Is my pregnant dog's loose, swollen vulva a sign of labor?

It certainly sounds like Xena may be showing signs of stage 1 labor. It would be a good idea to start monitoring her rectal temperature - I typically recommend checking 2-3 times a day. You can establish a baseline and if and when her temperature drops by 1 full degree it is usually a pretty good indicator that you should see puppies within 24 hours. This article might also help: https://www.petcoach.co/article/whelping-giving-birth-in-dogs/

She may be very near whelping. You should make sure she has a whelping box where she can nest. Here is a good Petcoach article on whelping: https://www.petcoach.co/article/whelping-giving-birth-in-dogs/ Observe her, but do not hover....

Seeing that Cinnamon is nearing the end of her pregnancy and should be delivering puppies within the next week, her body is preparing itself to feed the puppies when they are born. Her colostrum / milk production is high right now hence the milk leaking from the nipples. This is common and is nothing to be concerned about. Her swollen vulva is also common as this is a change due to the hormones in her body during the pregnancy. If you have any questions regarding delivery of the puppies or anything else, please do not hesitate to ask!

It is very possible Lucy could be pregnant, especially if she got out while in heat last. A dog's pregnancy is about 60-63 days, so if it was about two months ago that she was in heat and got out, it is likely she is close to giving birth if she is pregnant. It would be best to bring her to your local veterinarian to have her examined and the pregnancy confirmed. If she is not pregnant, your vet can also check for other issues such as hormonal changes, tumors or infections that could be causing the change to her mammary glands and vulva, or can let you know if she's ready to go into heat again.

If your [pregnant dog](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pregnancy/) is having some fluid discharge and she is at or near her due date, expect her to have her pups soon. Confine her to an area that is quiet (if she isn't already in a whelping box) since noise or stress can cause her to delay the delivery. If you've been [monitoring her temperature](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-take-your-pet-s-temperature-in-7-easy-steps/) and it has fallen below 100 degrees, the pups should come in the next 24 hours. [As labor nears](https://www.petcoach.co/article/whelping-giving-birth-in-dogs), she may become agitated, getting up and down or licking herself. Once you see firm signs of labor, simply monitor her. Most dogs will deliver a litter without human intervention. If she does not begin pushing within 2-4 hours of the start of labor, a call or visit to your local emergency vet to ensure everything is still going fine is strongly recommended.

The vulva is swollen indeed but it may be normal for Francis. To be on the safe side, apart from abdominal scan I would suggest digital examnation of the vulva to make sure that there is notthing abnormal going on (for example partial vaginal prolapse). I don't think the swelling itself, providing that the birth canal is fully open and not obstructed during the labour, will cause any problems for Francis.

It is normal for the ligaments around her pelvis to become stretched in preparation for labor and also for the pups to drop down under her belly rather than stretching her belly wider it should become deeper. Any restlessness, fever or discharge should be checked by your vet