My pregnant dog is due, not eating, breathing heavy. Emergency?

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.

She needs to be eating something, or she will have very little energy for the whelping. Take her to the vet for xrays, then you'll know the size of the litter and will know if she's having trouble or needs a c section. While there, ask for cerenia injections for the next few days, as this is a fantastic anti-nausea drug that has all kinds of benefits. In this case, I'm hoping it will get her eating for you. If she had a dead pup last litter, that tells me she may be dealing with some uterine inertia during labor, and could benefit from calcium or oxytocin injections, but this requires your working with a reproduction veterinarian through this process. Hope that helps, and best of luck!

Heavy breathing is quite common in lactating females but it could also be a sign of milk fever which is a condition caused by lack of calcium in lactating new moms. if you also see lack of appetite, trembling and lethargy i would strongly recommend taking her to the vet urgently to get it treated.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sounds like Mea is pretty close to whelping. Go ahead and offer her food. She should be eating puppy food since her nutritional requirements are very high right now. Watch her closely. If she starts having active abdominal contractions and no puppy is delivered for 20-30 minutes, then you need to call a veterinarian immediately. She may rest in between puppies for minutes to hours. Just make sure to stay tuned to her contractions and the clock. Good luck

It is quite common for dogs to become anorexic in the 24 hours prior to whelping. Be sure that Sweetie has a whelping box ready, or a quiet area in your home with plenty of soft towels and blankets, but keep in mind that these blankets may get ruined during delivery! In the 24 hours prior to whelping, some dogs may also become more restless and may hide or try to be alone. I hope that all goes well!

It sounds like she might be showing signs of early labor, but it also could be normal behavior for the end of pregnancy. I would recommend seeing your veterinarian for an exam and an x-ray if you haven't already seen them recently - it is very helpful to take an x-ray to count puppies late in pregnancy. That way you know approximately how many puppies to expect. You should also start checking her rectal temperature with a well lubricated digital thermometer three times a day to establish a baseline (make sure it's at the same time every day) - usually a dog's baseline temperature will drop by one full degree prior to labor. If Luna's temperature drops but you don't see puppies within 24 hours you should see a veterinarian to make sure everything is okay.

It sounds like Pixie could be in the first stage of labor, which can last up to 18 hours. Now if 18 hours have passed since you first starting seeing these signs, she needs to see a vet now. French bulldogs frequently need help giving birth in the form of a c-section, with over 80% of their litter being delivered this way. It's very important to take her into a vet if 18 hours have passed, as leaving her without veterinary treatment can and has lead to the death of the puppies and potentially the dog. Best of luck, I hope this helps!