My pregnant chihuahua is bleeding dark brown. Should I be concerned?

Yes, I would be concerned. Blood in the urine can be caused by a UTI or bladder stones. In addition, the blood could be coming from her vaginal, and it is not normal for a dog to bleed when pregnant. Given that Ava is far along in her pregnancy, it is best that she is seen by a vet now for this problem. The vet can diagnosed what is causing this problem, and can treat accordingly.

This is very concerning - she may be aborting a litter of puppes or may have an infection. I would recommend an urgent appointment and depending on the findings and an ultrasound scan an emergency spay operation may be recommended to prevent further blood loss. I recommend strict bed rest until you can arrange an emergency appointment

With these symptoms I worry that your dog may have a pyometra instead of being pregnant. Pyometras typically develop around 3-6 weeks after they go into heat and present as bloody discharge, lethargy, abdominal swelling, etc. I would recommend that she is seen by a veterinarian who can perform an ultrasound to make sure she isn't suffering from an infection.

That is not normal and could be a sign of miscarriage. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm this clinical suspicion and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound or radiographs) may be needed. 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. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Yes, sugar will start having contractions and straining very soon. If she is panting, but no straining after another 2hrs you must take her to your vet for an exam and they might give her oxytocin. The dark brown/ green discharge is from the placenta.

This discharge may be normal, but it could also indicate infection. Ideally, Cocoa should be physically examined by your veterinarian to confirm all is well and the pups are doing fine. Monitor her for lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, excessive discharge or active bleeding.

You should monitor very closely for any signs of fever or weakness and also any indication of reduced body condition/muscle mass which can indicate reduced nutrition due to poor food intake and ongoing diarrhea. You should have puppy milk replacer in hand to help supplement feed the puppies and also advise your vets office of the impending delivery in case a cesarian section is required - these are quite common in chihuahuas especially in older mothers who may have reduced muscle strength. Any period of contractions longer than one hour or discharge longer than 2hours without delivery of puppies is cause for concern