Hi,
My friends girl is 7wks pregnant and she is very big..her tummy has really dropped and her boobs are almost dragging on the floor!!
She seems very happy in herself and is still walking around and wagging tail etc...eating like a horse aswell.
Is it normal at 7 wks for them to drop so much, the owner hasnt seen any movement of the pups yet, but she was scanned and 4 were seen.
She is a toy breed.
Shes got the BOTB and is reading it every night, I think shes getting a bit worried.

LOL depends how short the legs are, but they do change shape after 6 weeks when the horns have to fold due to the size of the pups. 

Mine is a medium size breed who are about half the leg length to height and never drop below the level of the top of the rear hock, but do sometimes look like those Pygmy goats that always look pregnant even when not.

Thanks Brainless
Pygmy goat does spring to mind!
She has changed shape a huge amount in the last week, my friend thought there might be something wrong to make her drop so much.
Her vet has said to ring if shes worried, so I think she might ring him tomorrow just to put her mind at ease.

If carrying an average to large litter the horns have to fold, a lot will depend on how fit the bitch is, it alters the shape and makes the backbone more prominent, though I have never noticed the latter, but Elkhounds are quite meaty

I have a toy breed, average litter size is 1-3 and mine often don't look pregnant until the last minute!  I've had a pup stay under the ribcage until the day before whelping, and don't usually feel movement until the last week.

Yet last year I mated a maiden bitch, and she worried me to death.  I didn't need a scan or confirmation, I could see she was pregnant from very early on.  By 5 weeks her belly was nearly dragging the floor.  She is a small bitch, but had my vet check out her pelvis on several visits prior to making the decision to breed.  She looked positively gross.

I have never had a bitch whelp so easily, I've seen stronger hiccups!  She had FIVE pups, and I had a seizure!

No problems whelping at all.  But, with any doubts, I agree, ask the vet to give her the once over.  I would rather the vet said I was wasting his time, than miss something that I shouldn't have.

Shes got an appt for vet tomorrow.
She started showing when she was aprox 4 wks preg, poor girl doesnt want to walk anywhere at the mo although shes reasonably fit and healthy...always on the go and long walks when shes wasnt pregnant. Her pups are due on the 18/19th.
I saw her yesterday and she came charging over, tail wagging etc..then laid on the floor with a huge groan and her tummy just seemed to spread everywhere. Heartbeats can be heard. Shes asked me to be with her when she has the pups..not sure what I can do except make tea n toast, but I will be there.
My girl had pups last year and didnt look pregnant, mainly because she wouldnt eat and was very thin, but went onto have 3 nice sized pups after a long labour.

> not sure what I can do except make tea n toast,

You'd be surprised.  Nothing worse than large litters coming too fast for mum to clean one up before the next arrives.  You may be very helpful as an extra pair of hands if they need help to get them going.  At least you can open sacs and get them taking their first breaths.

Yes thats true...
Hopefully they will come fairly quickly with a space between them.
Im looking forward to helping out as much as I can, just hope they are all safe and well.