New to the site soo would like to start with a universal big Hello ! I have a small breed bitch who was mated just the once on day 11 ( the dog wouldnt do it again ) and she is 66 days today not including the day of mating. She has been healthy and happy throughout. She is definitely in whelp, i have felt the puppy / puppies move although she is definitely not overstretched size wize. I had her scanned yesterday and a heartbeat was seen. She panted for about 30 minutes one night last week and has shown no signs of starting the labour process since. She has eaten today, her nose goes cold and wet to warm and dry on and off. She looks a little pale inside the eye but no sign of stress. Her gums have black pigment so cant check them. Although after scouring the web for advice and it seems this can be normal I am starting to panick a little. I know from past experience if i go to the vet he will automatically go in for a c section. Has anyone had similar experince and what was the outcome ? Thanks.

This is day 67 from the mating, and even for allowing fertilisation not to have occurred for four days (unlikely if the male lost interest) she would be at 63 days.  I would be looking at C section, this is too long, especially for toy breeds where inertia is not uncommon.

> This is day 67 from the mating, and even for allowing fertilisation not to have occurred for four days (unlikely if the male lost interest) she would be at 63 days.  I would be looking at C section, this is too long, especially for toy breeds where inertia is not uncommon.

Particularly if there is only one pup - think the taking of the vets advice is due if not overdue.

Thanks.....booked in tomorrow already. She has eaten all her food this evening and bits n pieces ( we had pizza del as i cant take my eye's off her ) still no sign of anything....no discharge, no digging, no panting, just a larger than normal belly......i have never experienced a late bitch, mine have usually always been digging by day 60 ! Will be up all night with her of course. I thought a fairy god mother would have posted losts of successful late natural delivery story's to calm me ! Again thanks to you both.

I have toy breeds, and my immediate thought was inertia.  In which case I wouldn't even be waiting until tomorrow, as mine often go 56 days.

If it is inertia, she is going to be pretty worn out.

No late natural delivery story, but I did have a singleton born successfully by C section 2 days after latest due date. I could hear a heartbeat and mum was fine in herself or would not have waited those 2 days, but we got a live pup and mum was fine, so hopefully you will be the same. :-)

any news?

Hi Guys, Well we went to the vets ( day 68 ), she grabbed her lead...jumped into the baby seat, had a look at the rabbits and guineapigs on the way through. Vet happy with her and told to come back on day 72 which suprised me but i appreciated his common sense approach which put me right at ease. Nothing looked broken so why try fix it ! unless of course in the mean time we hit any hurdles. Last night 69 days not including day of mating, ate her dinner and started digging not long after....went most of the night like an average whelping routine of dig and pant. Pushing from 7 am, checked her....nothing presenting or stuck, got a heart beat on scan.....8am out plopped a parti colour bitch ....as easy as anything.....on day 70 !!! ( not including day of mating ) i keep saying this cos every hour counted let aloan a day here or there at this stage ! Soooooo i suppose i have a story for the fairy god mother for someone else. I know for definite she only had one mating on day 10 and no other dog any where near her, so my dates were exactly right. It was a first for me and although i could see myself she looked fine the vets reasurrance was what i needed. I must add i have had bitches start fine then go into inertia for what ever reason but i have never had a bitch just not start at all.

My new mummy can enjoy her little baby without the curse of a section, we will most likely keep her...how can we not. I feel i may get slated for not insisting on a section, and i am more than aware things can easily go the other way BUT it does prove that sometimes it will all be ok in the end too. : ))

Just to clarify....it was day 10 she mated, i was originally counting from end of Sept when actually she mated 29th not 30th.

> 8am out plopped a parti colour bitch ....as easy as anything.....on day 70 !!!

Wow!  Glad everything went ok for you and your girl.  I only ever had one girl go ONE day over, and I nearly had a seizure!

At least your worry is over.  Enjoy! 

it is such a worry congratulations...My bitch had a section yesterday on day 69 as she didn't start... she only had a singleton (which I have never heard of in our breed) all the same he is lovely and has been sold 10 times over!! so lot's of dissappointments to make now.