What can I do if my pregnant dog is in early labor at 54 days?

56 days is a bit early, but it is possible she could be in labor, or closer to her due date than thought. Signs of labor can include visible contractions, changes in body temperature, lack of appetite, and waxing of the nipples (producing a milk substance). I would keep an eye on her, and if she doesn't have any puppies within a few hours of signs of labor, or she seems in great distress/is extremely exhausted take her into your vet ASAP for care to make sure there isn't a stuck puppy or other illness or complication causing her early symptoms.

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!!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am concerned about Abby. If you are sure she was bred and is pregnant, being in stage 2 labor for 8 hours is serious for Abby and her puppies. If you aren't sure she is pregnant she could have an infected uterus (pyometra) and the discharge is puss. A pyometra is a surgical emergency. I recommend that you take Abby to an emergency clinic right away to have her evaluated. I wish you the best of luck!

Hello. It may be quite dangerous to abort at this late stage of pregnancy. Plus, many veterinarians will ethically not be comfortable doing so. The safest thing is to allow Sammie to have her puppies & once weaned, consider having her spayed to prevent any further unwanted litters. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Unfortunately if she is truly going into labor, there is not likely much you can do to stop the process. I am attaching an article here with information on birthing puppies at home: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=678 which provides lots of great information on how the birthing process goes and when to worry/call your vet. If she is truly t his early, I may consider bringing her in to your vet for a few reasons. It is possible she is panting and licking due to nausea or pain for another reason, and they may find this cause. It is also possible for the vet to evaluate the puppies for health/fetal distress with an ultrasound if the vet has access to one. It may also be helpful if the puppies are born early to have veterinary care available if any of the puppies do not do well and need help once born.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I think that Sparks needs to be taken to a Vet immediately! It's hard to tell you what is happening to her with out knowing more. If she has been in stage 2 labor for hours with out the birth of a puppy she could be in distress or pain. If she is unconscious and thrashing it could be due to low blood sugar or low calcium. I would try to talk to her and get her up. You can try to wipe karosyrup on her gums. If she is unconscious it is imperative to get her to a Vet right away. I wish you the best!

That is way too early, and Blossom needs to see a vet now. Please take her into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.