Need help with pregnant lab...*update*still no pups :(

[lorihadams]

Okay, so we put my lab in the pen for the entire heat cycle and we suspected that she was indeed pregnant. A couple of weeks later we took her to the vet cause she just kept squatting to pee and would only go a trickle and she just wouldn't stop. He said that she was pregnant and that it felt like a big litter and that they were probably just pressing on her bladder...took a swab and said no infection and just to watch her. The next couple of days she was better and then acted normally. So we figured she would be due around thanksgiving but I forgot to write down the dates so I could be off. Here's the thing...she was big as a house and when she laid on her side you could see lumps that looked like puppies and she was just miserable. About a week and a half ago my hubby said he saw milk coming out of her 2 back teats so we thought okay, should be soon. Well, no puppies yet and she looks normal now. Are my dates just off, should I give it another week, should I go to the vet? my 20 month old will not stop crawling all over her and laying on her and I am worried that she may have hurt her. I don't know what to do. Should I give it through this weekend and take her to the vet?

I don't know what to do....

Lori

 

[andehens]

Not knowing when she is due is a problem, just before some of my dogs have delivered the puppies have moved back and my girls look smaller. I would say though, take her to the vet if you can and put your mind at ease either way. Good Luck!

 

[Fudgie]

OH I am glad i read this one..... I know all about this let me post this so you know help is on the way....go take her temp NOW.


waiting waiting......

see what it reads....... Long story short normal temp is 101.0 - 102.5 farenheit....take her temp in the AM when you get up and PM before bed. Keep a log of it for later whelpings so you don't have to worry about this stuff again. When it drops below 100 degrees, puppies will start to come within 24 hours. Normal delivery time between pups is 1 hour about. So pup one comes and one hour later pup 2 comes and so on.....sometimes it is shorter but don't worry that it takes an hour. She will clean the pup and dry it and get it all settled then pop out another. Our lab did this and one of the puppies came then the second one like one hour then third in 2 min then back to an hour. An hour is the normal though so don't stress out. If she gets up and wants to go to the bathroom that is fine, let her out and watch her that she does not drop a pup outside. Ours went out to go potty, came in and popped out another.

If you have any questions please PM me if I don't answer right away. I will subscribe to this link to help ya out.


http://www.2ndchance.info/caninelaborstages.htm this is a great informative link....

 

[onthespot]

They can usually tell by the ossification of the puppy fetus skeletons if they take an exray after 54 days or soemthing, how far along she is. She is going to do what she is going to do, regardless of what the vet says. Some of my dogs have had milk more than a week before they had puppies. Usually they drop their core temp below 99 degrees at least twelve hours before they whelp. (Tell that to Roxie!) Nothing is 100%, just keep an eye on her is all you can do.

 

[Fudgie]

If she is not in any pain, don't waste your money taking her to the vet.

I am not a vet but have done this many times. The temp is a dead giveaway! 4 times and it has not failed me yet! She will let ya know when she is ready. Give her a good place to whelp the puppies. I took an old cover and folded it up and pinned it with safety pins, close together so the pups could not get lost in it...and put her in the bathroom corner, kind of quiet, out of the way, well lit and safe and warm.

And don't worry about your little one crawling over her. She will warn if something is hurting her. They are all in little water balloons safe and sound!

When whelping time comes be handy....I did not need to do a thing. Sadie was wonderful as a mom. Did awesome. Make sure their noses are uncovered so they can breathe, let mom do the rest. Don't fix it if mom is working on it! let her do her motherly thing. WOW PUPPIES how exciting!

and Lori, I am going to PM you my phone number in case you need emergency help at 2 in the AM.....I will try to help walk you through whatever you need help with. I know when to throw my hands up and call a vet!!!! have that number handy as well. Get it all handy NOW!!!

A spreadsheet with puppy number, markings, time of birth, etc is kind of fun to keep track of. Some people want to know if a pup is first born or what order it is.

 

[lorihadams]

I felt like such an idiot cause we've done this before but I forgot to write down when she went into heat cause things were so crazy around here. I'm kicking myself in the behind for this cause now I just don't know but I could be off on my dates cause we were guesstimating when we took her to the vet. I'm hoping the puppies have just moved back and that she will have them some time in the next week. She hasn't started lactating that I can see...my husband said that he saw milk. Last week she was licking a lot and we thought that she was close but then nothing. I'll definitely take her temp as soon as my husband gets home and can help me hold her.
Thank you guys so much!

I guess i just needed someone to ease my mind...I'll let you know what happens!

Lori

 

[Fudgie]

You can do it yourself, if you feel like doing it. my DH was a woosie and did not want to "HURT" her. Stand over her facing her rear end. Squeeze her gently to hold her still, lift the tail and insert the thermometer. Make sure you put some lube on it. We took temps early on just to get a baseline temp on her.

I know what you mean about forgetting....can you find in your checkbook when you paid the vet for the visit....sometimes that helps me! Thank goodness for checkbooks. Still the drop to 100 degrees is a dead giveaway to whelping

 

[lorihadams]

Okay, Jenny, her temp is 100.2 so we should be good right?

Lori

 

[Fudgie]

I would say she should start tonight! Like around 11:30PM your time! I would check her temp before you go to bed tonight she will drop to 99.7 or so right before whelping, if she has not already started whelping by then that is. Keep your 20 mo away from her so she does not have to get worried about him getting her babies.

Is she really swollen around her rear end? Like loosening? She will have discharge but it will be very difficult to tell because I am sure she will clean herself up real good! Our lab never had a drop of ANYTHING, she cleaned herself up really well.

Come on puppies!

 

[cjeanean]

AHHHH!!!! Puppies!!!!! Get the camera!!!!! NOW!!!!!!