My staffie is constantly panting and breathing heavy, she gave birth 3 days ago, is she ok?

by Leanne
(UK)

My staffie gave birth 3 days ago and i've noticed for the last 2 days she is constantly panting and breathing heavy, the room where her whelping box is, is quite hot for her puppies.

Could it be that she is too hot or is there some thing wrong, very worried, it's her first litter and my 1st time breeding! And yes she was checked by a vet who gave her and pups the all clear within 24hrs of giving birth, but now i'm worried as this wasn't happening then, am i over-reacting?




Hi Leanne
It's always better to over-react than 'under-react'!

It's difficult to say whether her panting and heavy breathing is anything to worry about, but I would recommend that you have your vet take another look at her just to be on the safe side.

Panting and such can be a sign of distress, pain and so on, but it's also a reaction to being overheated. As this is her first litter whe may also be a little stressed which can cause these symptoms.

Obviously it's important that the room be warm for the puppies, and Staffys are a brachycephalic (short muzzled) breed who may experience more breathing issues than some other breeds.

If she was checked out 24 hours after whelping, chances are everything is okay, but just in case she's retained any placentas or has developed an infection it would be a good idea to have your vet take a second look.

I always recommend to err on the side of caution, so this will put your mind at rest and if there is anything untoward going on then you'll be able to get it taken care of quickly.

Hope she's doing much better soon and best of luck with those babies.