My bitch is day 62 today and her temperature first dropped to 36.7 at 8.30am this morning.  It has continued to stay between 36.6 and 36.9 all day.  She has panted on and off, doesnt settle for long, nesting every now and again and pooed about 8 times today (the last one a bit sloppy).  She is picky with her food today although will eat hand offered treats such as chicken.  Would I expect labour to be imminent once her temperature starts to come back up?  I must say she seems pretty relaxed at the moment, can this change very quickly?  I know all these things are a bit "how long is a piece of string"?  I just want to be ready!  She's not left alone at all.

id would stay close my girls temp went down to 36.2 at 4.00am and slowly went up through day she had her first pup at 5.25pm
good luck

Sounds like you're in for a long night. My bitch did a lot of pooing and other labour related things and then slept for a few hours (refusing unless she was on my lap, mind!). Then at about 12pm after dozing in her whelping bed she got up, had a little dig, and out came the water bag leaving me with little time to whip on my latex gloves and anti-bac before the first popped out.

Good luck! I would stay away with her from now one or take shifts with people. :)

Oops, awake I mean!

I would expect puppies to arrive within 36 hours of the temp drop.If it was down this morning I would think she will start whelp late tonight/early hours tomorrow but could keep you hanging on a bit longer. If you don't have pups by tomorrow lunchtime I would want to get her checked out. Good luck.

Thanks for your replies.  She has been sleeping on and off.  Eyes bloodshot and keeps licking her abdomen and nether regions when awake.  Temp back up to 37.0 a couple of hours ago. Sat right next to her and have no intention of going to sleep, coffee on the go constantly!  Any company during the night welcome!

Well still no puppies, she's been sleeping most of the night with short periods of digging and panting. Then 10 minutes ago I think her waters broke.  She had been whining for about 15 minutes with slight tremors down her hindquarters, then she sat and gave herself a really good wash, sounded as if she was cleaning up fluid but by the time I had a look I couldn't see anything, no coloured discharge although vulva obviously wet.  Now she has settled back down to sleep again???

How long after waters break would you expect to see contractions?  Its been 1 1/4 hours now and although she is whining frequently and trembling a little there aren't any contractions yet.

They don't have waters as such, each pup will come in it's own 'bag' but the bitch will lose the 'plug' discharge but that can be several hours before the pups are born

Some take longer than others, she's progressing with labour which is what you want.

It was like snot in consistency but straw coloured, that sounds more like the mucous strings doesn't it?  She is now 24 hours from the first big temperature drop although 20 hours from the lowest temperature of 36.6, which do I go from? Sorry to sound so panicked!

To be honest, once first stages begin I tend to stop clock watching. As long as she is still restless, panting, digging, trembling and doing all the other normal labour behaviour I would leave her, but of course if you are concerned contact your vet :)

Sounds like her plug has come out, kind of like a mucus. My bitch had a huge swelling under her anus when the water bag was coming...this came out and burst and was just water. Then the next puppy came within a few minutes. I did have advice that if no pups have come within an hour of that big water bag bursting you should get to a vet.

We have been to the vets and left my bitch in for c section.  Thankfully went when we did as she had started discharging green when we arrived there.  Fingers crossed she and the puppies will be okay now.

hope all goes well fingers crossed for you
was she in labour a long time?

I hope she's okay, fingers crossed foryou. xxx

Wishing you luck and fingers crossed 

Any updates Oxford & Zajak - hope all is well with both mums and pups