Hi guys,

Hope everyone is well! I have read up on whelping extensively and am well aware there are no set rules but am just curious as to your experienced opinions on how long left for my bitch.

Wednesday 23rd was the earliest (assuming 63 days) that she could have whelped but the dates of mating could mean she could be as late as Wednesday 30th (again assuming 63 days).

Yesterday around midday, I noticed mucous from her vulva while she was straining to do the toilet, since then I found several patches of mucous and a few damp patches. She began digging quite furiously in her whelping box later last night and was extremely restless. Her temperature was around 37.8-38.1 and that was checking her every 2 hours through the night too. She has been eating ok, however was a little sick last night (straight after eating though so might have just eaten too quickly) and has been boaking/wretching a little today.

This morning at 8am her temperature had dropped to 37.5 and has remained at that this afternoon. Again she has been extremely restless, sleeping most of the day (or trying to), and at other times panting like crazy for around 30 mins at a time and her eyes are blood shot (she looks knackered!!).....as well as some more excavation work on her pen. I'm not aware of any contractions but in fairness Im not exactly sure what to look for? Would this be obvious to the untrained eye?...puppies are extremely active and have been moving most of today. There was a wet patch in her pen perhaps about 7" circle..could this be waters breaking? or would this be a much larger wet patch?

Anyways curious as to know what you think.

Thanks,

Kelly

Oh how exciting for you!! :)

I would say she is extremely close to given birth!!
You need to look out for her eyes, are they dilated? if so this is her more then likely have pain from labour, the mucus discharge that you have found is also a good sign that labour has started, like us humans, its the waters breaking, or the plug from her vulva being pushed out ready for birth!

I would stay with her 24/7 in a calm state, has she dug in her whelping box?

I would also check over your mating dates, make sure she is not a long time overdue, 63 days is the normal / average time depending on when she actually conceived, if in doubt phone your vet for them to come out and just have a look.
Her temperature should drop below 38 to begin labour
Good luck and let us know how things go!! :) :)

Yes I am extremely excited lol....I am currently sitting in my leather recliner, moved it in to the kitchen lol, next to the whelping pen. She is laying in it panting like mad, and pups still moving about crazyily.

Here eyes are dilating in and out not rapidly but definite changes. She has been constantly digging in the box since last night.

SHe has now started licking herself a lot, I havent noticed her doing this before....not her vuvla but her paws and stomach/teats.

Will be keeping a close eye on her and vets number in redial if need be!

Thanks,

Kelly

Hi Kelly, yes all sounds very close to me!!! :)

My girl was licking her legs and tummy, kept an eye on her and looked away for just a minute and then heard her licking heavier and so lifted her tail (she was laying on her side) and hey there was the first puppy!!!! very quick!

I can't remember the exact dates but I think my girl gave birth on day 65 from first mating, she had three mating in all,

Oh you will def let us know how things go,, be thinking of you both xxx ((hugs))

sounds like it's kicking off! good luck, try and keep calm (i didn't manage, tried to deliver a babe while blubbing excitedly, thankfully my sensible mum was there to help!), keep an eye on your girl and let us know!

Ohh her temp is down again to 37.3 thats the lowest I have measured it at. She was just out for the toilet there and more mucous from her vuvla and again she is back in the whelping box panting furiously. I feel so helpless, she just keeps looking at me with her baby blues as if to ask me to help her!

Has lost interest in food now, she was eating fine about 3-4 hours ago so I'm guessing its definetly going to be tonight/early hours of tomorrow...or at least I hope so lol.

Thanks,

Kelly

Hi,
Sounds extremely close!!!!!!!!!!!
Looks like you'll get no slwwp tonight.
Good Luck. :-)

ahh GOOD LUCK hun really hope all goes well..my girl due sunday!! :) :)

Update : She is fast asleep again, after panting heavily for about 30 minutes. Pups still kicking about inside, looking anxious to get out into the big bad world lol.

I guess I'm concerned that there hasn't been any further developments but I know I'm being impatient lol. When she wakes will take her for a lil walk round the front of the house see how that helps her.

K

My girl did this for almost 24hrs and whilst  I was talking to my vet on phone I noticed a little change 1st pup born 2 minutes later .So just keep an eye on her they do look as if they are in a deep sleepin between panting.

Well still really the same to be honest.....starting to get a little anxious about it all. I know its normal lol as she has only been like this for about 30-36 hours and her temp has only dropped to below 37.3 in the last 5 hours or so but i'm still worried....guess thats normal too.

If by the morning there are no signs of 2nd stage I reckon I shall be calling the vet...although will be checking her every hour through the night as well just to keep a close eye on her.

Kelly

Hi

I wouldnt leave her at all now just in case. I would want to be checking her more than every hour during the night. Can you sleep with her to be close at hand?

Hope you have results soon

Wendy

well at this moment im sitting in my recliner in the kitchen so no plans to go anywhere and yeah have decided to just sleep down here too.....would be too worried to go upstairs anyways and would rather i was here in case some drastic action needs to be taken (ie vets).

How I envy you, I cant wait to hear whats been happening!

If her waters have broken, I would be getting her checked out for inertia while the pups are still viable, and before she is too worn out.

I dont know if her waters have broken though...there was a few damp patches but i never saw anything and it was only about 7" circles worth on the newspaper? Pups are still moving about like crazy and no signs of any other discharge except the mucous. Im right in saying once puppies are on their way should be a darker discharge inidicating the placenta has detached and ready for birth.

hello kelly,
wen she is puffing and panting is she giving any groans in between ,
kinda panting then a urrrrrrrrr ?
jayne
xx
good luck,

Nope nothing like that...she just pants really heavily and you can see the pups moving about inside her pretty vigoroulsy. I dont think she has actually started to push or anything like that but im worried that contractions shoudl have started by now etc

Kelly, I had a girl with no more water than you are describing.  Her pups were moving well too.  She didn't have one single contraction.  I have experience of inertia, and I am just being cautious.  I do have a breed known for it, and I'm not trying to scare you, just wanting you to not leave her too long.  No,, I didn't get darker discharge to warn me, I just knew things were not right.  Vet said if I had not been vigilant, I'd have lost both bitch and pups.  I had no other signs than a small wet patch on her duvet.

I wouldn't leave it any longer, honestly.

If you are concerned you should call your vet .The first stage can last for some time I was in touch with my vet during this stage ,if her labour is not progressing she may need help .

I will call the vets now and update you asap

OK just spoke to the vet, they arent overly worried about her, said that her temp has only dropped around 8 hours ago and typically can take 24 hrs from temp drop. They are also content with her being quite confortable and not showing signs of distress at all. Advised that I should give them a call if she starts straining and hasnt delivered a pup within an hour and a half.

Said they would expect her to start in the next 2-6 hours.

K

Looks like you`ll be up all night better get the coffee on.I only started  using the temp a guide with my last litter so i`m not experianced in it but my girl`s temp took a further drop to 36.4 or less and pups were born within the hour.With my other litters I watched for signs from my girls .You are the best one to judge if your girl is ok anything odd push your vet to act.

Just an after thought do you have THE BOOK OF THE BITCH .

Any news yet?

hi any pups yet? really hope everything is ok? :)

oh let us know how she is!!

fingers crossed all is ok :)

Hi Kelly ,any news ?my girl is due next week cant wait

dawn
xx

No news yet! Have phoned the 24 hr vert again and they still arent awfully concerned but have said if I am worried then I should take her in to my vet at 9am to see if they reckon com Oxytocin might speed things up so to speak as she is absol knackered, she has been panting for the last 18-20hrs. Her temp is sitting at 37.4 so up a little but again nothing to be worried about apparently...doesnt really stop me worrying though lol.

At this point she is really unwilling to leave the whelping box and hasnt relieved herself in around 8 hrs but hoping a lil walk around the estate might prompt some baby action!

Will keep you all updated! And thanks again for the advice!

(I want zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz so bad lol)

Kelly

Oh Kelly I do hope all goes well for you and your girl.
Good luck
Karen

oh i feel like am there with you this is sooo exciting ,hopefully wont be to long now let us know as soon as

good luck hope all goes well

dawn
xx

just be mindful if you take her out to relieve herself she may whelp!!! ;)

Hi Kelly
Your girl is on day 69 now, I would be starting to get concerned now and so should your vet.
A quick nip round the block may start her off though.

My own bitch had her first litter 2 weeks ago on day 64, she had 9 pups, all are really thriving.
She didnt eat anything for 48 hours, was uncomfortable, groaned continually and didnt go to the toilet for 24 hours, all quite normal activity.

We consulted our vet on day 63 when the groaning started and they said 'not to worry it sound like they are coming along fine'.

The 1st pup came out head first, it took 15 mins to get its head out and a  further 10 to come out. This was the biggest of all the pups. The 2nd & 3rd came out together 45 mins later, the rest were on 30 min intervals apart from the last who waited till mum needed a wee outside and was born in the garden a full 90 mins after the previous pup.

How are things going Kelly?  I do hope that you are buzy delivering as I type. All litters do differ, I know when my latest was born, I didnt have mum but offered to whelp her and it was totally diff to my own bitch, fingers crossed. You will both be exhausted.....

Morning everyone, Just back from the vets....scanned her and all visible pups are doing fine. Doesnt look like her cervix have dilated fully but her milk has just begun to come through so vet is happy it will be today and is content with her progress. Said if no pups after 30 mins of the green discharge then get her back in asap but just to keep a look out for the change in discharge and for contractions.

Today is day 69 from her first mating, its only day 62 from her last mating so I'm not so worried about that either...I'm inclined to think that conception was around the latter stages as when she was scanned at supposedly 6 weeks vet said then that looks like there was closer to 4 weeks left than 3. (4 weeks is tomorrow)

She relieved herself on the way to the vets too but hasnt eaten anything and is now happily back in her whelping box panting and snuggling up to a teddy she has claimed for her own (she carried to to the vets and back as well, wouldnt let it out her sight!)

K

Hi Kelly, all sounds good!! I will be watching this post all day!!!
how exciting!!! 

Hey guys,

Ok her temperature has risen a back up to 37.8 and there has been a little discharge (I've read that a temperature increase can signal the start of things). Now im not sure how green is green when the books/net talk about with regards to the placenta dislodging and imminent birth etd but I'd say this was umm for want of a better decription bogey colored lol there was no specks in it at all and only about 1-2cm cubed of it.

She is still pretty comfortable, gave her some milk and she has been out to relieve herself again so all going well I hope!

K

Hi Kelly, love your description of the bogey coloured discharge!! couldn't put it better myself!!! :) :)

I reckon she will be giving birth before tea time!

Ah bless her, I can't see me getting much done today, watching this thread!!! :) :)

LOL I know I sat for ages trying to think how to describe it!

Ah I just wish they woud hurry up haha I'm so tired have had 3-5 hours sleep in ast 48 hrs and its taking its toll

K

Kelly, is there not someone else at home that could sit with her while you get some sleep? get them to wake you if anything starts?  your going to need your energy when they start popping out!!
xx

Hi Kelly your doing a great job ,love the bogey bit lol.

dawn
xx

can i ask how many matings did she have to be 7 days difference

Good luck sounds like its not too far off :-)

hi,
glad to read vets said all ok,
good luck,
wont be long now,
jayne
xx

I'm sitting on the edge of my chair, come on little girl get into gear. Mind you I had a good nights sleep so I will try and will some across to you Kelly.

She has in the last half hour become really restless...been out and in her whelping box trying to go to the toilet but there is nothing more in her to come out so I'm assuming that she is mistaking the contractions for the need to go to the toilet. She wont eat anything but has started drinking a little.

There was a suspect water breaking incident...she got out her whelping pen and left a trail of yellowish liquid behind, possibly urine but looked a little different to me.

She is still outside but keeps wandering about, so keeping a very close eye on her now!

Oh im excited!!!!

K

OK the fluid dripping from her is a little darker now...she is starting to cry/whimper and is licking up the fluid from her vuvla too.

Oh im excited!!!!

me 2....I can almost hear the CD members baited breath :) :) :)

Good luck, sounds like she has started. I'm curious as well, why as many as 7 days in between matings? Personally that would worry me as you did end up with a situation where you didn't know if she was overdue or not. I've always just done two mating with one day in between.

Good luck looks like things are really starting now.