labor?

Question
Hi Penny,
Our pug is pregnant and her temp has been 98.7 for a couple of days now, she has some white discharge coming out and her breathing is a little heavy and constant, she's been like that since early this a.m., for some reason she wants to be under the bed, and is not showing interest in going outside, or out of the room, she hasn't had anything to eat or drink since yesterday morning, is this normal?...or should we be concerned?, how long do we have till we see some beautiful babies?

Thanks for your help...

Answer
Hi Maria.  All the symptoms that your pug is displaying are normal.  Your new mother to be might feel she needs to find a safer, more secluded place to birth her puppies, and this could be the reason she is trying to go under your bed.

I suggest that your new mother and puppies be kept in a secluded place - away from high traffic areas, other pets, and away from drafts where the mother can tend to her new puppies in peace. If there too much action, or too much outside help, the mother can become stressed.  Stress can cause the mother to hide, loose her milk, and in the most extreme case, reject her puppies.  It is very tempting to want to show off the puppies, but it is best not to allow friends, neighbors, and or lots of family members to visit during the first 3 weeks.

When the time to give birth arrives the mother will show signs of contractions and possibly begin to shiver.   After each puppy is delivered it will be proceeded by a greenish, fluid-filled sac (placenta). Each puppy is attached to a placenta by an umbilical cord. In larger litters, you may not see one placenta passed immediately after every puppy. Some placentas may be retained and be expelled gradually days after all puppies are born. Most puppies are born head first, but as many as one-third may be born hindquarters first. Either position is considered normal.

In most cases, after each puppy is born, the afterbirth will soon follow. However sometimes - for whatever reason- not always.  It is not uncommon for two afterbirths to pass at the same time, what is important is that all the afterbirths eventually pass.
In some cases, unknown to us, the mother can and will pass the afterbirth outside, while using the restroom, making it had to be completely sure that each one has passed.

Good luck, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have additional questions.

Sincerely,
Penny Diloreto
www.puppies-dot-com.com