How do you help a dog to give birth

Generally, bitches give birth on their own without the need for any human intervention. Therefore, if we ask ourselves how to help our dog to give birth, in a high percentage of cases the answer will be that the best help is to do nothing. But, should any complications arise, in this Doug article 57 we will explain these signs that a dog is in labor, what their normal course is, and what issues should alert us to call the vet. 

If you think your dog needs you to intervene and, therefore, you're interested in knowing how to help your dog give birth if you can't, keep reading to find out all the keys.

How does a dog go into labor?

If we want to know how to help a dog to give birth, the first thing is to gain basic knowledge about the birth of this species. Dogs have a gestation of approximately 62 days. Although it is not an exact science, we can count on the fact that labor will start on those days. A significant delay should lead to a veterinarian consultation. The follow-up that this professional performs for the pregnancy and proper care are factors that add up when it comes to achieving a successful delivery. 

It is very common for bitches to give birth at night. This fact and the subtlety already of their signs of appearance means that we often find ourselves directly with born puppies. If we are interested in how to tell if a dog is in labor, we should watch the dog carefully, always without drowning her. Shortly before birth, she stops eating, is restless, can scratch the ground, and will look for her nest. These signs will be the same in the birth of a bitch for the first time compared to the birth of an experienced bitch. Although on the outside we don't notice much more, a dog's body will start to experience contractions which will become more intense until they culminate in deliveries. 

How do I know if my dog has cramps?

During labor, the dog will feel contractions of two types. In the first stage, which may go unnoticed, the contractions will widen the outlet of the uterus so that the puppies can reach the outside. Some bitches may show discomfort.

In the second stage, the contractions intensify, and at that time it is possible to discover that the dog is breathing agitated, panting, licking the vulva, pushing visibly, and even vomiting, which are unmistakable signs that she is having contractions. 

How do you help a dog to give birth if you can't?

The contractions culminate in the birth of the first cub, which will be followed by his brothers. The time between dog and dog is usually about 15 minutes, although it is also not an exact science, and there may be a delay of up to two hours or more without the involvement of pathology. In these cases where the birth takes place naturally, as we indicated at the beginning of the article, our intervention will not be necessary, so we can limit ourselves to monitoring to ensure that the dog is fine and that no complications arise 

My dog does not stop, what do I do?

If we notice that this time has passed and the bitch has not given birth, it may be because there is some difficulty preventing rebirths, such as poor posture or too large a puppy. None of these factors will allow her to give birth even if she pushes the bitch. In no case should we try to solve it ourselves, let alone leave it unattended? It's an emergency and if the vet can't move the pup, he'll have to perform a cesarean section. 

My dog is in labor and not pushing

Another case is that the dog is in labor and is not pushing. This can happen because the uterus is unable to produce effective contractions or because it is already tired after exerting itself for an extended period. This situation is also an emergency. The vet can administer medications to stimulate the womb, but if that doesn't work, a cesarean delivery will have to be performed.

As we can see, how to help a dog to give birth is to contact the veterinarian in situations where the dog is not able to do it alone. 

Other tips to help a dog give birth

To help the dog procreate, in addition to watching to move quickly if any of the above issues occur, the only thing we can do is foster a comfortable environment and avoid any stressful stimulus for the dog. 

On the other hand, in general, at birth, the pups persist inside the placenta and it is the mother who is responsible for breaking it so that they can breathe. To do this, he usually eats it, so we should not be alarmed if we see this happen. Now, if your dog doesn't break the bag or has a hard time doing so, we can intervene in these cases.

We must do this to prevent the puppy from dying because if the bag does not break, he will not be able to breathe. Therefore, we will break the bag with our fingers, remove the puppy, and cut the umbilical cord if the dog does not. If the puppy is born outside the sac, it is usual for the bitch to expel the placenta immediately afterward. If this does not happen, we will have to visit a specialist. 

Once the puppy is born, if the bitch does not approach him so that she can feed her, we can approach one of her mothers to do so, as long as she allows it. Although bitches rarely let their human families bring them close or help them with childbirth, it can sometimes happen, so it is essential to respect this at all times. 

Can a dog go into labor?

Births are triggered, under normal circumstances, when the pups are about to leave and survive outside. There is nothing that can force this maturity. Therefore, no home remedy will make your dog go into labor, and it is not recommended to try it.

If we want to know how to help a dog give birth, what contributes most to this is creating a comfortable environment where the hormones that need to be activated during labor can function without being hampered by stress.

The different situation is the one discussed in the previous section. When the dog is already in labor and the vet administers medication to reactivate it if the uterus appears not to be doing its job. It is a veterinary procedure that only this professional can perform. 

How do I know that my dog ​​has finished giving birth?

Finally, to know how to help a dog to give birth, it is important to know the signs that the birth is over. After all the puppies are born we will see that the dog remains calm. Little ones will also be able to relax and nurse. It will be about two hours since the last puppy came out and the bitch is not showing any effort to give birth.

An aid to ensuring that all puppies are born is to have a veterinary follow-up during pregnancy. In this way, and using diagnostic imaging, we may have a fairly accurate estimate of the number of fetuses that the bitch is carrying. Thus, we will only have to count to check if the puppies born match our estimates.

It is also important if we can count the number of places, that corresponds to the puppies born. The placenta that remains inside the uterus can cause problems in the postpartum period. Of course, if your dog continues to make efforts without a small one being born, becomes anxious, or shows any other indication that something is not going well, this is a reason to consult a veterinarian.

This article is informational only, at dog57.com we do not have the authority to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any kind of diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the vet in case he is under any kind of condition or discomfort.