Is my pregnant dog's loose, swollen vulva a sign of labor?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Staffordshire Bull Terrier | Female | unspayed | 1 year old
My pregnant dog is on day 62. She does not show any discomfort but her vulva is really loose and swollen. Actually swinging when she is walking. Could she be close to giving birth
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on April 12th, 2019
Yes, she could be close. Here is a link to an article that will tell you more about signs to look for that she should be delivering soon. ( https://www.petcoach.co/article/whelping-giving-birth-in-dogs/ )
3Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on January 17th, 2020
There is no way to accurately predict labor and whelping without a physical exam or by knowing the last date of mating. What you can do is have Charli seen by your veterinarian. (This should be done anyway to confirm good health and to put a number to the litter). Your veterinarian can perform an abdominal ultrasound to count the pups and measure them to determine how far along she is.
4Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
My dog is pregnant not sure how many days along. Her vulva is swollen and her teats are producing milk, is she close to labor?
There is no way to accurately predict labor and whelping without a physical exam or by knowing the last date of mating. What you can do is have Charli seen by your veterinarian. (This should be done anyway to confirm good health and to put a number to the litter). Your veterinarian can perform an abdominal ultrasound to count the pups and measure them to determine how far along she is.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Training & Behavior
Hi i think my dog is in labor she is not eating and her vulva is swollen her belly is making loud hunger noises its very loud she is penting struggling to to get comfy but is trying to sleep now help I'm panicking
Were you expecting your dog to go into labor soon? And/or did you know she was pregnant? If this is unexpected then I would recommend taking her to the vet to be examined as soon as possible. If however you were expecting your dog to give birth then just place her in a quiet, dark room and only check on her every hour or so. If she is having active contractions (you can tel by looking at her belly) and has not had any pups in 2 hours then you need to get her to your vet as soon as possible. I hope this helps. Please feel free to post an additional question or request a consult so we can help you further!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
New Pet
I recently rehomed a dog, its come to light shes pregnant and shes become very restles, shes shivering, her behaviour has slightly changed and shes being very protective and nesting. Her teats have become very swollen overnight. Not 100% sure on date
It certainly sounds like Xena may be showing signs of stage 1 labor. It would be a good idea to start monitoring her rectal temperature - I typically recommend checking 2-3 times a day. You can establish a baseline and if and when her temperature drops by 1 full degree it is usually a pretty good indicator that you should see puppies within 24 hours. This article might also help: https://www.petcoach.co/article/whelping-giving-birth-in-dogs/
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Training & Behavior
My female dog Fawn is 61 days pregnant. She lost her mucus plug. Clingy, tummy gets tight at times, she wont let me take her temperature. 3 days ago I took her temp and it was 99.7. When she went outside to go potty then she glcame in sat on floor on
She may be very near whelping. You should make sure she has a whelping box where she can nest. Here is a good Boop by Petco article on whelping: https://www.petcoach.co/article/whelping-giving-birth-in-dogs/ Observe her, but do not hover....
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
Okay my dog is a female pitbull is about a year old she just went through her first heat but I think she might have gotten pregnant before she is showing major signs of labor vaginal area is swollen and pushing out. Her nipples Pinker than they were
Thank you for submitting your question regarding Macy. Her mammary chain does not show any enlargement or engorgement with milk. This makes it less likely that she is pregnant. I agree though that her vulva appears swollen. Depending on how long ago her heat cycle was it can mean several things. If the cycle was recent, the swelling may not have had time to reduce yet. If her cycle was months ago, she could be starting her next cycle. If you have seen tissue protruding from the vuvla, then a vaginal prolapse could be the cause. Finally, she could be experiencing a false pregnancy. She will likely need to see her veterinarian to differentiate between these causes and to determine why she is exhibiting the behavioral changes. I hope this information helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog is 8 weeks pregnant she had been leaking lots of milk for about a week now what does this mean she also has a swollen vulva
Seeing that Cinnamon is nearing the end of her pregnancy and should be delivering puppies within the next week, her body is preparing itself to feed the puppies when they are born. Her colostrum / milk production is high right now hence the milk leaking from the nipples. This is common and is nothing to be concerned about. Her swollen vulva is also common as this is a change due to the hormones in her body during the pregnancy. If you have any questions regarding delivery of the puppies or anything else, please do not hesitate to ask!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My dog has a pertaining vagina that seemed to appear over the past few days.
The pictures are a bit blurry, so it is difficult to see if there are any problems, but this appears to be a swollen vulva (external part of the vagina). This is typically seen as a sign of heat (a time when they are receptive to male dogs and can get pregnant). Considering she is not spayed and is the right age to come into her first heat, this is normal. For more information about this and what to expect, I recommend you read the article at the following link: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiSyoiY0NvjAhVOfSsKHVmCBf8QzPwBegQIARAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.petcoach.co%2Farticle%2Fanatomy-and-function-of-the-reproductive-system-in-dogs%2F&psig=AOvVaw0vx4ABuXaCpRQKXqoj-vOQ&ust=1564541172951364 One problem that can happen is the inside of the vagina can come out; which is called a vaginal prolapse. In this condition, you will see the pink inside protruding past the opening. If you see this, then it requires immediate attention by a veterinarian. I hope that
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Our girl has newly found symptoms of swollen breasts main 4 near her hind legs her vulva is swollen and she was aggressive towards a small boy the other day when usually they always play. Shes only about 13months and assuming maybe had only 2 heats
It is very possible Lucy could be pregnant, especially if she got out while in heat last. A dog's pregnancy is about 60-63 days, so if it was about two months ago that she was in heat and got out, it is likely she is close to giving birth if she is pregnant. It would be best to bring her to your local veterinarian to have her examined and the pregnancy confirmed. If she is not pregnant, your vet can also check for other issues such as hormonal changes, tumors or infections that could be causing the change to her mammary glands and vulva, or can let you know if she's ready to go into heat again.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Why Is My Pregnant Dog Leaking Clear Fluid?
If your [pregnant dog](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pregnancy/) is having some fluid discharge and she is at or near her due date, expect her to have her pups soon. Confine her to an area that is quiet (if she isn't already in a whelping box) since noise or stress can cause her to delay the delivery. If you've been [monitoring her temperature](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-take-your-pet-s-temperature-in-7-easy-steps/) and it has fallen below 100 degrees, the pups should come in the next 24 hours. [As labor nears](https://www.petcoach.co/article/whelping-giving-birth-in-dogs), she may become agitated, getting up and down or licking herself. Once you see firm signs of labor, simply monitor her. Most dogs will deliver a litter without human intervention. If she does not begin pushing within 2-4 hours of the start of labor, a call or visit to your local emergency vet to ensure everything is still going fine is strongly recommended.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
New Pet
Hello, my Labrador is due to give birth any day now. For the last three weeks though, her vulva has been very swollen - it’s slightly bigger than a tennis ball. Is this normal? I took her to our vet to have a scan on her pups and they were all good.
The vulva is swollen indeed but it may be normal for Francis. To be on the safe side, apart from abdominal scan I would suggest digital examnation of the vulva to make sure that there is notthing abnormal going on (for example partial vaginal prolapse). I don't think the swelling itself, providing that the birth canal is fully open and not obstructed during the labour, will cause any problems for Francis.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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