My dog seems in labor, vulva open, but no puppies or pushing?

Hello. As long as she is not actively pushing / straining & seems content to care for her new family, she may just need to rest for several hours. It is also not unusual for there to be a 24 hour gap between starting labor & delivering the last puppy. I will tell you that sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between an involuting uterus ( one that is shrinking down ) & the perception that there may be still some puppies. The uterus can be quite "lumpy" at this early stage. If she remains comfortable & there is no excessive drainage ( there will be the normal greenish discharge called lochia ), then I would not be too concerned. But if you are still concerned in 3-4 hours, or she starts pushing with no deliveries after 30 minutes, do see your veterinarian for further evaluation. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If you are seeing clear fluid Soph is likely in stage 2 of labor and you should see a puppy within 2-4 hours. If you think Soph is in active labor and you have seen pushing for more than 30 minutes, or if you see green fluid you should see an emergency vet. They can sometimes check for signs of fetal distress and determine if intervention is necessary or if it is safe to monitor at home.

It can be up to 4 hours in between puppies. They need the break so they do not get exhausted. If she is heavily contacting and trying hard to push a pup out with no luck after 39 minutes then she needs medical attention. If there is a black or brown discharge then she needs medical help. The best thing to do is put her in a quiet dim place to let her rest and have the puppies. Check on her about every 30 minutes. She is unlikely to eat or drink during this hit offer her some just in case.

If she is still showing signs of distress or labor, I would take her in to your vet. Your vet will be able to determine if there are any additional puppies. Your vet will be able to give some meds to help with labor or do a C-section on her to get the rest of the puppies out. I hope this helps and the rest of the puppies and mama is okay!

I am very worried about Bebe. If she hasn't had any puppies for 6 hours, but still has puppies inside, I would definitely recommend to take her to a veterinarian. Sometimes a puppy can be stuck in the birth canal or the mom gets so tired from pushing that her uterus is no longer able to contract to push the puppies out. Both of these situations are dangerous for the puppies and Bebe. The veterinarian will examine her to see if there is a puppy stuck in the birth canal and will most likely recommend taking and x-ray to see how many puppies she still has inside. Depending on what they find, they may recommend doing a c-section. In most cases, this is the only way to try and save the mother and the puppies. I am so sorry. I know this is a very scary situation.

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!

Stage one of labor can last up to 18 hours, and if Elly's temperature has dropped to 37.5C, she should have her puppies within 24 hours. Should 24 hours pass after this temperature drop with no sign of puppies, take her into the vet. Best of luck.