A dog’s gestation is generally about 63 days from ovulation. Remember that puppies aren’t typically visible on x-rays until around the 45th day of pregnancy.
Dogs with small litters are also more likely to have problems, as their puppies tend to grow larger.
You could say to your vet, “Since she’s several days past her due date, I started to get worried. Is there anything we need to do for her?”
You could say, “Can you explain to me in basic terms what’s wrong with Lucy?” You could also ask what you need to do when you take the dog home to care for her.
Make sure to have food and water available while the dog is giving birth, as she’ll need to keep her strength up. Really, all you can do is wait for her to continue giving birth, with the exception of taking her for a walk.
She may not want to leave her puppies, but try to encourage her to come outside for a bit. You can carry her outside if she’s willing or bribe her with treats.
Try not to assist the dog yourself. While it may be difficult to resist the urge to help your dog through her labor, delivery injuries to both mother and pups are common when inexperienced people start to intervene. If you think help is needed, call your vet to get instruction or ask for a house-call. [10] X Research source
You should also take your dog to the vet in the first day or so after birth to make sure she is doing okay.
Infection in the teats is characterized by increased pain, swelling, irritation, and redness. Also, if the milk turns green, yellow, or red and thickens, that’s a sign of infection, as well. While your dog will have some drainage from the uterus, it’s usually green, red, black, brown and odorless. If it changes to a pale or gray color or develops an odor, that indicates infection. If the drainage looks like active bleeding, take your dog to the vet immediately, as she could be experiencing a life-threatening hemorrhage. Low calcium will result in disorientation, loss of interest in her puppies, a fever, pain, whining, and stomach problems, as well as muscle tremors. If your dog develops this condition, she may lay on the floor with her legs sticking straight out.
