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My pregnant dog is in early labor. When do contractions start?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female | unspayed | 9 months and 30 days old | 40 lbs

She's in early labor. My question is: when should I expect contractions to start?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Massimo Orioles, DVM, Cert AVP, MRCVS

Veterinarian

Published on July 31st, 2018

If she is in early labor (stage 1) she could take many hours (even 6-8) before starting the contraction. It is a quite rough estimation, depending if the cervical dilation has already started or not. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

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