Hello there,

I have a bitch who is 64 days from mating. She's a small breed. Two weeks ago (13 days), she started to leak small amounts of clear fluid. One week ago, she lost her mucus plug.

She has been happy, alert and eating throughout. Yesterday morning, her temp went down to 37.8. Yesterday evening, her temp dropped to 37. This morning it was 36.2. I was feeling pretty hopeful, as she been doing all the looking at her side stuff (although no panting). She also started to refuse all food except "choice" treats (chicken etc).

My understanding is that this means she should be going into labour any time now. But I took her temp ten mins ago, and it's back up to 37.4.

As long as she is eating, happy, going about the place, cheerful, tail wagging etc I'm not worried, but if anybody could help me out with what to expect, I'd be grateful. The leaking and odd temps have got me worried.

Have just been through exactly the same if this is your girls first litter they are more likely to go over but I dont breed toy breeds my understanding is that they usually go early runny toilets panting pacing nesting are all good signs and she may well go off her food 12 -24 hrs before birth however so many people can give you advice all will be diffrent but as long as happy and healthy no contractions just wait it out 90% of puppys are born problem free as long as they arnt bull breeds obviously once contractions start you need a pup within a few hours all the best sure all will be fine

my small cross breed mix is on day 64, her temp was in the 98 range all day then rose to 100.0 a few hrs ago. she stops eating for 24 hrs, then eats, then stops for another 24 hrs. i caught her digging once then never saw her do it again. pups seem active, she has 3 or 4 in total. any advice?

> any advice?

With toy breeds my worry would be that she's ready to whelp, but suffering from inertia, which can kill.

Usually while the temperature is still fluctuating between down and up again, she's not ready to whelp just yet.  I'd be wanting to see the temperature drop and stay down, indicating that labour should begin within 24 hours.   Not that I set too much score by what the temperature is doing really.   Yes, the problem with just leaving it is she could be suffering from inertia.  Sometimes with a small litter, they just sit, growing bigger by the day and so it could be more likely she'll need a C.Section.

With mine and as I knew they tended to go into secondary inertia (start and not progress) I preferred to do something if mine went more than 2 days over, from the first mating.  So if nothing has happened by tomorrow, I think it's time to involve your vet unless you are experienced, and prepared to wait!!  Unless she's clearly in trouble

so far her temp has been around the 98 range today as well. i bred her twice, if she didn’t get prego on the first time, but the second time then she’d be due tomorrow. she seems a little restless today as well but that’s the only sign that she may go into labor