Hi,  I was wondering if anyone could help me by offering me some advice.  My bitch is 64 days today and for the past 24 hours has been showing strong signs that she is in the early stages of labour, heavy panting, ripping up the paper in her whelping box, has become very restless etc..........but she had a contraction approx 1 1/2 hours ago but nothing since?  I have rang my vet for advice but they just said just to keep watching her that it is fine and she is just in labour.

Maybe I am just worrying for no reason and this is all perfectly fine & on track but I am concerened for my dog.  Can anyone please guide me in the sense of how much longer should this be like this for?  Thank you very much.

As long as she doesn't seem stressed and is not continuously straining she should be OK.  My girl did an odd strain for 12 hours, and then the contractions came thick and fast.

Hope all goes OK.

Hi,  She hasn't been straining at all, apart from I let her out to see if she wanted the toilet plus to see if a little stroll around the garden would help but she kept squatting as if she neede to go number 2 but nothing was coming out she kept remaining in this position but still nothing then quickly just ran back in to her whelping box.

Apart from that she does seem extremley relaxed and super alert!  She won't eat anything today though.

The squatting and looking as though she's trying to poo, is her lining the pups up ready to be born, small pushes, she won't be long now.

Good luck

When I let her outside that is when she seems to be going through the motions more,  that is when she had her first contraction (Nothing since) and then when she is outside that is when she keeps squatting.  Now when she is inside,  she has been tearing up the paper in the whelping box and heavily panting but now she is just resting as if she is asleep but still heavy fast breathing.

her eyes will glaze over just before she starts to push- you cant miss it

Will this by any chance look like she is crying or has water in her eyes because she went like that about 2 hours ago but nothing?

Sometimes indoor bitches are reluctant to have their first pup of their first litter in the house as they 'think' they are soiling ;)  this may be why she may be straining more outside ;)  Don't worry, she will get the hang of it, just talk to her calmly and tell her she's a good girl ;)

OOOPs!  didn't look at the time, looks like you've been a bit busy, hope all's well :)

You all seem so spot on on this site!  I just let her out again & yet again she kept squatting, she came running back in but yet nothing?  I am just a bit concerned due to the fact the first contraction was so long ago and still nothing, & I am a slight bit worried due to the fact she has not eaten today & when she does start she will be too tired or get worn out rather quick.

The pressure caused by the dhifing pups and the contractions of first stage labour will make her think she needs to poo.  Having had two children this sensation is familar to me :D  Seh will be confused especially if it is a first litter.

Without sounding as if I am not prepared and completely useless how much longer could this go on for?  I can't praise everyone on this site enough for all the useful advice you have given me.

It seems now it doesn't matter how many books I have read or this site I have read back to back or breeders I have spoken to, it seems like I have forgotten when it happens.  I am just so anxious for my dog, I feel for her.

If you feel she's gone a long time without food and drink, a little glucose in water will tempt her to drink and will give her some energy, its probably all she would take at the moment ;)  You will know when she really gets going ;)

You aren't alone in the way you feel, every whelping is different, so breeders often feel like this ;)  I sat and read 'The Book of the Bitch' and 'The Whelping and Rearing of Puppies' while waiting for things to happen at the last whelping and it wasn't my first ;)  Hope you've got some Whisky/Brandy/other handy, you'll need it when it's all over and they're all settled ;)

[[[BIG HUGS]]]

I don't know who needs the hugs the most me or the dog!!!!!  I have done the glucose in the water, even though my vet told me not to but I felt the need to do it.  All I can do is wait, this is like sitting i the dentist waiting room knowing I have to endure approx 3 root canals without being numbed!!

Hi EmmaLou,

if it's any consolation or slight peace of mind, I went through exactly all the worries you are now - it's because we CARE :)  I'd read every book, printed literally 100's (far too many really) pages off the web, had my breeder on the mobile and my vet centre on the land line with OH on another mobile to an experienced friend nearby - it was organised chaos!  Like you, I felt everything I'd been read, learned, been taught, witnessed with friends, rehearsed to the letter with my wonderful mentors - GONE - mind totally blank with panic :D  I was pushing when my bitch was contracting LOL

So long as you have all your supplies on hand, vet's number on redial and preferably your breeder/mentor for reassurance you will have covered almost all the bases.

Good luck - all you can do for now is remain vigilant.  My girl must have read all my literature before hand because Thank God she had a text-book whelping (a first for both of us) and I hope yours works out like that too.  Things sound imminent.

Best wishes,  Teri :)

Thank you Teri! I think I am guilty of reading way too much information that Im not sure which piece of advice I should follow.  It is also horrible that my day time vet has no out of hours it is a complete seperate place which I have too say seem more unsure than me?  So hopefully fingers crossed & toes (never knew I could cross toes until tonight!!) I won't need their services.  She is loosing quite a lot of discharge now, so I'm hoping things are moving forward?????
Thanks again

There are much more experienced breeders than me on here - but I thought it might help to know that you're reactions are really perfectly normal :)  Everyone's first time litter will be a mixture of excitement and dread - and TBH good breeders although having more practical hands-on experience over time still have butterflies and anxious moments too because they desperately want everything to go smoothly and safely for their much loved bitches.

Fingers, toes and eyes crossed here :D (but the latter is more due to sleep deprivation I think!  Wouldn't recommend you try that - makes dialing, reading, scrabbling for supplies etc an itsy bitsy more tricky ;) )

Once again Thanks everything everyone has said to me on this site has been reassuring, it is really nice to speak to others or share such a passion and concern for their animals.

I am tempted to start drinking her glucose mix, I think I need the energy!!

>I am tempted to start drinking her glucose mix, I think I need the energy!!

LOL - go for it!  I "sampled" some Rescue Remedy at that stage :D  Worked a treat - well, better than caffeine!

It probably wasn't a contraction as such, but she was pushing because she felt that she wanted to toilet.  The feeling is very similar! :)

I think the best way to describe it was the whole of the back area was throbbing in & out, in & out??  It has been since then that she squats low as if to poo everytime I let her out?