When should I bring my German Shepherd to the vet during labor?

Great question! A dog's normal gestation is 58-68 days in length. If you know when Samantha mated, this will tell you how far along she is in her pregnancy. If you aren't sure about a mating date, I would have her seen by a vet for x-rays and ultrasound. The vet can give you an idea of how far along she is in her pregnancy. When she gets into her last week of pregnancy, you can start taking her temperature rectally twice a day. A dog's normal temperature is 101-102.5F. Once it drops below 100F, she will give birth to the puppies in 24 hours. If she does not, she will need to see a vet immediately.

That depends....If she is in labor and puppies are already born then hopefully she can give birth to the last puppies as well. Usually there should be 30-45 minutes between puppies. If she stopped having contractions before all were born, or if she has been trying to give birth to a puppy but it appears that is cannot come easily, ie it may block the birth canal, then I suggest you take mama and puppies to a vet for assistance. If it looks like she does not have any problems, you do not need to involve a vet, and just let her have her babies until she is done.

I would start taking Gypsie's temperature twice daily rectally. A dog's normal temperature is between 101-102.5F. Once it drops below 100F, she should have her puppies within 24 hours. When you see that temperature drop, I would stay at home with her to observe her and know if there are any problems occurring. Usually the dog doesn't need any help, but I will put a link to an article below with things to look out for during labor and when to seek veterinary help. I hope this helps! https://www.2ndchance.info/caninelaborstages.htm

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.

The best way to tell how far along she is in her pregnancy is to take her into your vet for an exam. The vet can do a blood test looking for the hormone relaxin that is produced at 22 days gestation or later. Further along in her pregnancy, x-rays and an ultrasound can be done to better pinpoint at which point she is at in her gestation. Regular vet care is very important for a pregnant dog, so I would take her into the vet sometime this week for an exam.

She needs to be evaluated by a veterinarian and have bloodwork performed immediately. If she is bleeding, she could be aborting the litter. In some cases, we can check progesterone levels and supplement if needed.

It's never recommended to mate a female dog older than six years of age due to the increased difficulty of giving birth. I would wait another week, then take Sydney into the vet for a blood test to look for the hormone relaxin. If that is present, then she is pregnant. Should she be pregnant, you can have her spayed to terminate the pregnancy and prevent any future pregnancies. Spaying her would also prevent her from developing a pyometra, which is a life threatening infection of the uterus. If you do decide to keep the pregnancy, then I would work closely with your vet during her pregnancy so that any problems are identified quickly. You should also be prepared both emotionally and financially for the possibility of her needing a c section to give birth safely. I hope this helps!