Remember the puppy is born in a fluid filled sac that usually breaks during birth. If the puppy is delivered still in the sac, break it as quickly as possible. Clean the puppy's face and nostrils and then gently blow on its face to try and stimulate breathing.
Some vets recommend not letting her puncture this sac. This is the protective sac that the puppies are in. But do not fret if she pops it. This is Her water breaking.
Remember, the puppy is born in a fluid-filled sac that usually breaks during birthing. "If the puppy is still enclosed in the sac, break it open as quickly as possible."
You may see some of this water and later fetal membranes at the vulva. We would expect the first pup to be born within 4 hours of the time the "water breaks". The maximum time between pups is less than 4 hours and the maximum total time for delivery of the litter is 12 hours.
This 'water sac' is still the 2nd stage of labour and is sometimes called a horn sac. After the presentation of this sac and active straining, the pup should be born in about 30 minutes. If you see a water sac with no puppy and the bitch continues to strain hard for 20- 30 minutes, please get in touch.
Question: My dogs' water sac is hanging out with no signs of breaking. What can I do? Answer: If you notice an amniotic sac protruding for some time, then a vet should be seen as soon as possible. There may be a puppy stuck in the canal, or you may be dealing with a case of uterine inertia.
If the puppy doesn't come out within an hour, you need to see a vet asap. Seeing the sac or a puppy part (leg, head, tail, etc) and no puppy comes within an hour, that indicates either a stuck puppy or uterine inertia and is a possible emergency.
Steady strong contractions have continued for over 1 hour without producing a pup. Prolonged resting phase continues over 4 hours when there are more pups to be delivered. There is a foul smelling vaginal discharge. Mother-to-be has excessive vomiting or is extremely lethargic.
Many pregnant people go into labor within 12 hours of their water breaking. However, 1 in 10 will not go into labor on their own after a day or so. A person may consider contacting their doctor if they do not experience any signs of labor within several hours of their water breaking.
Uterine inertia occurs when the uterus is no longer able to contract and push the puppies through the vaginal canal. It can occur at any stage of labor and may be associated with uterine exhaustion.
Puppies can live in the uterus for up to 24 hours after labor starts. Dogs in labor for 3 hours without delivery of the first pup should be examined for evidence of complications. If you are comfortable with this, you may don a glove and do a vaginal examination to assess position of the puppy.
A hygroma is a fluid-filled sac that develops over bony prominences and pressure points, especially in large breeds of dogs. Repeated trauma from lying on hard surfaces leads to inflammation. This results in a dense-walled, fluid-filled cavity.
It's best to remove your puppy's water bowl at night. Be consistent with the time you remove water, the same way you're consistent with feeding times. As a rule of thumb, remove the food and water bowls about two-to-three hours before bedtime.
Call your healthcare provider if you think your water broke so they can determine what to do next. Amniotic fluid is a protective barrier, and without it, the fetus is at risk for infection and other medical conditions.
Picking up your dog's water bowl 30-60 minutes before bed time can help set your dog for success. It prevents a last-minute “tank up” right before 6-8 hours in the crate overnight.
In general, amniotic fluid is odorless, although some people detect a sweet smell like semen or chlorine. It's also usually clear or lightly tinged pink with streaks of blood.
Once it starts flowing, the amniotic fluid will continue leaking until all 600-800 milliliters (or roughly 2 1/2-3 cups) of it empties out. In the meantime, you can wear a sanitary pad to protect your clothes or lay a clean towel underneath you to protect your seat.
A few days after your dog has given birth
She has a fever, is unwell with a loss of appetite, is listless or lacks interest in the puppies. Any of these could indicate an infection within her uterus. Her mammary glands are red, firm and painful, or discharge from her nipples is smelly, brown or bloody.
When everything appears to be in place for a normal healthy birth, he may inject her with a dose of oxytocin. Dosages range from 2 to 20 units, which the vet can administer in 30-minute intervals. This drug will help to speed up and increase the strength of her contractions to facilitate the birthing process.
You may see: restlessness, shivering, not eating, fast breathing, and maybe vomiting or diarrhea. These signs are related to the uterine contractions and hormonal changes occurring, but you should not see the mother straining at all. If this phase lasts longer than 24 hours, contact your vet immediately.
If the mother is still trying to care for any dead pups after a few days, be sure to remove them even if it causes the mother distress. Parasites from the decaying carcasses can be passed on to the mother and the remaining pups. If the mother or surviving pups seem ill in any way, remove the dead puppies immediately.
If your baby is not born within the next 24 hours after your waters breaking, he/ she will need to stay in hospital for 12 hours after birth so they can be closely monitored for any signs of an infection. A small number of women will not go into labour within 48 hours and will be advised to have their labour induced.