Whelping ??

Question
My 16 pound pommie is in labor, I think.  This is her first litter.  Unfortunately, I am not quite sure when she got pregnant as I did not know she was in the first week.  After that week I took her out on chain and kept better track of her.  Late last night, she better panting heavily and staring, not eating or drinking, had bowel movement on self in house (she is 2 years old and housebroke).  I tried to put her in the birthing pool we set up for her but she didn't want that.  I finally put her leash on her and laid down on the floor with her on a blanket pad next to me.  She had this very heavy panting for several hours throughout the early morning.  It is now about 13 hours later and she still has not had a pup.  She had another very loose, running bowel movement about 40 minutes ago.  She is not in the birthing pool breathing heavy again.  Could there be a problem with her labor or how long can she go on like this before she starts birthing?  Is there anything I can do to make it easier for her?  How can I tell if she is really in labor?  Thank you.

Answer
Hi Donna. When a dog starts labor, she will usually stop eating, want to hide, pant heavily, and may dig like crazy. These symptoms can last up to 24 hours before actual contractions start. Now, if she starts to push for longer than 15 minutes without producing a pup, get her to the vet. Or, if she goes longer than three hours in between pups, get her to the vet. If she has a colored discharge before the birth of the first puppy, get her straight to the vet. By colored I mean greenish, black, brown, bloody. These are indications that something is wrong, and she needs help. I'd put a call in to the vet to let him know what's going on, just in case you need him, he'll be ready. Make sure she has plenty of water at all times, and offer her some beef broth if she's not interested in eating right now. Keep the house quiet, no extra visitors, and stay with her. Good luck!