Hi everyone! I’m new here & searching for advice for my dog (google is giving my anxiety). We just found out last night that our dog is pregnant & due in less than 10 days. She’s only 1 year old & we had no idea she was pregnant because she hasn’t grow due to only having 1 pup. (We had x rays at the vet done today). This pregnancy was no planned at all! Here’s my problem. I’ve never had a pregnant dog before, let alone a singleton. I’ve been given (and researched) so much information I’m petrified. I was told that the puppy may be too big to be born naturally so she may need a C Section. However the vet didn’t really tell us her recommendation. I can schedule a C Section as early as tomorrow, but apparently there’s a chance the puppy won’t survive due to being born before it’s ready but nobody knows when that is because we don’t know when she got pregnant (besides less than 10 days). Next option is I can wait it out and see if she can labor and deliver normally, but with that the puppy can get stuck & die or she can push and push but pup is too big to come out and die. Try to rush my dog to the emergency room before the puppy dies but who knows if I’ll make it. Last option is I wait until I notice she said going into labor - nesting, panting, pacing - and at that point take her straight to the vet where they can either help get her through the labor or give her a c section if necessary. I don’t know what to do and have no experience with this. Has anyone had any similar experiences or can give me any advice on what to do? I don’t want to lose the puppy. Google told me only 50% of single puppies survive which has already made me a mess. Please help!
Also wanted to add that my research told me that some dogs pregnant with only 1 pup may not produce hormones to go into labor so she won’t and the puppy will die as well. Not sure if this is the case or how I will know, however I was able to squeeze a little milk out of her nipples which is a good sign of hormones, right?
Please don't squeeze your dog's nipples before whelping, because nipple stimulation causes uterine contractions and can induce labour early. That is why putting pups already born on the nipples is best, as it stimulates contractions for the rest of the litter. You cannot schedule a c-section without doing reverse progesterone to determine when is the best time. This involves repeatedly taking your dog to the vet from when you think she may be due, to get a blood test done and determine how close you are to labour. Please don't do a c-section if you are not doing reverse progesterone testing. You are highly likely to end up with a pup born too early which dies. If you don't want to or can't do reverse progesterone, then just wait for her to go into labour naturally and see if she progresses. If you and the vet feel she gets stuck, then would be the time to take her in for a section - because labour has already started, so you know the timing was right....
