My Dog Has Been in Labor for Over an Hour: Is That Safe?

The amount of time dogs spend in labor can vary greatly, depending on the mother's breed, age, weight, and prior experience having litters. While some births can happen relatively quickly, in some cases as long as four hours can pass between the delivery of individual pups.

  1. Normal Delivery

    • In the first stage of labor, the cervix will begin to dilate and contractions will begin. The dog may be restless and anxious, trembling, panting and pacing. Some pets will even persistently whine. After six to 18 hours, she will proceed to the second stage of the birth, and begin passing puppies, placental fluid and placenta. Most pups will be born within a half-hour of each other, and the mother will lick them clean and bite the umbilical cord. During the third stage of labor, all pups have been passed, and final contractions expel remaining blood.

    The Litter

    • The size of the litter can greatly effect the length of time a delivery takes, simply because there are more puppies that must be pushed through the birth canal. Likewise, if any puppies are born breach (hind feet first) or are too big for the birth canal, the duration of the labor can increase greatly and may require veterinary assistance.

    Other Complications

    • Other complications could extend the length of labor. These include hypocalcemia (lack of calcium), uterine inertia (ineffective contractions), uterine torsion (a twist in the uterus), fetal distress and placental separation. Signs of these include muscle rigidity and constant trembling, weak contractions that fail to produce a pup, a lack of sign of labor despite the knowledge that more pups remain to be delivered, signs of shock (like pale mucus membranes, rapid pulse and drop in body temperature), and thick black-green discharge or fresh blood from the vulva. If any of these symptoms are noted singly or together, veterinary attention should be sought immediately.

    Other Considerations

    • Some other considerations include the breed of the dog. Some small-hipped breeds, such as bulldogs, can only give birth by cesarean section, and plans to accommodate this fact should be made when the owner has confirmation of a pregnancy. Additionally, dogs with prior C-sections will likely need C-sections for all subsequent pregnancies, because scarring may compromise the birth canal.