Is your pet whelping?

• Contact the practice for advice if you think your pet is whelping.
• Signs of labour in dogs and cats include stronger and more frequent abdominal cramps and contractions and their waters breaking.
• Dystocia means a difficult or abnormal birth, and signs include contractions lasting for two hours without any signs of watery discharge.
• To check for signs of whelping in dogs, you can take their temperature and look for discharge from the vulva.
• There are three stages: the start of contractions, the birth of puppies and the delivery of the placenta.