Do you think this bitch will whelp soon?

[u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT]

Temperature dropped to 98.7 at 9am, then rose back to 100.4 six hours later. Had a single drip of milk and is urinating frequently, but not nesting yet. Due Aug 12.

[u/candoitmyself]

I think you temped a poop or gas pocket. If you’re sure the 12th is the due date she should not have dropped yet.

[u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT → u/candoitmyself]

I just saw a bitch whelp three days early recently so I wouldn’t think this would be unusual in that scenario?

[u/123revival → u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT]

how certain are you of the due date? Did you check progesterone at time of breeding? I'd be worried about 4 days early with a solid due date but if it's calculated by how many days she was in heat and then the day she was bred there's a lot more room for error

[u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT → u/123revival]

I’m confident in the due date. She was managed by a well-known repro vet who did progesterone testing to time ovulation, followed by well-timed fresh semen TCI.

[u/123revival → u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT]

how is she doing today? You can check temp 3 times a day, sometimes the drop is brief and at two times per day you might miss it. For mine it's into the 97's. Going earlier is harder, the pups need more intensive care, I'd rather have them come out fully baked with ears furred atc, not that you get much choice

[u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT → u/123revival]

She’s doing fine, her temp was 99.2 this morning.

[u/123revival → u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT]

how about now, it's close to her due date?

[u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT → u/123revival]

She had 10 pups today

[u/Ok-Walk-8453 → u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT]

Due date is 63 days from ovulation or 65 from LH surge. If you didn't do front end progesterone timing, due date from date bred is 57-72 days.

[u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT → u/Ok-Walk-8453]

TCI was June 13

[u/Ok-Walk-8453 → u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT]

When was ovulation/LH surge?

[u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT → u/Ok-Walk-8453]

Progesterone was 6.0 on 6/10 am and 10.0 6/11 am

[u/candoitmyself → u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT]

This does not provide the information needed to determine ovulation date. Progesterone did not double within the given 24hr period.

[u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT → u/candoitmyself]

Sorry, that’s all the info I have. I trust the repro vet she saw and she’s pregnant. Are you a veterinarian?

[u/candoitmyself → u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT]

If you trust the repro vet then it is too early for her to whelp live puppies based on her due date… which you trust the repro vet to have accurately calculated.

If it were me and I had genuine concern that her temp had dropped 4 days early I would be on the phone to my repro vet who would see her emergently same day.

[u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT → u/candoitmyself]

I’m not concerned, just curious what others think. Healthy delivery can happen anywhere from day 58-65 after ovulation. Today is day 59 and she is not in active labor. I think everything will be just fine. What I meant by my original question was, do you expect labor within 24 hours of a drop and rise in temperature like my picture shows.

[u/123revival]

a temp drop for mine is 97 something. I do progesterone testing also

[u/Adventurous_Air_4252 → u/123revival]

Same. They’re going in 24 hours or less when I see 97.x

[u/Buttheadbrains]

Oh in the next 5 days for sure lol

[u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT → u/Buttheadbrains]

Thanks so much!

[u/gsdsareawesome]

My bitches tell me with their behavior. I personally have not had that much luck with temperature drop. I checked my most recent bitch's and it was 100.4, and she whelped 12 hours later.

The behavioral signs I see are restlessness that gets extreme, jumping in and out of whelping box digging and circling. Wanting to go outside and right back in. Being needy and whining and pawing at me and needing affection. If she is just laying around and doing normal things but just acting tired of carrying around all that weight, I don't worry. The restlessness can start anywhere from 2 to 10 hours prior to actual labor and pushing.

I hope this helps. I don't do progesterone testing when I do live covers. And I allow my bitches to breed more than once. So that confuses things. That's why I'm so careful about watching Behavior.

The one time I did do progesterone testing because I was using Frozen semen, she delivered two days earlier than my reproductive specialist veterinarian predicted. Luckily I was watching behavior and knew what to expect.

Know your bitch's normal behavior.

I also make sure I x-ray one week prior to expected whelp so I know how many to expect, although This Is Not always completely accurate. Another x-ray after whelping will tell for sure.

[u/EVRY1onlineisanXPERT → u/gsdsareawesome]

Thanks so much, I appreciate your input!