How long does it take to deliver a bitch?

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 17 February 2021
Update Date: 1 July 2024
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Content

During the pregnancy of a dog, one of the main concerns is the time of delivery. In order for us to face it safely, it is important that we have followed the veterinary exams marked by our veterinarian throughout pregnancy. We also need to pay attention to the pregnant dog's diet, as her nutritional needs will change.

In addition, we must provide a quiet place where she can nest and give birth in a controlled but undisturbed way. In this article by PeritoAnimal about dog birth, we'll explain how long does the delivery of a bitch last, so you know how to help and identify when you need to ask a veterinarian for help.


How to know if the bitch is having contractions

Before explaining how long the delivery of a dog lasts, we must know how to identify the symptoms of delivery in female dogs, which will indicate that the delivery is starting. Some of them are described below:

Signs before the birth of a dog

  • Decrease in your rectal temperature to 37.5°C or less, about 12-18 hours before parturition, although this does not occur in all female dogs;
  • loss of appetite between 12 and 24 hours before delivery;
  • In these 12-24 hours before delivery, the mother will be restless and can look for a place to make the nest. If we haven't already, it will be time to take her to the place we prepared for it, however, if she doesn't accept it, we shouldn't force her. Yes, we can relocate the family after birth;
  • THE dog's restlessness it may indicate that she is beginning to feel the contractions, the movements of the uterus that will help expel the pups;
  • A choking dog, lick your vulva and even throw up, is in full labor;
  • If we notice a yellowish liquid, it will be the amniotic fluid resulting from the stock market disruption. A puppy should be born in a few minutes.

the birth of a dog

To understand how long a dog's delivery takes, we need to know that it takes place in several stages, which are as follows:


  • the first phase lasts 6-12 hours. In it, there are contractions that expand the cervix so that the puppies can come out. This phase can be undetectable, although some bitches are restless or uncomfortable.
  • in the second phase the contractions become more intense and press the first pup against the cervix, which encourages the dog to push. When the cervix is ​​completely dilated, the puppy will come out. It might still come out of your bag, or it might break before then. The time it takes for a female dog to give birth after breaking her purse is only a few minutes. The dog will lick the puppy and cut the umbilical cord. The time it takes a dog to give birth between one puppy and the other is very variable, ranging from 15 minutes to 2 hours.
  • the third phase of the birth of the dog corresponds to the placental expulsion, a few minutes after the birth of the puppy. It is common for a dog to ingest this placenta. It is a good idea to count them as there must be as many as there are puppies. If a placenta is not delivered, it can cause infections.

How long does it take to deliver a bitch?

In summary, the time it takes to give birth for a female dog, taking as an example a litter of 4-6 puppies, will be 6-8 hours, although this time can be extended the more numerous the litter.


Time between puppies at the birth of a bitch

The birth of each puppy is preceded by between 5-30 minutes the active phase of labor. Although it is usual, as we said, that the interval between births is from 15 minutes to 2 hours, this interval can be postponed up to 3-4 hours, and this time varies according to race. Large breeds can have litters with more puppies and this can take longer as a result.

How to know if you still have puppies to be born

One way to know if the bitch has finished giving birth is take an x-ray or ultrasound before giving birth to find out the number of puppies she is carrying. So to to know if there are still puppies in the dog's belly we'll just have to count the born puppies to see if the data match or count the placentas (before the bitch eats it, it's normal), since there should never be more puppies than placentas. If these amounts don't match the ultrasound prediction, a puppy could be trapped in the birth canal.

If we observe that the dog pushes for 30 to 60 minutes and no puppy is born, we should call the veterinarian urgently. It is for these and other reasons that it is always very important to have the contact of a 24-hour veterinarian who can handle emergencies of this type.

If this is the first time the dog has been having puppies and we wonder how long a dog's first calving lasts, we should know that we can deal with the same times we've already explained, that is, there will be no significant differences between a first calving and the too much.

Dog birth - complications

Finally, we will talk about the possible problems in the birth of a dog and the time that the birth of a bitch lasts can vary in cases of dystocia, which will imply a prolongation of some of the stages of birth. Dystocia can be caused by a physical obstruction or uterine inertia, which implies that the uterus cannot contract hard enough to expel the baby.

Obstruction

Obstruction is usually caused by a puppy's excessive size or incorrect placement in the birth canal. This channel can also be too narrow. We may suspect obstruction if the mother pushes for 30 to 60 minutes without the birth of any offspring. In this case, veterinary assistance is required, and a cesarean may be required.

uterine inertia

Uterine inertia can be primary, when the contractions don't even start, or secondary, when there is a prolonged effort that ends up exhausting the uterine musculature. This can occur when an obstruction is resolved and the bitch is in labor and does not push because the uterus may be fatigued. These cases usually end in caesarean section.

The veterinarian should look for the cause of inertia primary uterine, which can be a litter of a few puppies or a very large one, as well as stress or calcium deficiency. If the problem cannot be corrected, a cesarean will have to be performed.

How many puppies can a female dog have in her first offspring?

the amount of puppies that a bitch can give birth to in the first offspring it depends on different factors and varies according to your race and your size. Some information to take into account in this regard are:

  • The number of puppies directly depends on the age and size of the bitch and dog;
  • Younger bitches, with less heat, tend to have fewer puppies than older bitches;
  • Sperm from male dogs also meets these criteria. A more mature sperm is more likely to fertilize more eggs than sperm from young dogs.

In general terms, considering the average of normal puppies for small puppies (thinking a yorkshire terrier) and the average puppies for larger puppies, we can consider that the average puppies for a first litter is 5 puppies, being this one totally variable number according to the conditions explained. You can better understand these factors according to race in the article where we explain how many puppies can an english bull terrier have.

And since the subject is canine reproduction and its phases, we take this opportunity to make this video from PeritoAnimal's channel a curiosity: