How to tell when a dog is in labor?

Any vaginal discharge that you see should still look like clear mucus. In the second stage of labor the dog's contractions are more visible and stronger as she uses her abdominal muscles to expel puppies. She may get into a squatting position to accomplish this, but she also may just remain lying down. read more

When a mother dog is stuck in incomplete labor the first thing I do is administer oxytocin and calcium to stimulate uterine contractions. If the puppies are too big to pass through the birth canal or the oxytocin fails to induce successful labor, I perform a cesarean section on the dog. read more

The Three Stages of Labor. Stage 1 This stage includes the dilation of the cervix and uterine contractions. This is the longest stage of labor, lasting between six and 18 hours. It is as painful for the dog as it is for humans, so the dam will naturally appear restless and uncomfortable. read more