Can anyone help me as I've phoned my vet and can't seem to get any sense, there also noted for asked clients to bring in there animals for simple things and charging a small fortune for something that you could have done yourself. My bitch is 3 years old and this is her second litter, she's due in about a week - 10 days. Last litter she was absolutely flawless everything went perfectly. I've done loads of research before breeding her and I can't seem to find some one who can give me a straight answer. She hasn't eaten in 4 days, apart from a few slices of ham and a sausage then last night she kept eating grass then threw it up, this morning I looked in her kennel and it had a small amount of diarrhoea. Then I looked closer at the bed (it's black and red) and noticed some white marks as if she had thrown up (it looked sort of like froth?) I then look at my dog and noticed a sort of red tinged diarrhoea on her side and bum. She's acting fine if abit clingy and quite but that might just be my imagination. Any ideas would be much appreciated.

If she were my dog i would be taking her to see a vet

It's good idea to use a white bed for a pregnant dog, that way you see straight away if there is anything untoward.

Whether to take your dog to a vet - it depends on your experience of recognising that something is not right and whether your vet would be able to do anything apart from prescribing Pro-Kolin and a diet of chicken and rice (vet's favourite!) If your dog is acting fine, if her temperature is fine, if you could feel the puppies moving, then you may think - going off food is normal for heavily pregnant bitches, a bit of diarrhoea is also normal for heavily pregnant bitches (red bits in it is due to small blood vessels popping out and usually nothing to worry about), eating grass and throwing it out is normal when dogs are off food, throwing white froth is also normal when dogs are off food (as there is nothing in the stomach to throw out).

Another problem with the vets is that very few of them have any experience in breeding, as majority of the work they do is on pets.

Sarah, you really need to be keeping a very close eye on your bitch if she is about to whelp puppies.  She should be constantly with you, day and night, and you should know exactly what is coming out of her mouth and bum.....

Without this information it is pretty impossible to help.

She is with me all times of the day and night when I say kennel I mean this little igloo thing that she loves that is at the side of my bed, this was at 7am and I hadn't heard any noises in the night to wake me up, witch is what happened with the last litter ( she barked until I woke up) she ate another sausage today but that is all and she's bin acting fine running around and jumping up me all normal behaviour for her. She gave birth the day after she was due last time so I'm not to sure what to think as she isn't due for another week to 10 days. She turns her nose up to chicken and rice, and eggs for that matter. I've also noticed that she looks smaller then she should and when I think About it she hasn't really grown in the last week. To look at her from standing up angle you'd never know but underneath she quite filled out, her teets have also gone VERY large but otherwise she's normal. You never would have known anything had happened. Thanks for all the responses it really helps .

If your bitch went full term last time, don't take it that she will do so this time.  My girls only go 56 days (perfectly viable whelps,) and I would never rely on one to wake me by barking.  It sounds as if your girl won't go full term, but pups lungs won't be fully developed if she goes less than 56 days.

Years ago I would worry myself to death over bitches not eating, but I don't get too concerned now.  If they are packed out with pups their discomfort means they won't eat a lot, so I offer little and often - and yes, I do hand feed (sigh) I'm sure I'd pop out for a pepperoni pizza if they asked. 

It doesn't sound to me that you have much longer to wait.  Just in case a section is needed, have everything ready - including a heat pad in a box for puppies.  Do let us all know how things progress.

I've hand feed her for about 3 days now as otherwise she wouldn't have touched a thing, she's turned into a little madam these last few weeks honestly, also does anyone think that the heat could affect her as it's been uncharacteristicly hot here these past couple of days, she's had plenty of water (obviously) and I've noticed her panting a lot but I'm not sure if it's the heat. I have got a fan on in the kitchen so it's cool in there but she lays in it for 10 minutes then walks herself outside to sun bathe and won't come in when called as she loves the sun (as I said she's a madam lately) but does anyone think this could have caused these symptoms? Or bring her to deliver early ?

I think it's hardly likely that the heat is the reason.  She was possibly going to have them early anyway.  Constant panting can often be associated with pain.  Only you know if things have progressed to an emergency vet visit.

> Another problem with the vets is that very few of them have any experience in breeding

Ain't that the bloody truth!

Apart from at least talking to my vet (taking her in could cause stress, and she could pick up infection), I'd stop with the sausage etc. and put her onto chicken and rice (!) or tinned Chappie which is bland, little and often.   I don't like 'blood' but as suggested, this could be down to 'small blood vessels popping out'.    If she's heavily in whelp, there may not be much room inside for a meal of any size which can mean they go off food towards the end of the pregnancy or at least eat little, and often, cutting out 'bulk'.   Once you know how many she has to feed, then you up her intake!

You could check with your vet re using Pro-Kaolin but I think it's okay for pregnant bitches.

Re the abnormally hot weather - mine use to react to this after some days of heat but with HIGH HUMIDITY (when out in S.Ontario).   Could be it's adding to her discomfort but hot weather alone, probably not.

She will not touch chicken (never has liked it) or rice. She turns her nose up to every apart from sausages but even then she had bits here and there of 2 sausages all day. This has been for the last 3 days. I've tried eggs cheese bacon beef everything really and she is just not interested. She's been acting completely normal since my last post apart from the eating. This morning she had 3 small spoons of puppy food ( yes I'm hand feeding it's the only way at the moment) and 3 small spoonfuls tonight. I've also noticed she keeps walking around a lot sort of pacing . Enough so that I'd noticed what she was doing even was I was occupied with something else. I thought I saw some movement in the stomach earlier to . She's 7- to 8 days away from her due date. This is her second litter but my fifth as I have other dogs who I've had puppy's from but I just can't seem to read her this time . Last time was a breeze. She's with me day and night she's my little bestie but I'm just not sure this time. And I obviously would take her to the vet if I thought something was wrong people saying that must think I'm stupid. I don't want to take her because there's no reason to do what's the point in stressing her out. I feel like I might just need someone who isn't so involved opinion ?

> I obviously would take her to the vet if I thought something was wrong

There must be something you are worried about or you wouldn't be asking for 'our' opinions...hence why I said if she were my dog I would take her to a vet

No not really, there's being curious and there's being concerned and thinking that maybe I'm just reading into things with her because I obviously love her and want the best for her. I think sometimes an outside opinion can put your mind at ease over silly little things.Taking her to the vet would be the first thing that would pop into my mind if I was really worried and I wouldn't hesitate. I thought that would be obvious.

>I thought I saw some movement in the stomach earlier to .

Have you tried "feeling" the puppies move, by placing your hand on her tummy? At this stage their moving should be very easy to feel, though they slow down some the nearer it gets to the birth, due to their growth and resulting lack of space.

Yes I have and I think I felt movements but she wouldn't stay still ( my husband had just walked threw the door) I felt it just as I thought I saw movement but she's got quite a thick coat so it's hard to see . I'll try again next time I think I see movement, thanks.