I am really struggling right now, my bitch is day 64 from mating and hasn't given birth yet.
She's fine in herself, happy, still eating ect. Took her to the vet today for a scan to check the pups are alive (she scanned with 2 previously) however only 1 pup was found on the scan today however that pup seemed fine with a nice strong heartbeat.
The vet told me to leave her until Monday and go down the c-section route then.
The stud owner (who I really really look up to and has been so helpful)  has had bitches go over and said she's had no issues in the past.
However I've had a couple of breeder friends tell me to take her for a c-section now.
I really don't know what to do, I don't want to put her through a c-section if she has a chance of doing this naturally.
(she's only had 1 litter before and that was natural birth on day 59)

My question is....what would you do? Opt for the c-section risking both mum and pup OR wait until Monday hope she has it naturally and if she doesn't c-section then.

Thank you

Many years ago when I wasn't as experienced, I took a bitch in for a section.  As the vet rushed off to operate I shouted "Save my bitch rather than the pups."  The vet was amazed and said that she had no intention of losing anything.  I have a breed prone to sections and over the years since I've had a lot of bitches undergo a Caesarian.  I have never, ever lost mum or pups.

I would expect any experienced vet to have performed many sections. So I am a breeder saying yes to intervention.

On the other hand in breeds that don't normally whelp really early day 64 is not unusual if the bitch was mated early.

I have had bitches in my medium size breed whelp from 58 days from single mating and up to 67 (4 days late) to a single mating, and to the first day of multiple matings.

Some bitch will mate as early s the LH surge (two days before ovulation) and some as late as 4 days after ovulation when the eggs are dying off.

Most bitches whelp 63days +/- a day from ovulation.

So your late mated bitch will appear to whelp early, and an early mated own appear to go over.

If your vet can do in-house progesterone testing a reading blow ovulation levels means the bitch is ready to whelp, more accurate is proper quantative testing but due to specialist labs doing the test the time lag may make it impractical.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2109&aid=3201

Toy breeds are a case where knowing what is normal for your breed is important, as some whelp early because the puppies are so cramped, this triggers whelping.  Larger litters in most breeds tend to be earlier than small ones as the puppies help trigger whelping.

Thank you,

My vet doesn't do in house progesterone testing, I rang Fit and Fertile this morning to see if they did "reverse progesterone testing" and they said they didn't.

According to them, she ovulated on the Tuesday and was mated on the Wednesday.

The issue I have now is that if I can get them to do a progesterone test they will want the blood first thing, which I won't be able to do as they are over an hour away from me and I don't drive so doubt I'd be able to get someone to take me without prior notice.

It's a shame my vet doesn't do it as they are only down the road.

Edited to add it's a medium breed.

If you have an actual ovulation date, then you should be counting up to 64 days from them.

A singleton pup will often not produce enough hormones to trigger whelping, so it's your call, but I'd say you need to get her in if she is now 65 days from ovulation.

Is she showing no sign of labour?

No signs at all.

I'll book her in for a c-section first thing in the morning.

Thank you

With the acknowledgement that each bitch/breed/pregnancy is different, I had a rule that I didn't let mine go over by more than 2 days from the first mating.   Especially if I knew there were only a few puppies there.   With each passing day they sit, they are growing bigger making the possibiity of a C.Section being necessary, more likely.     Even if mum appears to be 'fine', once the puppies are viable, they need to come out.   In this case, I'd not wait until Monday.

Hi everyone

She had the puppy by c-section this morning, pup and mum are doing well.

Thanks for the advice.

Many congratulations.   

Congratulations :)
Just for information - reverse progesterone testing is no different from testing to pin point optimum date for mating. Same Test but Keith may not be fMiliar with interpretation of result for this purpose.
All you need is the progesterone result and then apply the target levels - 5ng or above needed to maintain pregnacy, drop to  2 ng  the bitch should move to labour in 18-  24 hrs if no signs of labour progress to C section

Problem is the time lag for results, from blood draw to results being available at Idexx (even if phoned through) when you may be in a need C section ASAP situation.

If only progesterone assays were generally  available in house like other bloodwork.

Try pet mate services in future she has her own progesterone machine and will likely put it through asap

That's fine if it's local to you, but if your contemplating a section you want to use your own vet.

If asked most vets will be able to get progesterones run at the lab they use for any bloods not feasible to be run in  house,  which there are many. There are more labs than Iddex up and down Ukkaren able to run these test. I can get test run via my vet with result same day as lab will send courier for bloods. At a pinch in house test kits can be used with result in 30 mins or so