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Panting After Giving Birth in Dogs
Written By hannah hollinger
Published: 07/25/2017Updated: 05/13/2021
Veterinary reviewed by Dr. Linda Simon, MVB MRCVS
What is Panting After Giving Birth?
Panting is a normal part of giving birth. This shouldn’t come as a surprise considering how difficult labor and recovery can be for any creature who goes through the process of delivery. During birth and for a short amount of time afterwards, your dog will most likely pant heavily. This is completely normal and should not be a cause of alarm. If, however, the panting continues past the first few days and happens frequently during nursing, this is something that will need to be addressed. While stress and exhaustion can be a factor in prolonged panting, more often than not the underlying issues are much more serious. We would need to consider:
- Incomplete birth
- Milk fever (eclampsia)
- High temperature
- Heart problems
- Pain
Regardless of what may be causing the postpartum panting, it is always best to get medical attention to your dog as soon as possible. This is because while some issues may not be life threatening immediately, delaying treatment could potentially cause irreparable damage or death.
Why Panting After Giving Birth Occurs in Dogs
While panting immediately after birth is a completely normal occurrence, prolonged panting is not. If this issue continues for several days after delivering puppies, your dog may be experiencing problems such as: an incomplete birth, milk fever, a high temperature, heart problems, or pain of some sort.
Incomplete Birth
If panting continues for a few hours after birth, it may be due to an unborn puppy or the late delivery of a placenta. Regardless of which it is, if you are inexperienced with puppy delivery, it would be best to contact your veterinarian for medical support. There are a few medications that can be given to help move the placenta along after it has been determined that there are no puppies remaining within the womb. Sometimes, a surgical procedure will be needed.
Milk Fever
Also known as eclampsia, puerperal tetany, and hypocalcemia this condition is caused by low blood calcium levels. One of the major symptoms is excessive panting, and while it may not seem serious at first, delaying treatment can result in death. Sometimes after giving birth, usually occurring within the first 4 weeks of delivery, a mother dog may have trouble maintaining healthy calcium levels as a lot of her own supply is passed through to the pups within her milk. This leaves the mother with a serious depletion of calcium and can result in milk fever, which will then need to be treated immediately by your veterinarian.
High Temperature
A high temperature is most always a sign of something more serious and should be checked out as soon as possible. After birth, regular temperature for the mother will be around 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit with a one-degree variation allowed. If it is any higher than this, severe panting will occur. This is an indication that something is severely amiss and you will want to receive medical attention for your pet immediately.
Heart Problems
Some more serious problems could appear after birthing due to the stress put upon the body. Examples of heart problems that can cause panting are heartworms and congestive heart failure. If you notice that your dog’s panting is paired with lethargy and coughing spells you will want to get her to the vet as soon as possible in order to be diagnosed.
Pain
If panting continues longer than a few days after birth, there may be some underlying issue that cannot be seen from the outside. Complications from birth can cause a lot of pain to a new mother, and can be quite common with a first pregnancy. Monitor your dog carefully and if the problems persist or worsen, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Most bitches who whelp normally will not require pain relief during or after labor.
What to do if your Dog is Panting After Giving Birth
Panting is completely normal after birth, so it is extremely important to monitor your dog carefully in order to determine whether or not it becomes prolonged. Typically, the panting should stop a few days after birth and the mother has time to relax and recover. You may notice panting occurs more during lactation as the uterus clamps down. If the panting does not stop, however, you will want to seek medical assistance in order to determine the underlying issue of the panting.
While the act of panting itself is not harmful and should not cause any concern, prolonged postpartum panting can be a symptom of life threatening issues so it is vital to visit your vet in order to receive treatment.
Prevention of Panting After Giving Birth
After birth, mother dogs should be monitored constantly for the first week. She should get plenty of rest and return to eating and drinking normally without any complications. If she does not respond quickly and seems lethargic, paired with prolonged panting, a vet may need to be consulted. Checking her teats regularly to ensure that there is no redness, heat, swelling, or irritation can help to catch any sign of milk fever in the early stages. The milk should be white and a normal consistency; any discoloration can mean the presence of bacteria which is harmful to the pups and mother alike. Feed puppy food to ensure the mother gets enough calcium and protein, as well as calories.
By speaking with your vet often and monitoring your female diligently after birth, any complications should be easily caught and corrected. Most pregnancies go smoothly, but for older dogs or a first pregnancy it is always important to pay close attention to the behavior of the mother in order to prevent any sort of injury or fatal problem.
Cost of Panting After Giving Birth
Treatment cost will vary depending on the cause of your dog’s panting. For instance, if your dog is diagnosed with milk fever, the cost of treatment can range from $500 to $2000.
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Panting After Giving Birth Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Chihuahua
9 months
55 found this helpful
55 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Still Panthing After Birth Havent Passed Few Placentas
My dog just had puppys, 5 to be exact amd shes still breathing fast, hours afyer giving birth. Only one placent came out and she ate it. Buy the others are still inside her. What medicine do i get so she can pass the remaining placenta??
Dec. 29, 2020
Answered by Dr. Sara O. DVM
55 Recommendations
Hello, she may pass the placentas in the next few days. She would need to see a vet for an injection to help her pass these placentas if she doesnt pass them on her own. There is not any over the counter medications that you can use.
Dec. 29, 2020
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Pit Bull
One Year
36 found this helpful
36 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Whining
My pitbull just had her first liter (11 puppies) I've been periodically taking her outside to go potty and I gave her lots of water and fed her but now shes whining to me like she needs something, and trembling. It seemed to get worse when the puppies woke up and started crying.
The delivery seemed to have gone good with no known complications and all 11 seem perfectly healthy
Dec. 3, 2020
Answered by Dr. Linda S. MVB MRCVS
36 Recommendations
Congratulations! 11 is a great litter size.
While some whining and trembling could be normal due to hormonal changes and /or minor cramps, there is also the possibility of a medical issue such as low blood calcium or a retained puppy or placenta.
If concerned, I wouldn't hesitate to have her seen by a vet.
Dec. 4, 2020
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Pug
Two Years
19 found this helpful
19 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Heavy Panting
my dog gave birth 3 weeks ago and I noticed she has begun to breathe heavily
Sept. 29, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
19 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. What you are noticing may be normal if she is hot, or uncomfortable. She may be having a problem with calcium if she is nursing many puppies. Since I cannot see her or examine her, it would probably be best to have an examination with a veterinarian for her, as they can see her, assess her health, and make sure she is okay. If she is having a problem, they will be able to let you know what treatments may be needed. I hope that all goes well for her.
Oct. 1, 2020
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Staffordshire Bull Terrier
4 years
3 found this helpful
3 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Panting,Crying,Restlessness,
My dog has recently give birth to 9 puppies. 3 days have gone bye and she is acting really anxious and wont stop panting and crying, she keeps picking the puppies up and keeping them in her mouth for a few minutes before letting go? What could I do to help her?
Sept. 26, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
3 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. I apologize for the delay, this venue is not set up for urgent emails.
I'm not sure that there is anything that you can do for her other than to provide a calm, quiet place for her to rest with the puppies.
Oct. 15, 2020
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Pug
2 years 10 months
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Panting 5 Hours After Giving Birth
My pug had her babies today. She delivered the last one at 11am. She is still panting on and off. Should I take her to the hospital
Sept. 24, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. I apologize for the delay, this venue is not set up for urgent emails.
I hope that your dog is doing well. If they are having problems, It would be best to have your pet seen by a veterinarian, as they can examine them, see what might be going on, and get any testing or treatment taken care of that might be needed.
Oct. 23, 2020
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Akita Shepherd
Emma
5 Years
1 found this helpful
1 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Panting
Lack Of Appetite
Emma gave birth to her first litter today. She had three not issues and seemed to be done. We were told to expect 2 or 3. She was using the washroom without issue. Eating and drinking. Feeding and cleaning pups. Then 9 hours after the 3rd pup she started having contractions again... she had 2 more pups. The first was extremely tiny and came out no problem. The 2nd was much larger then any of the others and we had to help her deliver. Unfortunately both of those pups were still born. What did we miss? Was there something else we should have noticed or been told of?
Now she is panting a lot but her temp is normal. She’s not overly interested in food or water but is still looking after the original 3 pups. It’s a long weekend and I unfortunately can’t afford an emergency vet on a long weekend
Siberian Husky and lab
london
1 Year
0 found this helpful
0 found this helpful
My pet has the following symptoms:
Fast Breathing
my dog london gave birth on june 23rd. she gave birth to eight puppies and did well in giving birth. the puppies are 3 weeks old now and she stills pants while trying to sleep. she never pants so hard while sleeping. she eats her dog food and drinks her water. but i don’t know what’s wrong. her heart rate beats fast and she breaths heavily. this never happened before. she’s 1 year and 8 months. i don’t know what’s going on. i need help 😪
