hi, my bitch is on day 48 ( from 1st mating) and has been very barrelled from 5 weeks, she has been scanned as having around 6 pups, this morning she looks half the size around the sides and the weight seems to have shifted south, have spoke dad and i know all bitches are different, but in his experience his bitches didnt usually drop until the last week, im a bit concerned she might whelp before the pups are viable, vet doesnt seem to think its a major issue, but thought id ask a wider audience for their experience, thanks xx

I would say this is infinetely variable and depends on bitches fitness, number of pups etc.  My middle bitch carried a litter of 9 and never dropped, she carried it all across the beam and looked like a Pygmy goat, but side on you wouldn't have thought her pregnant.

im sure everything will be fine, she is a very fit bitch, but it is her first litter, thanks anyway x

Around day 42 the uterine horns fold to accommodate the growing fetuses, this gives a very definite change of shape - a "drop" efffect.