We're counting down the days now and having taken on board everything I have heard about preparations for whelping I feel I should be taking my dogs temperature so that I can know when it drops and labour is imminent.

Now it says in the Book of the Bitch that this isn't something that you should attempt yourself (!) and doesn't give you any guidelines for doing so, rather warnings about broken thermometers (!!!).  Of course I have seen the vet skillfully take a temp and so just assume I can do it but can I?

I've got a thermometer from The Canine Chemist and some KY Jelly but is it simple?  Can I do it?  Should I do it?  Any tips or helpful hints?

I wanted to ask before I go ahead as I don't want to spook her until I know what I am doing!  She isn't too keen on 'that end' being dealt with although is now happy for me to rub her belly and trim her feathers.

Any advice appreciated.

Jacky

ive taken so many dogs temperatures i hardly think about doing it now (which of course is no help to you) but one bit of advise is dont let go of the thermometer, i was told this by an animal science student with whom i worked with she was taking a horses temperature and let go luckily her professor was there to help with the situation :)
tanya
(hopefully somebody will be along to give you advice which is more helpfull then mine )

Is it a glass thermometer or a digital one? 
Either way, have someone hold the bitch for you until you and she are confident.  I prefer my dogs to lie down (so that they can't try to sit down) but standing is fine too.  Hold the tail upwards out of the way, and insert the sterilised, lubricated themometer gently, slightly upwards, about an inch in a small bitch, a little more in a bigger bitch (trying to cover all eventualities in case someone with another breed reads this!) and hold it there, making sure that the bitch doesn't sit down or move, for about 2 minutes.  A digital one will bleep when the temperature stabilises.
Remove, wipe with a tissue without holding the sensitive bit, and read.
Hope that helps.

I've got a glass thermometer.

Just about to give it a go!  OMG all those tales of broken glass scare me!!!  I have little chance of getting her to sit still for 2 mins, let alone with a thermometer in place!

Thanks for the help.

You may be happier to get a digital one - about a fiver - until you have the confidence!!

I second that!  I am much more confident using my digital one - threw the old glass one in the bin!  It always worried me using it, incase it broke.  And the other odvantage is that the digital ones aremuch easier and faster to use.
bye
Gwen 

I third that as well :D Only thing is it`s in centigrade & I sometimes have to look it up in cos I forget but it`s far better than old glass ones.

Christine, Spain.

Where can I get a digital one and do they need to be especially for animals?

the digital one i got you put it in the dogs ear it so easy i got mine two years ago from boots and it reads well/

just cannot think why vet donot use this method,

Any chemist will do a digital thermometer for about a fiver.  I still talk "old money" and 101.5 degrees so this http://www.onlineconversion.com/temperature.htm will help if you need it.
I find that taking a bitch's temperature is a good guide in most cases - there's always the exception to every rule!!

hey,
I was wondering briedog, with the one you measure in the ear, is it the same one as they use for testing childrens tempratures? or is there a special canine one?
betty :-)

Digital thermometer bought from Ebay - I've failed dismally with the glass one.  It just won't go in despite masses of KY!!!  You don't like to push too hard do you?!! :o

Jacky,

I bought 2 or 3 of them off e-bay brand new , they were £1.99 each all perfect for the job. 

I faithfully do the temp checking.

My breed is small but I stand then and keep one hand under her so she doesn't sit down and wait for the bleep. After the first time they don't bother.

Jacky,

I wrote down the conversion actually on that page of the book of the bitch and highlighted it so I have it in future.

Hi i would just like to add the day my dog whelped she was at the vets the night beofe her temp was normal i took her temp the day she whelped and still normal so i guess not all bitches will show the normal temp drop before the whelp.

My vet says dont really need to take temp as all bitches are different which is true and so many people have said so.
The book of the bitch was my bible i read it front to back, back to front god knows how many times.

My litter are now coming up 10weeks old fully house trained and will eat anything in sight.

Good luck with your litter and hope all goes well give mum a cuddle from me
mike

Give her a cuddle????  I can't get her off my lap!!  She has become the softest soppiest dog there is - as well as the roundest!

Thanks Mike!

I just used the same kind of digital you would on a human (of course we have our own :D lol)...Worked great...I too wouldn't want to use the glass ones always scared incase they broke....My bitches temp. always dropped 48hrs before whelp. I took her temp. 4 times a day (8am, 12pm, 4pm 8 pm)at the exact same time and wrote down the temps each time, I started this 2 weeks before due date. I noticed they did change slightly thro out the day but nothing like they did when it dropped...Every bitch is different not all temps drop..

Good luck :)

Am I going mad or are there posts that have been removed from this thread? 

Mike,

Not to discredit you and I have only had 2 litters myself so not that experienced, but all bitches should have a temperature drop it is part of whelping and I believe is a body requirement in the process. There are a couple reason believed, one reason the puppies need to be prepared for the outside world.

Most breeders who I have talked to about the temp changes and there have been loads of threads on this believe that if you havent noticed the temp change then you missed it as it does always happen.

I was adviced to do it 4 times a day in the last week and the temp change has always been the indicator to me 100%. temp drop and puppies within 12 hours. Spot on..

Now if you are sitting watching your bitch 24 hours and do not really need to know then that is fine but some people may not be able to sit 24 hours with their bitch.

Another thing I was told and through the experiences of some other good and long extablished breeders and I do really believe now that if you the bitches temperature dropped and then no puppies were born 24 hours later that is a sign to get to the vets or at least talk to the vet.