Hi everyone, I am currently looking after my brother in laws bitch as he is away on holiday and she is pregnant he does not know her exact date she was caught by there male.
Her teats have dropped and she is producing milk for a few days now and has had a clear discharge for about a week, She been nesting about 2-3 days ago but nothing now.
She is going to the toilet with no problems and is generally really well in herself.
Puppies are moving really well when she is lay down its like a football match going on in her abdomen.

Any advice on when she may whelp would be greatly appreciated.

is she panting? if not then your ok for the time being. keep a close eye on her though and if she start heavy panting then it probably means she is about to have her pups. is this her first litter?

my bitch was the same as her for about 1 and 1/2 weeks try to relax and just let things flow.  she was nesting for about 3 weeks before she was due and i still have a gaint whole in the garden that she dug.

She has had some panting but not much, She is very restless and cant seem to settle anywhere.
The only thing she has eaten is scrambled egg She is digging up her bed but then she will come sit next to me and look as if to say help me.

She keeps lying on her back as if to say rub my tummy aswell, She sleeps for about 10mins then is up and wandering about.
She is sticking to me like glue, The puppies are very active and she has loads of milk you just have to touch her belly and some comes out.

Thanks for your help

Sounds like early labour which could go on for 36 hours or go into actual birth quite quickly so do not leave her unatteneded at all from now on, good luck :D

She seems more settled now, I took her out for a walk and when she went for a poop it came out really runny she walked a little bit and pooped a little more, Her poop was normal earlier today aswell.

She has been digging up her bed again but is now fast asleep and has been for last 30minutes or so.
You can actually see the puppies moving around and they look frantic as they are moving so fast and kicking her sides with force.

Defeinately sounds as if she's in early labour, along with the other signs the runny poos are often a sign that something is happening, keep an eye on her ;)

Hi when she goes out make sure you go with her and watch what she does as sometimes they can deliver a puppy, thinking they need to poo, good luck with her

Hi well this morning her poop back to normal and she is her normal bouncy self apart from she hasnt eaten anything yet so i think it may have been because she is so big she was having an off day.

When she went for a pee this morning there was some clear discharge after she had been so hopefully next few days she will give birth, I will keep you all posted of her progress

glad to hear things are running smoothly.when is you brother back? is this the dogs first litter?

admin

As far as i know this is her second litter, He does not get back till next friday.
She lays in her bed until either me or my partner moves and she sticks to us like glue, She seems to want to be under our computer desks and be with us all the time.

How long do you think it will be, When she goes for a pee small amounts of clear mucus appears after she has finished, She looks so miserable and restless

the time varys with different bitches and how many pups they have,keep a close eye on her now but from a distance,have you informed the vet so if any problems arise they are ready?

any news yet as by the sounds of things it wont be long.

No news yet, She has eaten some scrambled egg mixed with some complete dry dog food but thas all she has eaten.
She is still very clingy and when i take her out for a walk all she wants to do is play with sticks so i am guessing there is still awhile to go yet.

Just an update nothing is happening, She has had something to eat seems to be drinking loads.
She has not had a poop since 8:30 this morning and she has not even tried to go she is peeing fine.

Still gets very excited when she notice's i pick up her leash.
Is it normal for the pups to be so active it looks like they are going to kick there way through her abdomen wall, She is sleeping a little more than usually and digs up her bed every few hours but then leaves her bed and goes and lays under the computer desk next to my partners feet.

When my bitch was whelping everything seemed fine, she was panting restless but still very excited to go out for a walk, a hour later i rang my friend who was helping me deliver the pups as it was my first time, within 30 minutes of my friend being there she delivered the first pup.
My friend has been a breeder for over 30 years and she thinks my bitch was holding on to the pups because she could sence i was tense. I dont know how true this is but as shes been breeding for that long i guess she was right, so my advise to you is make sure you are nice and relaxed.

a few years ago when our sbt girl was expecting her 2nd litter,didn't give us any signs at all,she had gone over her due date by 3 days so we decided to take her for a slow walk around the block,we came back and within an hour she was digging at her bed,and panting 3 hours later she had her first pup,to our relief,the labour went very smoothly and we had 8 pups in 5 hours,long night though but well worth it.
hope all goes well for you keep us posted.

Hi everyone still nothing she is eating and drinking has been out to the toilet and is generally well in herself.

No panting no vomiting, Will eat her food only if i give her scrambled egg in it and drinks like a fish, She does dig at her bed every now and again, At the moment she is lay under my computer desk next to my feet and is snoring away.

Do all dogs go off there food when in labour and do all dogs throw up as i been told some dogs will still eat a hearty meal while in early stages of labour.

Her pups are still very active i was told the more active they are the closer to labour she is well if thats true she has been like this for a couple of days now.

Milke comes from her teats when you touch anywhere near them so i know she has milk production, She lies on her side then flat on her stomach and even on her back.
Cant take her temp because as soon as you go near her rear end she starts to growl so i cant use them temp drop method.

Will keep updating everyone to how she is getting on.

My girl still ate like a pig the day the pups were born, she had breakfast dinner and tea then about 9.30pm she was sick then at 12.03am the 1st pup was born, then she delivered the next 2 pups 15mins apart then the last 2 was half hour apart.

Thanks for the quick reply, She seems very quiet and sleeping at the moment.
She seems very uncomftable as she cant seem to get comftable, At the moment she is lay on her side but she keeps waking and turning, I cant get over how active the pups are i guess if i was carrying that much weight and having things kicking my insides i would be uncomftable aswell.

I have persuaded him to have her spayed when she has had them so that this dont happen again as from the sound of her breathing its taking its toll on her as it sounds like she is grunting and wheezing while she sleeps.
She breathes deeply while she is asleep sometimes it looks like she holding her breathe too while she sleeping.

My girl did the same sort of thing, have you got a whelping box for her?

Yes she is in her whelping box at the moment, she has just woke up and started digging at her blankets and then lay back down.

Is the box big enough for you get in with her? if it is try sitting next to her and talking to her reasuringly. my girl would only deliver her pups with someone in the box with her as soon as you got out she would stop pushing and try to get out aswell.

Yeah its large enough for me to get in with her, She has gone back to sleep now and is breathing slowly, Whenever i leave the room she comes out and follows me about and as soon as i come to the computer she is with me and lay under the desk. The wait is awful i feel like an expectant father heheheh.

I will try getting in with her and see what happens.
thanks for your quick reply again

Let me know how it goes. I didnt have this problem my vet thought my girl was having a phantom pregnancy we found out she was pregnant then a week later the pups were born. Good luck and keep me updated.

I found that just before the first pup is about to be delivered the bitch will suddenly go very quiet and sort of stare into space like they've been scared or seen something spooky.

She has had heavy panting this went on for about 2hours she has also keeps jumping up digging her bed then lying back down and going off back to sleep, Her panting has stopped now she has been out for a walk had a pee and poop and ran straight back into her bed and is currently asleep.
Pups are not as active so i am thinking things maybe starting to happen.
She is not happy if i leave her side she comes out to see where i have gone as soon as i start going back towards her bed she goes straight back in.

any news yet

No nothing yet she has started panting again this morning going to see if she will eat something, She has been digging franticly at her bed and has been licking her vulva and teats alot since lastnight she has even taken to cleaning my arm when i lay with her heheheh.

Hi  -  I have come late to this thread and your pups may even now have all been born - however I notice that nobody has mentioned taking the bitch's temperature.  It usually drops from normal, about 101.4 degrees Fahrenheit (or 38.6 degrees Centigrade) down to about 99 (or even lower) degrees Fahrenheit about 24 hours before the actual birth.  I have always found this to be extremely accurate, and keeps the guessing-game to a minimum.  In fact I have just invested in a canine ear thermometer which is absolutely brilliant! 

Good luck with your babies!

Lewie

H lewie it is not possible as unless i muzzle her we can not take her temp as she growls and tries to bite.
There is still no signs of the pups yet but she is extremely uncomftable and digging up her bed aswell as panting on and off.

how is she doing,any news yet?the waiting is awful isn't it?

no news apart from she is digging alot more than normal, She is sleeping waking, Sleeping and waking. She has eaten a small amount of egg and chicken as i just can not get her to eat anything else.
Her owner has her on a complete dry food for active dogs which is just no good for her at the moment and i do not want to change her food incase i upset her stomach, My brother in law if back friday so i will explain to him that she really needs her food changing.

She has been panting on and off since last night and licking her vulva and teats, But no signs of anything starting to happen.
She is only settled when i am with her as soon as i leave the room she is behind me when i come back she straight into her bed and starts digging up her blankets...

An activity or growth food is exactly what an in whelp bitch should be on.

Now when she goes out she is quick to get back home but cant decide wether to goto her bed or to lie inbetween my sofa's.
I have been told to allow her to go where she wants aslong as it safe and easy to get to incase i need to help, Well inbetween my sofa's is safe and plenty of room for me to get in there aswell What do you guys think.

She is cleaning her vulva, Teats and back legs more now so hopefully could be a sign things are progressing

do you think this could be her time?  make sure any small places are blocked off, she will try to get into them and if she whelps could make it very difficult for you to help. If she does whelp 1st pup outside whelping box,(very common) after she has cleaned pup and afterbirth is dealt with, gently take pup into whelping box, mum will follow, give her the pup back immediately to nurture.  You will find that she will most likely stay there for the rest of the whelping period.

Just an update she is in her whelping box panting like mad and crying a little, She is not sleeping just lays down then sits up and cries abit, She is not pushing or anything so i am guessing this is probably start of stage one

yes, so far it seems pretty normal, is she drinking much?  need to keep her hydrated. my lot tend to like a bowl of warm weak tea, water pretty much not wanted at this stage :)

How is she doing now?

She is a little more settled now She has been outside had a pee and came and went straight back to her bed. Will keep you update of her progress

Lewie, where did you get your canine ear thermometer from? Thanks

Hi everyone still nothing, She is peeing normal has only had one normal poop and a few very small drips of watery poop, She is digging more than usual and can not get comftable at all now.
She has had a small amount of food and a little water but does not seem that bothered.

Usually when i go to take her outside she jumps at the door well today she has not she sits there and waits

Hi everyone so far we have 2 pups 1st born 9:05 and 2nd at 9:46 mother is doing a great job.
Had a problem with pup 1 getting fluid in its lungs and could not breath properly but i got the sorted and he is now doing great.

Will keep you all update.
ADMIN All pups have homes waiting..... so i am not advertising

Aaawww.....congratulations!!!! Keep us posted!! Good Luck :D :D :D

Congratulations, let me know how it all goes. Il keep my fingers crossed for you.xxxxx

Good Luck Charmedagain, Looks like you're doing a great job. Hope the rest goes well. Keep us updated when you can.

Lynn

Well done there!

Fantastic news :-) well done :-D

she has had 3 boys all feeding well and mother is doing good too, I can not feel anymore.
She is still panting but settled last pup was born at 10:06.

Well done, but don't leave her alone yet, she may just be having a rest before she starts whelping again!

well done, fingers crossed for you.