How To Tell If My Dog Is In Labor

How To Tell If My Dog Is In Labor

A dog's labor takes place approximately 63 days after being impregnated. Surely you will notice that your dog is more nervous as the time approaches but do not worry, what is normal is that there are no problems and that everything goes perfectly without you having to intervene.

If your dog is pregnant and you want to know when it is time for your bitch to delivery here pups here at OneHowTo we share some tips on how to tell if your dog is in labor.

The behaviour of the dog

The first aspect that will alert you to the fact that your dog is in labor is its behavior. One to two weeks before delivery you will notice that your pet begins to adopt a maternal behavior, looking for a quiet place in the house in which they prepare their nest. When labor is approaching, we can detect a certain nervousness in the animal.

Rectal temperature

Rectal temperature, which is obtained by inserting a thermometer into the anus of the animal, is one of the most reliable indicators of the approaching birth. This temperature, which normally is around 38 degrees Celsius (100 fahrenheit), will go down one degree between 12 and 24 hours before delivery, dropping to 37 (98.6 fahrenheit).

As we have seen, the values of the normal rectal temperature change between individuals ( it usually lies between 37.5 and 39 degrees), so we recommend measuring it gradually during the week prior to delivery.

Other physical signs

Although it may be more or less obvious when a dog is pregnant you will see how her breasts develop and produce milk. To know if your dog is in labor you can check that about a day before giving birth the cervical mucous plug will be expelled and a outward flow of fluid will be observed, usually whitish or yellowish, around the vulva of the dog.

The position of the bitch

One of the most obvious points that will help you know if your dog is in labor is that when they give birth, the future mothers tend to go to the previously selected location to give birth and there they lie on their side. Then the contractions will start, a clear sign that the puppies are about to arrive.

Caring for a pregnant dog

It is imperative that, to safeguard the health of your dog and her puppies, you take extreme precaution with the care you provide your pet during the gestation period. You should pay special attention to basic issues such as:

  • Feeding: You must increase the quality of food that you give your dog for the puppies grow healthy, it is also important that you give your dog a larger portion and also give her some milk every day. In this article you can read about how to feed a pregnant dog.
  • Physical Activity: It is also important that during pregnancy your dog goes out for a walk a while longer than usual and you do exercise to keep her fit.
  • More affection: during pregnancy, the dog will be more sensitive than normal, so it is important that you are more affectionate with her, that you spoil her more and do not leave her for many hours alone at home.
  • Frequent visits to the veterinarian: To ensure that your dog is having a healthy pregnancy check ups at the vet are vital

You may also be interested in the article how long does a dog's pregnancy last.

If you want to read similar articles to How To Tell If My Dog Is In Labor, we recommend you visit our Pets category.