My dog is due today with one pup, no labor. When to call vet?

Some discharge and bleeding is normal during labor as the puppies come out. However if Lady is bleeding without being in labor, straining and in labor for several hours without producing a puppy, or seems extremely exhausted or in distress, it would be best to seek veterinary care immediately.

I strongly recommend you have her assesssed by a vet as these signs are all very suggestive that labour should have begun and she may have a pup that is stuck and unable to deliver naturally. A physical exam and possibly ultrasound or xray may be required to assess the position of the pup and if she is in fact dilated and ready to deliver. I would not delay the appointment as there is an increased risk of infection and fetal distress once the passage is open and any mucus or fluid is passed

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.

If she is in early labor (stage 1) she could take many hours (even 6-8) before starting the contraction. It is a quite rough estimation, depending if the cervical dilation has already started or not. 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.

That picture is adorable!! I love it :-) This is a great question! A dog's gestation can be between 58-68 days with an average of 63 days, so I would not start being concerned until Lizzie reaches 68 days pregnant with no signs of puppies. At this point, I would take her into the vet.

If it's been six hours since the last puppy was born and you believe Ahavala still has at least one more pup inside her, this is an emergency - she needs to be seen at an emergency clinic tonight for further evaluation (a physical exam, and likely x-rays and/or ultrasound) to determine if there is in fact another pup present. If so, she will almost certainly need an emergency c-section to remove it. here should generally be no more than two hours at most between puppies once a mother dog has started delivering, so a delay of this long is not normal and requires veterinary intervention.

The first stage of labor can last up to 18 hours before the pushing stage starts. It may be Coco hasn't reached the second stage of labor yet when she pushes. You can have her checked out by a vet to be safe.