Hi everyone, 1st time posting on site but have read quite a few. I have a bitch who will be 8 weeks on Wednesday. She has had a xray at my work today and looks to be carrying at least 8 puppies, she was xrayed as worried about the size she was as a medium breed and was showing from 4 weeks, this is her 1st litter. She has started today having a stringy clear/white mucous discharge from her vulva and I was wondering if this is a sign that whelping is not far away. The vets in my work think that she will go early due to size and number of pups

Someone in my breed was panicking over their bitch with these signs plus panting 10 days before due date, the bitch went on to three days late.

First litters if fairly large are often  couple of days early, but anything from a week before is perfectly OK.

Thats great thanks for the reply, as long as she can cross till wednesday then lol. I am turning into the over protective mother I think, been quite calm up until now but as due date nearing just hoping everything goes smoothly. I am one of the luck ones that if it doesn't I work in a 24hr emergency vet hospital so always have someone available 24/7

As long as bitches go to 8 weeks, I have never found a problem.  Any earlier and the lungs aren't properly developed.

I did, once, have a girl go 10 days early, and there was no chance of survival.

I think it depends on breed too.  In my breed,the bitches only go to day 58 normally.  I have only ever heard of a handful going past this date and none earlier with a viable litter.