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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 day 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.
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, prolonged treatment could potentially cause irreparable damage or death.
While panting immediately after birth is a completely normal occurrence, prolonged panting is not. If this issue continues the following day after delivering puppies, your dog may be experiencing problems such as: an incomplete birth, milk fever, a high temperature, heart problems, pain of some sort, or hypothyroidism (rare).
Incomplete Birth
If panting continues for a few hours after birth, it may be due to an unborn puppy or the late delivery of the 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.
Milk Fever
Also known as eclampsia, puerperal tetany, and hypocalcemia this condition is indicates low blood calcium levels. One of the major symptoms is excessive panting, and while it may not seem serious at first, prolonged 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, congestive heart failure, and heart murmurs. 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 day 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.
Hypothyroidism
Hormones can become unbalanced after birth. The thyroid and pituitary glands are responsible for producing hormones that help to regulate the body. Hypothyroidism occurs when the thyroid develops an issue that causes those hormones to become unbalanced. Metabolism will then slow down and can cause serious issues such as paralysis and coma. One of the most common reasons for this to occur is a decrease in hormone production, such as after a pregnancy. While hypothyroidism can be easily treated, if left unattended it can be deadly. If you notice prolonged panting paired with lethargy, heat seeking tendencies, dry dull coat, loss of muscle coordination, and weight gain without increased appetite you will want to get your dog checked by a vet immediately.
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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 hours after birth and the mother has time to relax and recover. If it 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.
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After birth, mother dog 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.
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.
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Treatment cost will vary depending on the cause of your dog’s panting. For instance, if your dog is diagnosed with hypothyroidism, the cost of treatment can range from $500 to $2000. If your dog is diagnosed with milk fever, the cost of treatment will vary based on living costs and the severity.
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Ask a Vet
Chihuahua
9 months
Unknown severity
1 found helpful
Unknown severity
Has Symptoms
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
Owner
Dr. Sara O. DVM
1 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
Unknown severity
3 found helpful
Unknown severity
Has Symptoms
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
Owner
Dr. Linda S. MVB MRCVS
3 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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Pit Bull
Two Years
Moderate severity
5 found helpful
Moderate severity
Has Symptoms
She just gave birth to 9 puppies sunday morning
Oct. 27, 2020
Owner
Dr. Gina U. DVM
5 Recommendations
Hello Panting can be normal after giving birth. If you are very concerned, or if she is not eating or drinking and lethargic, I recommend taking her to a veterinarian for an exam. Good luck.
Oct. 27, 2020
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Pug
Two Years
Unknown severity
2 found helpful
Unknown severity
Has Symptoms
my dog gave birth 3 weeks ago and I noticed she has begun to breathe heavily
Sept. 29, 2020
Owner
Dr. Michele K. DVM
2 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
Unknown severity
3 found helpful
Unknown severity
Has Symptoms
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
Owner
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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Emma
Akita Shepherd
5 Years
Moderate severity
1 found helpful
Moderate severity
Has Symptoms
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
london
Siberian Husky and lab
1 Year
Moderate severity
0 found helpful
Moderate severity
Has Symptoms
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 😪
Daisy
Deer Head Chihuahua
4 Years
Serious severity
1 found helpful
Serious severity
Has Symptoms
My dog had puppies almost 3 weeks ago and everytime she feeds she starts panting heavily I don’t have the money for a vet but I’m worried about her the puppies are getting milk they are growing and she eats and drinks but drinks a lot of water like she just walked two miles or something this is her first litter and she had 7 puppies she’s a deer head so she isn’t tiny I’m just worried something might be wrong after looking it up and reading everyone’s experience with their dogs. Thank you
Mila
Pomeranian Mix
3 Years
Moderate severity
0 found helpful
Moderate severity
Has Symptoms
My dog gave birth 8 days ago to 3 puppies and she just started panting and shaking and its hard for her to walk or jump even when i tried to take her on a walk she refused. Last year when she gave birth for the first time the same thing happened and i started giving her medicine with calcium and vitamins, i was just wondering if i should just give her the medicine and see what happens or immediately take her to the vet ? Thank you so much
Sadie
American bully
10 Months
Mild severity
0 found helpful
Mild severity
Has Symptoms
My dog gave birth over 24 hours ago and now excessively panting and acti g as if she had to push i made sure all the placenta was out and there are no other puppies in the womb this.is her first litter
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