Annie's thread- Five puppies! LOTS of PICS on page 10!

[bossynbella]

I'm not really worried about it Jamie, and I do think it is yellow from taking her water up at night. Is it okay to do that still. She does drink a lot of water, but last night we took it up at 8:30 and dumped the outside water pan to, just like the night before. She was out at 1 and again, 3:30 before DH went to bed. I got up at 7:30 to see if she needed out and she had peed on floor twice, or in two spots.

I know about the temp taking thing, me and DH have differing points of view on that as he feels it is unnecessary, further backed up by the fact he has been reading online and my books and one book says its not always accurate, and a few people online have said it didn't work for every girl they had. So far we haven't taken her temp, I may attempt it by myself, but as one of us is always here, and with her, I may give in to him on this one.
I brush her every night with a hound brush ( rubber curry like thing with fewer larger pointed rubber "combs") tonight her mammary glands are much fuller, though not full yet I don't think. Will try to get a picture.
I will call my vet on Tuesday to let him know of this development, as its a holiday weekend and I don't believe anything to be wrong, she is acting just fine, her usual cheery self, I won't bother him over the holiday.

Thank you for all the advice, I really enjoy talking to others who have more experience with this. I keep trying to remember the two labors of my friends beagle from 8 years ago, I assisted with the first and was the only one there for the second. ( I owned the stud dog) Yet I am having trouble remembering it all. So I really appreicate the advice, and the help and support of all of you.

Thanks!
Melissa

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

Take it from someone who has helped whelp many litters of puppies..the temperature thing quite accurate if you are taking the temp properly. I have a friend that always, always, always temps her dogs and it's never steered her wrong. The thing is when the temp drops it may be 6-36 hours before she begins active whelping.

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[bossynbella]

Pictures from tonight. The only thing she really gets excited about these days is Beggan Strips. She never use to really like them, preferred the pigs n a blanket treats or the chicken Jerky treats. Now she reminds me of the dog on the commercial "Bacon , Bacon, I want Bacon!"

Here are some pictures from tonight, since tonight is 7 weeks, 49 days.

Front view

Side view

Laying down

She loves to stand like this and get her tummy rubbed, she does not like to roll over on her back, so this is what she does when she wants a belly scratch, she stands up on her back legs and braces the front on the couch or my leg so I can rub her belly. I had DH Snap a pic after I moved behind her. She was "helping" cook supper.

She has been my shadow for the last few weeks, If I get up to use the restroom she will get up out of a deep sleep and follow me in there, I come back to living room she goes back to her pool and lays down.

 

[lemkoboxer]

The temp thing does work and to me is certainly worth the few minutes it takes to check. Have whelped many litters for myself and friends. I breed and show boxers in AKC conformation and obedience. Yes there are some females who don't seem to drop, or we miss it, but it is pretty accurate with most of them and a pretty standard practice among dog breeders I know.

The important thing is to take the temp twice a day, and write it down to keep a record of what her norm is. Make sure you take the temp the same time each day also, as it is normal for temp to fluctuate late in pregnancy, and be different in the am or pm each day. I always do this with my girls if I am expecting a litter.

 

[bossynbella]

I will do the temp then. Would noon and 11pm be okay times? Problem being I work at Wal-mart and my schedule is very irradic, so some days I'm leaving at 11:30 and not getting home till 9:30 (20 minute drive each way) other times I have to leave at 2:30 and don't get home till 10:30. I want to do the temp thing so I can be sure to be here when it happens, I have already notified work and found replacement workers, but they all also know that I will call in that day if I can't find someone to cover me. They have been wonderfully understanding.

 

[lemkoboxer]

Would noon and 11pm be okay times?

Yes. Most breeders recommend it be done 12 hrs apart and that is pretty close. Just try to do it at the same times each day if at all possible.

Best of luck with the whelping!!!​

 

[bossynbella]

okay so I think I need a new thermometer. I took it at 11:30 this am and it read 100.1 which seemed okay but I wasn't sure I had it in far enough so I retook it at 12:00 and it said 98.4, I know I had it in far enough that time, So I think I will buy a new thermometer tomorrow. She had just come in from outside when I took it the first time, and had been resting when i took it the second. But 98.4 is to low a temp for a dog right? She is now curled up in her whelping pool looking at me like, keep away from my bum with that thing! Though she was a good girl and just layed there when I took it.

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

LOL she is a good girl! Yeah thats a really low temp for a dog, it should be over 100.5 to be normal (that is unless she's going into labor, which she isn't at this time). The therm doesn't need to go in all that far, maybe an inch and half to 2 inches. Leave it there for three minutes for a digital thermometer, and up to five minutes for a regular one.

 

[bossynbella]

well my thermometer beeps when its done, it doesn't keep going after that. It beeps after like a minute I think. I got one of the fast ones used for baby rectal temps. I figured fast was good. Should I get a different thermometer? Could that be the problem?

 

[lemkoboxer]

Temp of 100.1 sounds normal for late in pregnancy... She may flucatuate a lot from 100 down to the 99's and back up in the next weeks. A reading of 98.5 could occur just prior to the onset of labor, but being at only day 50, or 51 (yes?) that doesn't seem quite right. I'd get a new one just to be safe.