Been up all night so brain isn't working properly and I've been worried all along about this bitch (first time) after what happened to her litter sister (overdue, c-section on day 69, dead pups). I would just really like somebody to reassure me things are as they should.

Tuesday day 60 at about 9.30 pm in the evening she started panting a bit. Nothing major but I figured it was the start. She was very happy to spend time in the whelping box then. The mucus discharge also started then. Then had a quiet night when she slept in her normal bed, not the whelping box. Wednesday morning she did not want any breakfast. Spent all dya in the box, with just breaks to go outside for a wee etc. 9.30 pm shivering, licking herself a lot, more mucus, vomiting quite a few times (partly I am sure because she had eaten some of her dinner -got greedy when she heard the other dogs being fed), and ripping newspaper big time. Since then this has continued. Panting, licking, ripping paper. No signs of any contractions, not visible ones any way, no pushing. So it's been about 12 hours of this stage now and we are on day 62. All okay to wait her out for the next stage? My husband has to leave for work at 1 pm but I have a friend coming over just in case I'd need to get to the vet. (Bitch knows her well so hopefully this will not worry her.)

Ooh this is the worst part IMHO, the waiting for things to get going.

Did you have any of these signs with her sister before the c-section?

It does sound like she's in labour.

How does her back end look?    Is it soft and a bit swollen?   I found that my girls look like they're in season just before whelping.

You could try massaging her milk bar to see if that gets things moving.    I doubt she'd mind a tickle on the tum from mum ;-)

Must say, if you're worried at all, with all your experience,  then listen to it.    Are you able to have a cat nap whilst oh is still at home?  Just 10-20 mins?    Might help you recover a bit.

I say this, but in your position I'd be so wired it wouldn't be possible.

Fingers crossed she starts delivering soon

This is the usual pattern in my breed, we can go 48 hrs like this. They are very lazy whelpers. Vino went over 30 hrs ripping and shredding before getting on with the job. If she is a maiden she may be longer too. as long as you can feel movement and no nasty discharges I would give her another few hours. Have you tried a trip round the garden at a speedy trot !! LOL
You know your own dogs Marianne, do you think she is overly stressed ? if so then take her to be checked (I always ask for a visit  to be honest, I think its worth the extra costs..)
Good luck.
Aileen

Sounds normal. I had one keep this up for three days and nights once and she eventually whelped a lovely litter quite normally. My personal method of helping to assure myself everything is OK is to carefully monitor dilation on a regular basis as the whelping becomes imminent.

Thanks both. No it is me stressed not her. And had the problems not happened with her sister I would not have batted an eyelid. :) The sister is not my dog but from what I can gather she just simply never went into labour, the vet saw her on days 65 onwards and just kept saying she's fine, not started. Yes back end soft like in season.

I would try to get some rest while you can. Its not easy I know but I do sit and put my feet up at this stage and to hell with everything else ! If nothing has happened by this evening maybe a check at the vets but I put money on her starting in the middle of tonight. Probably around 3am  after keeping you awake for 48 hrs ;-)
Aileen

sounds pretty much like some of my more obvious first stage labours, (Inka first time around had me going for a couple of days, and then still took around 24 from obviously being in labour) but I'd be getting her to vet by teatime, if nothing.  Generally if no green discharge then placentas will be functioning.

Definitely no green discharge or any coloured one at all so far.

I have been lucky enough to have been through the easiest and shortest whelping ever BUT what you are describing has happened to me many times and I have lost hours and days waiting and watching only after 2-3 days of this the bitch to whelp ( for some reason in the early hours in the morning).
The only thing I would say is that after a couple of bad experiences where in my mind things had gone on too long then I had said to myself if that happened this time I would get to the vet earlier and push my vet along more than I normally would. Like a lot of other people's vet he is a keep calm type but after the event I have sometimes wondered whether I would have saved some puppies I ultimately lost.
Go with your gut instinct I say. Good luck with everything.

I can see that things are now moving Marianne, thank goodness x

We ended up with 7 pups, all fine. :)

Phew!    Congratulations :-)

Bet you're both  exhausted.

Been watching and waiting to see how you got on.

Glad everythings ok  :-)

Congratulations!

ahhhh bless congratulations on the babies.xxxxx

Congratulations. Such a relief when it is all over.
Enjoy.

Oh how wonderful, you lucky thing!  I do love having puppies.  :-)

Congratulations, I'm glad that all is well.

>( for some reason in the early hours in the morning).

Ah that's easy Hazenaide, you must have missed that bit in BOTB.  It's to make you go grey more quickly!  :-)

Congratulations, hope mum and pups are all doing well x

Great news x