It is normal for people to worry about their dogs after they give birth to puppies. One question that they ask is: how long should a dog bleed after having puppies?
A dog should bleed for 3-8 weeks after giving birth to puppies. The blood should be dark red and lighten over time. If the bleeding seems excessive, call the vet and tell them how much the dog is bleeding. If the bleeding lasts longer than 8 weeks, take the dog to the vet.
To find out more about how much bleeding is normal for a dog to have after giving birth and how to take care of them, keep reading
How Long Should a Dog Bleed After Giving Birth?
A dog should bleed for between 3 and 8 weeks after they give birth. A dog will likely bleed slightly before they give birth, but if it bleeds consistently before giving birth, call the vet, as an excessive amount of bleeding before a dog gives birth is abnormal and signals that something is wrong.
If your dog bleeds for more than 8 weeks after giving birth, call the vet. They will likely ask you to bring your dog into their office, as they are supposed to stop bleeding completely after about 8 weeks.
The blood that comes from your dog will likely be dark red for the first few weeks after they give birth, as their system is getting rid of the old blood first. As they heal and their uterus works to get back to its normal size, the blood will become brighter red in color.
However, if the blood and the bloody discharge become similar to pus, are extremely bright red in color, or the discharge smells bad, call your vet, as your dog may have an infection.
Is it Normal for a Dog to Bleed After Whelping?
It is normal for a dog to bleed after whelping. Your dog's body is trying to get back to what it was like before it was pregnant, and there is a lot of leftover blood and discharge that was not released during their pregnancy that now needs to get out of your dog's body.
Your dog will release a mixture of blood and discharge after whelping. This is perfectly normal unless the discharge starts to smell bad.
Luckily, nursing puppies help reduce the amount of bleeding that your dog will experience after they give birth. Nursing puppies increase your dog's hormone levels, including oxytocin, that cause your dog's blood vessels and uterus to contract, limiting the amount of bleeding that your dog experiences.
How to Tell if Amount of Bleeding After Whelping is Abnormal
There is no set amount of bleeding that your dog will experience after whelping, as every dog is different, so they will bleed in different amounts. However, if the bleeding does not start to slow down after 3 weeks, contact your dog's vet. If it seems like your dog is bleeding excessively, also call the vet.
The biggest sign that your dog is bleeding excessively is their behavior. If your dog seems lethargic a few days after it gives birth, contact your vet. Keep in mind that your dog will be tired for at least a few hours after they give birth, which isn't helped by the fact that they will constantly be feeding their puppies, which can be exhausting.
Also, your dog may not want you to touch their puppies. Even if they are not normally aggressive, they may snap at you when you try to touch their puppies. They are simply being protective, which is normal behavior.
However, if your dog does not want to eat or drink, even the day after it gives birth, this kind of behavior is abnormal, and you should call the vet as soon as possible.
How to Care for Bleeding Dogs After they Give Birth
To care for your dog after they give birth, clean the bloody area with a clean cloth and change their bedding regularly. Make sure your dog has rested for at least a few hours after they have given birth. They likely won't want to move for at least a day after they have given birth, as they will be extremely tired.
If your dog has long fur or you want to make it easier for you to clean the blood off of them, give your dog a sanitary trim before they go into labor.
When your dog has had a chance to rest, carefully move them and their puppies to a new area that is nearby. Make sure your dog is okay with you touching their puppies before moving them, or you may get hurt. Remove the soiled bedding quickly and replace it with clean bedding that you don't mind getting dirty.
If your dog is covered in blood or you think they need to be cleaned, carefully wipe them with a clean, wet towel or washcloth. You may have to do this multiple times per day.
Keep in mind that you will likely have to take your dog to the vet the day after they give birth to their puppies, as the vet will likely want to give them a shot of oxytocin to help stop the bleeding.
Your vet will also want to make sure that all of the placentas have passed completely and that there were no complications during the birth that could affect your dog afterward. Your vet will also want to make sure that all of the puppies are healthy and eating normally.
Give your dog plenty of attention after it gives birth, as they will likely want to be praised and get attention. However, if your dog seems to want space, give them plenty of space. After all, it is hard to take care of puppies, and your dog may not have the energy to interact with you as they normally do.
Bring your dog in for regular checkups as often as the vet recommends to make sure that your dog is healing properly after they give birth.
Cindy is a prolific writer and online researcher who can't imagine life without dogs. There is scarcely a dog topic she has not researched or written about. Her love for dogs and helping dog parents is evident by the thousands of dogtemperament.com visitors who read her articles monthly. Most of all, each topic Cindy writes on helps forge a stronger bond and understanding between her and her happy Catahoula Leopard Dog Jossie.