having contractions for several hours and has not produced any puppies yet, something is definitely wrong. The puppies may be too large to be born naturally, or one may be stuck in an awkward position in the birth canal. I would recommend taking her to the vet right away to be checked, as she may need an emergency c-section.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! I am so sorry that you are going through this! You are correct, Belle needs immediate Veterinary care. A lot of bully and smoosh faced breeds require C-sections. There should be an Emergency room open. I worked emergency for 9 years and was required to drive in despite hurricanes, blizzards and ice storms. I would find someone with 4 wheel drive or go slowly. I tired to do a quick google search based on your zip code, I hope one is close. Also most vet hospitals provide info on the answering machine regrading on where to go for emergencies. http://www.petflight.com/zip_codes/45660/vet_clinics I really hope all is well with Belle!

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!

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.