Husky labor

Question
QUESTION: my siberian husky is around 64 days pregnant. it may be a little less we are not exactly sure which breeding time took. we have the male here so it was when ever. but she has been lying around all day, and not eating or drinking as far as i know i have been down stairs wih here since i saw her acting weird,. and since then she has just been sleeping or pacing. her privates are alittle swollen like, i can see it easily and i think i see some reddish discharge, i would like to know what it means and what sure signs i can easily detect to see if she is in labor or will be in a few hours, it is almost five, and since early this morning she has been acting different. what are some signs i can look for and do i need to keep the male away from her or can he stay round just not bothering her? thanks so much for the help. this is her first litter, and mine. i would like the help.

ANSWER: Hi Tabitha

You need to have a whelping box for your female, especially if this is her first time.  Keep the male away from the female and her pups for the next 6 weeks.   

The lackadaisical attitude of letting the male hang around her, and not knowing when she was bred, can spell disaster.

A lack of appetite and nesting is the on-set of labor.

Good luck

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: ok, i have been checkin her and havent left her side. now she is having bloody discharge, is that bad?

ANSWER: All part of the whelping process.  

Remember, your female will feed off your energy.  If you are high strung and nervous, you're female will be more nervous.

As I've said, relax and let Mother Nature do her thing.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: ok,well, its been a long night, she started labor (shaking, panting) round 6:45 and then started contractions round8:30 and her first pupy was born a litttle before 8:45. then three followed within the next few hours.  but she was acting fine like she was done so i moved her into her box, and got her some more water and i layed in the chair beside her and went to sleep round 3 in the morning. i woke up everyfew hours to check and let the male out. but when i woke up this morning she had two more, but one is dead, he doesnt have a back leg andd half his guts are hangin out. (waht could have happened) i just wish i would have stayed up with her all noght just to make sure. but now she is panting still, and keeps lickin herself, like she did before when she still had pups in her. how do i know if she still has any left in her? and if she doesnt is she alright? shes still bleedin a ilttle, wha does that mean? im jsut worried after she had a dead puppy that something might be wrong. what should i do, we never took her to the vet, mom wouldnt let me


Answer
I have to say that part of responsible breeding is knowing when your female was/is in heat, when she was bred, keeping her infection free, bringing her to the vet for regular check ups, and if expecting, making sure she's on a proper diet, x-rays to confirm pregnancy and how many pups to expect and the ability to deal with any complications that arise.

You need to get your female into the vet for a shot of oxytocin.  Are you aware if all the placenta's were expelled? A retained placenta or pup will become toxic and be fatal not only to your dam but to the litter as well.

Some females can unintentionally kill their pups by eating and/or aggressive cleaning of the sac which in turn, can cause their vital organs to appear to be "hanging out".

Everything that happens to the female adversely effects the off-spring.  I'm going to assume for my sake, that all these pups have homes, and will have proper vaccinations before they are placed.