Hi all, my bitch is on day 63 today and showing no signs of labour, her temp has been up and down all week, going between 38.1 and 37.4. 

She has started panting lightly and sleeping loads.

She is eating fine and seems quite happy in her self.  Pups still moving.

She has been losing mucas/fluid for about a week now.

This is not her 1st litter and never had problems with her but now im starting to panic.

How long shall i leave her????

She sounds like she's in the very early stages of labour, myself I wouldn't worry yet, I always find that the pups go quiet the day before birth.  Fingers crossed for tomorrow for you.  I do sometimes wonder if checking their temperature does put them off a bit, have to admit I never do it with mine.

Thank you,

My husband has been saying to me for the past few days that taking her temp mite be upsetting her (she doesnt like it at all).

Maybe im panicing to early, fingers crossed for tomorrow.

Thank you again, nice to have someone elses opinion xxx

Another one who doesn't ever take temp.  If she doesn't like it - don't do it.  Keep her as stress free as possible. 

Bet she's on her way tomorrow, although I wouldn't be going to bed personally.

I don't do temps either, only ever did it once and my vet told me it was a waste of time....and on this occasion it was.

Thanks all, 

I wont be doing temp again.

She has slept soundly all night, had some breakfast and now back to sleep.

Hopefully she will start something soon xx

I'm hardly an expert (only 2 litters), but just wanted to wish you and your girl a trouble free and speedy delivery. It sounds like all is fine, fingers crossed she starts in the next day or so...

Over how many days was she mated?  63 days is a rough gauge of when to expect the pups from first mating but know one knows the actual day fertilization took place

She sounds like she is getting ready action, I hope all goes well

Keep us posted

my bitch is 62 days today. Im so exited i cant sleep, let me no what happens with your bitch please.
This is my first litter and hers. i'm so nervous also. i am so prepared and ready though cant wait

Were day 64 now and still nothing, dont no what to do with myself, ive drunk so much coffee I feel ill.

I just want to meet my puppies and no all is well.

Hope your litter goes well for you, keep me posted xx

I was hoping that things had got going

I was told to drink Red Bull for energy but I didn't like the taste so stuck with cola and coffee

Adrenalin kicks in and keeps you going when you need to and takes ages afterwards to go back to normal

I was a midwife many moons ago and hated waiting about for the delivery to get going,then they would all go at once

its day 63 my girl was shaking for about 5 minutes at 9am but has now stopped.
the puppies are really moving today. her temp is 37.4 that is a drop from an average of 38.2 i hope they come today
how you getting on bradleyboo

well its off to the vets for us, were day 65 now and she just seems happy to sleep and eat,  think she's forgotten she has puppies in there. after spending the last 3 nights watching her snore all night long I could sleep on a washing line.

Fingers crossed for your bitch, I hope she goes ok for you and keep me posted xxx

oh good luck. i dont think you should panic some go at day 67 hope all is well
my girl acting normal now sleeping a lot though eating normal fingers crossed

Can you take your dog to bed with you after protecting the mattress well,I use an ASDA value shower curtain, I did this and we both slept well and she started proper labour the next morning and we were both refreshed

I had her very close to me so if she moved slightly I knew,she bellows like sealion when she starts pushing so I wouldn't have missed that

I hope all is well at the vets

she bellows like sealion when she starts pushing so I wouldn't have missed that

roflmao!!!!!!!

Such a good description!

How did the vets go?

>i dont think you should panic some go at day 67

I wouldn't make this statment without knowing the breed, it is a misleading statement.

I have a breed that often only goes 56 days.  If one of my girls went 67 days I'd have a bloody seizure!

any news yet?

its day 66 now.  The vet said to leave her till day 69 then take her back if nothing.

Last night i thought it was all going to start, she started contracting and shaking but then it all just stopped. she slept well all night and enjoyed her tea.

but early this morning she went for a wee and when she came back to her box she gave me a cuddle had and then had quite a big loss of fluid (the only way i can describe it was wee coloured oil, it wasnt as thin as wee but it wasnt as think as mucas)  she turned and cleaned it all up, had a few more contractions then went back to sleep.  Im thinking maybe she is just to posh to push lol.

Please fingers crossed today something will happen. 

<<<Last night i thought it was all going to start, she started contracting and shaking but then it all just stopped. she slept well all night and enjoyed her tea.

but early this morning she went for a wee and when she came back to her box she gave me a cuddle had and then had quite a big loss of fluid (the only way i can describe it was wee coloured oil, it wasnt as thin as wee but it wasnt as think as mucas)  she turned and cleaned it all up, had a few more contractions then went back to sleep.  Im thinking maybe she is just to posh to push lol.>>>

Are these proper contractions she's having, if so I would be very concerned that she hadn't produced a puppy yet?

I think she needs watching very closely. If she was actually contracting last night, and has had none since, especially after losing fluid from her back end, I would be thinking a vet should be taking a look.

Good luck, hopefully she's going for it this morning...

Hi, l would get to the vets ASAP if it were me.

Contractions and no puppy within an hour or so = trip to vet in my opinion

> its day 66 now.&nbsp; The vet said to leave her till day 69 then take her back if nothing.
>
>

not a chance would i be leaving her to day 69 !!!

Hope all goes well.

I was told the first pup should arrive within 2hrs of the empty water sac.

She may have primary inertia which for various reasons doesn't allow the contractions to start/be maintained,possible causes are over stretched uterus or single pup not triggering enough hormones to start labour, as you have mentioned pups in the plural I presume the latter is not the cause.

Don't think I would wait till day 69[I only mate over 48hrs so 65 days post last mating would be my limit], the weekend is nearly here and you will be looking at on call service and prices.

Hope she has got going or you have taken her back to the vet.

I have just been through exactly the same with my bitch,day 64 slight panting then stopped,went ont day 65 panting on and off all day and night but sleeping loads inbetween.I rang the vets at 2.30 am to say she wasnt progressing was told to leave it till the morning and if she hadnt progressed to take her in,which i did he gave her a shot of oxytocin she was fully dilated 1 hour later first pup born.was told i need number 2 within 2 hours so back to vets no contractions what so ever,followed by a c section 10 very healthy pups and a very tired mum,just glad i went with my gut instinct which was telling me things were not right,vet told me when he got the pups out her uterus collapsed so back to the vets in 8 weeks to have her spayed.

ok i was just trying to reassure him.

I would expect the uterus to collapse after the pups were out as there is nothing supporting it,if it was so bad why was the spay not done there and then?

Glad your outcome was a happy one

sorry you are right was once the pups were out,he said he would have spayed her at the same time but didnt want to as he said her milk would dry up very quickly,really glad its over and got a good outcome,im sure alot of bitches can quite happily go over 63 days without problems but  i think its good to be able to read other people experiences wether good or bad to prepare yourself,i have learned an awful lot from this site:))

i would demand a c sec now i think shes gone well past her due date

Any news today?

Day 67 and Thank the lord, the puppies arrived safe and sound this morning, mum doing well and all feeding.

thank god its over for her. 

Thank you all for the advise and support, its nice just to talk to people about your worries sometimes :)

Any news on yours yet????

Wonderful news! Congratulations all round!

Glad all ended happily.

How many and what sexes?  We are nosey like that.

> Day 67 and Thank the lord, the puppies arrived safe and sound this morning, mum doing well and all feeding.
>
> thank god its over for her.&nbsp;
>
> Thank you all for the advise and support, its nice just to talk to people about your worries sometimes :-)

Excellent congratulations :)

Only 3, although the scan said only 2.  2 bitches and 1 dog.  they are lovely, im so glad it all worked out.  Thought i was going to experience my 1st c section, but looks like the gods were on our side this time xx

> he would have spayed her at the same time but didn't want to as he said her milk would dry up very quickly,

I have had two bitches spayed straight after a section and no problem with milk supply, the uterus and ovaries do not govern milk production/let down after whelping (other than being needed for breast development etc during pregnancy) it is prolactin secreted from the pituitary gland, and oxytocin.  http://www.royalcanin.us/library/lactation-in-dogs.aspx

Very interesting article.

I have known breeders ask for the bitch to be spayed during a c/section and not had a problem with lactation but wasn't sure if this was just good luck.

Best chances are if she has already been in labour first by reading that info.

Thanks alot

Glad your puppies arrived safe and sound. It must be a weight off your shoulders!!!

hi 4 puppies arrived all doing great. it was all over in 1 hour she is the best mum ever.

She very protective over them and will not let me near keeps going for me. she lets my oh by them though .

2 boys 2 girls all beutiful im so happy xxxxxxx

Congrats on the new arrivals

You need to be able to handle the pups,weigh them daily so she needs to be happy with you touching them etc.  Don't move them out of her sight and let her watch what you are doing and tell her how good she is being.

Enjoy as they grow up too quickly.

thankyou.

well done both breeders glad all are safe and well

Hi my girl is on day 63 today, panting  and sleeping loads eating and drinking ok, started loosing her plug about 10 days ago, this is her second and last litter, I don’t think she is showing any signs of Labour yet, I have been taking her temp and it is up and down anywhere between 36.4 to 37.5 , she is very uncomfortable and can’t sit or lay for long, had a scan done 8days ago and she is full, ( 10 to 12 ) she had 2 successful tiring 30 and 40 minutes, I am getting a little worried, I’ve spoken to vet and he said not to worry, but I am ,, on her first litter she had 8 very healthy puppies and self whelped with no problems and delivered at 59 days ,

You have made a post on a thread which is 7 years old..it would be best if you start your own thread ;)

might be worth having a reverse Progesterone test done to see if she is ready to whelp, in case a C section is needed if she is very over stretched to get efficient contractions.

Unless you had her progesterone tested she may not yet be ready as she may have taken later. O have had anything from 5 days early to 4 days late as I don't usually premate test and allow the dogs to decide and have several matings.

Mine is a natural breed where C sections are not so commonplace.

Again because mine (or perhaps my line) was inclined not to proceed beyond the first stages (ouch mum - you decided to put me in whelp so now YOU get them out!), I tended not to leave it more than 2 days from the first mating before involving my vet - BUT whether you get her to your vet, or give it another 24 hours, is up to you, honestly.   I didn't set much score by temperature taking although when it drops and STAYS DOWN, not with all this fluctuating, you can be reasonably certain to see labour begin within 24 - 48 hours.   And with my girls, the puppies went 'quiet' just before labour - getting themselves lined up to come into the world was my 'theory' much as when I first saw, or didn't see, this, I panicked!!

I truly don't think you necessarily need to panic unless she's actually having strong contractions, pushing hard with no result within 1 hour, each delivery.  THEN I'd definitely be off to my vet.   Obviously if she's over by a significant number of days you'll have to react because the puppies are growing by the day, making a C.Section more likely to be the outcome.   And I do tend to err on the sooner, rather than later - it's not in my nature to be patient!!

I don't really think this is for the average stranger here to advise, even if many have a load of experience!!  And vets do tend to say wait (it's Sunday after all !!!) but YOU know your bitch and when you should be calling on his servicse