Can anyone tell me how many days early a bitch can whelp.  My girl has whelped today - 7 days before I expected any puppies!  It is day 56 - is this usual?

Hi, can't be of any help, I'm afraid, mine have never gone more than one day before their due date.  How are the pups doing - are they feeding ok?

I'm pleased to say that they are all suckling just fine.

I knew a lady with her first litter of long haired dachs who were born exactly 7 days early (mated just the once).  The pups were fully developed and thrived no problem.

I have had several bitches whelp 4 or 5 days before the due date and rarely have them go the 63 days, but these girls nearly always won't mate until late in their cycle.

If a bitch will stand early then it will seem she has a longer pregnancy, and one that stands right at the very last day before the eggs die will appear to have a short one.  Also larger litters are often born earlier than smaller ones.

there should be no problems a week either side of the due date.

Brainless, you're a gem!  My previous girl mated at day 14 no problem.  Suzie waited until day 17 and nearly ravished him!  Only the one mating too.  Caught me unawares though.  I had the whelping room all ready, thinking tomorrow she could have a sniff around and see what she thought.  Yea, in my dreams!  I came down and found her delivering in the big Beardies bed, and this is a Yorkie.  She had had 4 live and one that seemed dead, he was quite large.  I moved her into the whelping room and watched her give birth to another while I worked on the big pup.  I got loads of fluid out of the mouth, but no pulse or response.  I gave mouth to mouth, and massaged vigorously for 20 minutes, when I got a tiny gasp, so I was pretty rough with the swinging to get the air into his lungs.  Once I was getting regular gasps I just put a drop of Dopram under his tongue.  Took another 20 minutes or so before the little legs began to struggle, so I gave him to Suzie, boy she was rough!  He's now suckling along with his 5 tiny sisters!   They actually look full term I must admit, but I had only previously had them early by a couple of days.  Thanks for your swift respoonse, much appreciated.  (Still in a daze but happy!)

Hope all continues well

Glad they're all ok - and well done reviving the boy.

I've had a breed that has had pups 7 days early and they've been fine, earlier than this and they usually don't survive.

Well friends, Brainless was right on more than one count!!  About the bitches who mate later, and about the sizes of litters - I have a 7th pup!  Perfectly formed and suckling.  I had offered Suzie poached fish, which she wolfed down, so she had scrambled eggs at tea time.  She wouldn't get out of the whelping box to eat, so I held it right under her nose.  As long as she wasn't asked to get up and reveal her pups, she was happy to eat.  When I took her a meal of puppy food later this evening, I actually coaxed her out to the garden.  I did the head count three times before I believed my eyes.  I don't know when the 7th arrived, but it was well hidden.  I think 7 is a HUGE litter for this breed, so no wonder she couldn't carry them any longer!

I've got a litter of 7 wk old pups who were also born dead on a week early, catching me out just the same as you, all went as usual with the rearing although they were a tad slow on the eating solids front but don't think that had anything to do with their prematurity more to do with them being down right lazy lol.

Enjoy

congratulations on the pups,glad everything went ok :)

CONGRATULATIONS that is a big litter .
What sex was the seventh one?

Rhona

Congratulations, specially on reviving the dodgy one - I think I would just panic!! Cavaliers are often several days early. :-)

Hi Rhodap
I ended up with 4 girls and 3 boys.  It's one week today and they have been weighed daily, gaining every day, so she's doing well.  I still can't believe that they were really due today!  The vet says that they may need supplementing with it being such a strain on Suzie's resources. At present, there is no crying, so they are just guzzling and sleeping.  Being a firm believer of Mum's milk being the best food for them, I'm putting all the nourishment into Suzie.  The first couple of days I was worried that she wasn't eating or drinking enough for the size of the litter, but her body must have told her that what she needs, because she's settled down to 6 meals a day, and drinking better.  Apart from always having water available, I'm diluting evaporated milk for extra vitamins, and so far so good!
Jean

Congratulations :)