Whelping Signs"Whelping signs are not the same in all dogs but can include temperature change, pacing, nesting behavior and milk expression from the teats. In the last 3 weeks their may be some vaginal discharge. " The gestation period for puppies is approximately 65 days give or take 1 day. If it’s been more than 65 days and you still don’t see any whelping signs in your dog, talk to your vet. Breeding to whelping takes between 55 to 70 days because male sperm can survive within the female for 7 to 9 days prior to fertilizing the egg. There are a number of whelping signs you can notice when your female dog is close to giving birth. You may have to pay close attention to notice these signs. Some or all of these whelping signs may be present. First Signs of WhelpingThe first signs of whelping can appear as early as 22 days. Your veterinarian may be able to see swelling of the uterus. Your veterinarian may be able to detect this via a process called palpatation, which is using the hand to judge changes in the uterus via feeling the abdomen. Ultrasound equipment may detect a heartbeat which is considered to be the most reliable indicator of pregnancy. By day 46 you should be able to detect swelling in the mammary glands. This is also the first point where x-rays can capture an image of the fetus.Whelping XRay
Whelping Signs to Watch ForYour dog’s temperature will probably drop. Her puppies will likely be born within 24 hours of the drop in temperature. A normal temperature is 101.8; it will usually drop to about 99. Take your dog's temperature 2x a day. However, her temperature may drop, then rise again, so a decrease in temperature by itself does not always indicate puppies are on the way. Also, not all dogs see a change in temperature.She will probably stop eating a day or so before giving birth. She may also vomit or have diarrhea. However, some dogs will eat right up until giving birth. Again, these are some whelping signs to watch for, but they won’t all be present in all dogs. Your dog may get a “glazed look” on her face. This is hard to describe but you will know it when you see it. She will often be restless. She may pace or turn in circles, pace, pant or lie down and then get up again. If you’ve prepared a whelping box for your dog, she may dig in the blankets or towels you’ve arranged for her. This is called “nesting.” She’s preparing a place for her babies. She may also take various objects that she likes to her nest. She will look at or lick under her tail. She will probably do this the entire day of her whelping and throughout her labor. Other signs during the week before birth include: * changes in the abdomen - looks like it dropped Her teats and mammary glands will look swollen with milk on the day of her whelping. Milk can be expressed from her teats near the time of whelping for first-time mothers, and about four days before whelping for those who have had litters before. Once labor begins, she will pant and sometimes moan. You may notice her legs and stomach tense and then relax. As contractions progress, she will arch her back with the contractions. At this point, the pups will soon be born. Monitoring Whelping SignsVeterinarians have many of the same monitoring devices that humans have including fetal and uterine monitors. The goal is to monitor labor to ensure that there is nothing that could prevent a successful birth.SourcesCanine Pregnancy: Predicting Parturition and Timing Events of GestationP. W. Concannon Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA Whelping 101 Canine Pregnancy: Predicting Parturition and Timing Events of Gestation www.hilltopanimalhospital.com From Whelping Signs to Dog Pregnancy
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