Hi, our [small breed] is 57 days pregnant. She had her vet check last week with a scan. All fine. Saturday night she was showing all signs of stage one from 1030 through to 530-‘ Sunday. Then nothing.
Her temp yest was 37.5, first thing this morning 37.1 then at lunchtime was 36.8. She’s been losing clear mucus stringy. In the last half hr she has started panting, digging crying at times. (But she did all this all Saturday night)
Do you think with the temp drop, that it could be real today?
Thank you.

Again I have never set much score by what the temperature did, other than once it drops, and STAYS DOWN, then you should expect whelping to start within 36 - 48 hours, if not sooner.

I'd hope she'd hang onto them a bit longer if she's just 57 days along.   Just clear all your appointments so you are close by for when she does finally start having contractions and then don't let her continue having strong ones, pushing hard, without seeing a puppy delivered within an hour (every delivery).   If she has an awkwardly positioned or big puppy, she'll just get exhausted trying to push it out.   If she's going to need a C.Section, better sooner rather than later before she does become exhausted.

In general nature knows best - when they are ready to be born, they will be.

Thank you. She stopped all the panting etc after about an hr or so. Took temp this morn around 6am it was 37.2, took just before and it’s 36.6, but she seems fine at moment and is 58 days now. I’ve read toy breeds can go earlier? But guess if it does start properly in next 24 hrs now temp dropped down to 36.6, then she will be 59 days by the time she has them.
I’ve not been leaving her at all apart from dashing on school run. I’ve been sleeping on the sofa for the last two weeks

I'd hope she'd hang onto them a bit longer if she's just 57 days along.

Why? I always count day 56 as the first possible day, and I've had a perfectly fine litter born day 55. Most of my litters have been born before day 60.

> I’ve read toy breeds can go earlier?

In 45+ years my toys have normally whelped on day 56.  Perfectly viable pups.  I have never used temperature taking.  As you have the most difficult breed when it comes to whelping, I hope that you have enough experience to recognise inertia, or you could lose your bitch.  Pugs rarely whelp naturally.  They are notorious for problems.  If she was my bitch, no way would I have left it from last Saturday, I would be extremely concerned.

My vet wasn’t concerned as she wasn’t having any contractions, no straining at all. No unusual loss except some clear mucus.
She has been her normal lively self since sat night and been eating, weeing and pooing fine.
Apart from the meal before which she only ate half.
Her temp onsat was normal all day and night too.
Today her temp was 37.1, then at 1030 36.6 then 130 36.9

> Why? I always count day 56 as the first possible day, and I've had a perfectly fine litter born day 55. Most of my litters have been born before day 60.

Well I can only go by what MINE have done (which is what I imagine most people answering here do?)  and I've never had one whelp before day 62........................

> Well I can only go by what MINE have done (which is what I imagine most people answering here do?)  and I've never had one whelp before day 62........................

Always best to consult your breed mentor as often breeds and family lines have similar reproductive behaviour.

With my breed they tend to be mated after day 14 and most often whelp 61 - 62 days after first mating.  I have had a bitch whelp as early as 58 days from a single mating resulti8ng in my largest live litter of 9, and whelp as late as 67 days from first mating (both single mating and multiple)

> Always best to consult your breed mentor as often breeds and family lines have similar reproductive behaviour.<br />

I'd totally agree with thisl (fwiw!).