False Whelping Start?

[Bjelkier]

Hi guys, looking for a little info here while I'm waiting for the vet to get back to me.

I have a bitch due to whelp today, we had three matings and so far the pregnancy has been totally text book until this last week.

On Sat she had an obvious temp drop from 37.9 to 36.9, she became restless and started nesting her whelping box. We waited thinking this was it and then nothing. Took her into the vet on Monday and got an ultrasound and prog test done. Everything looked fine and my vet said she had at least another 36 hours to go.

We continued taking her temp, which stayed steady until yesterday morning when it dropped again from 37.9 to 37.0, she also lost her mucous plug and began heavy panting and restlessness last night. She was very uncomfortable and this time we thought for sure she's ready to go and once again she's stopped everything this morning.

We're debating booking her in for a c section tomorrow as her grandmother didn't go into labour with her largest litter either and my little girl has at least 7 possibly 9 puppies on board.

Thanks in advance

Edited December 17, 2014 by Bjelkier

[Wazzat Xolo]

Hi guys, looking for a little info here while I'm waiting for the vet to get back to me.

I have a bitch due to whelp today, we had three matings and so far the pregnancy has been totally text book until this last week.

On Sat she had an obvious temp drop from 37.9 to 36.9, she became restless and started nesting her whelping box. We waited thinking this was it and then nothing. Took her into the vet on Monday and got an ultrasound and prog test done. Everything looked fine and my vet said she had at least another 36 hours to go.

We continued taking her temp, which stayed steady until yesterday morning when it dropped again from 37.9 to 37.0, she also lost her mucous plug and began heavy panting and restlessness last night. She was very uncomfortable and this time we thought for sure she's ready to go and once again she's stopped everything this morning.

We're debating booking her in for a c section tomorrow as her grandmother didn't go into labour with her largest litter either and my little girl has at least 7 possibly 9 puppies on board.

Thanks in advance

following, good luck

[Rebanne]

I hope you have been back to the vet and got another prog test

[bridgie_cat]

if you have a definite due date, that helps. you can safely elect to do a c-section 63 days post LH or 61 days post ovulation. just from mating dates it is very easy for your "due date" to be out by a factor of 7 days or more in some cases.

otherwise you are waiting for:

progesterone <2ng/mL (around 6.5nmol/L)

and/or

foetal heart rate <200bpm (indicates foetal distress and imminent parturition) - can be assessed via ultrasound.

radiographs can be a fairly accurate assessment of foetal age depending on what bones are visible according to one review paper I have read - seems to have been reasonably true in practice? But I would not be keen to base a c-section date solely on this method when compared to the above options which are the accepted guidelines.

[Bjelkier]

I hope you have been back to the vet and got another prog test

Yes Rebanne, I did. I'm not being lax with this and we're doing daily prog tests at this stage on the advice on my very experienced breeder vet.

As it is today she is at level 26 and the puppies heart rates are totally normal.

[Bjelkier]

if you have a definite due date, that helps. you can safely elect to do a c-section 63 days post LH or 61 days post ovulation. just from mating dates it is very easy for your "due date" to be out by a factor of 7 days or more in some cases.

otherwise you are waiting for:

progesterone <2ng/mL (around 6.5nmol/L)

and/or

foetal heart rate <200bpm (indicates foetal distress and imminent parturition) - can be assessed via ultrasound.

radiographs can be a fairly accurate assessment of foetal age depending on what bones are visible according to one review paper I have read - seems to have been reasonably true in practice? But I would not be keen to base a c-section date solely on this method when compared to the above options which are the accepted guidelines.

At this stage it's looking like the date is out by a few days so we're expecting action closer to Sat now.

Still her behaviour and sudden temp drops are what has caught our attention as a little strange.

[Rebanne]

I hope you have been back to the vet and got another prog test

Yes Rebanne, I did. I'm not being lax with this and we're doing daily prog tests at this stage on the advice on my very experienced breeder vet.

As it is today she is at level 26 and the puppies heart rates are totally normal.

Another test in a couple of days then :)

[WreckitWhippet]

I've taken bitches temps all the way through pregnancy ( every day since being confirmed and twice a day in the last three weeks ). What I have found is that somewhere with a week to 5 days to go, I get a temp drop that lasts for about 12 hours or so, accompanied by restlessness and some digging. Temp then returns to normal and drops 24-48 hours or so before actual whelping.

This has occurred consistently with all of my bitches and across three breeds. I don't panic, pups will arrive when they are good and ready.

[Bjelkier]

I've taken bitches temps all the way through pregnancy ( every day since being confirmed and twice a day in the last three weeks ). What I have found is that somewhere with a week to 5 days to go, I get a temp drop that lasts for about 12 hours or so, accompanied by restlessness and some digging. Temp then returns to normal and drops 24-48 hours or so before actual whelping.

This has occurred consistently with all of my bitches and across three breeds. I don't panic, pups will arrive when they are good and ready.

Thanks WW.

Looks like she will go this weekend from the prog levels we got today so that would put at at exactly a week from when she had that first drop. This is good info to have for later litters, we'll be far more relaxed next time.