Pregnant dog's belly dropped & panting heavily. Is she in labor?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Snowy. She is likely getting close to delivering her pups. Most dogs will pant, pace and become restless in the hours leading up to labor. You can also monitor her body temperature. Usually the temperature will drop below 99 degrees Fahrenheit approximately 24 hours before labor. I hope this information helps!

Hello. This very well can be the first stages of labor, & this can last 24-36 hours. Once you start to see her having contractions ( can see her actually pushing ), she should start having puppies in the first 15-30 minutes after observing this. If she starts pushing & no puppies are delivered within an hour, you may need to have her evaluated by your veterinarian, but it sounds like she is progressing nicely for now. You may have puppies very soon! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes these can be signs of labour and she could deliver any time soon in the next 12 hours. Temperature has to be taken intra-rectally otherwise is not reliable. 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.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Quinn. It sounds like she could be in the first stage of labor. That can last up to 18 hours, so keep monitoring her. If 18 hours pass and she has not progressed to the second stage of labor (contractions and giving birth), get her into a vet immediately. If you feel she is in a lot of pain, you can take her into a vet now to get checked out to be safe. I hope this helps!

Stage one of labor can last up to 18 hours, and if Elly's temperature has dropped to 37.5C, she should have her puppies within 24 hours. Should 24 hours pass after this temperature drop with no sign of puppies, take her into the vet. Best of luck.

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!

Yes, this is normal and it sounds like Roxy could be heading into the first stages of labor if she is panting and pacing. Continue to monitor her closely, and if 24 hours pass after this temperature drop, have her seen by a vet right away. Best of luck.