Expert: Renee Cox - 10/2/2007

Question
I have Three Boxers and my female, Dixie should be haveing puppies soon, because she was with the male the whole time she was in heat Im not curtain her due date it could be anywhere from today to Oct 15. I have been monitoring her temp. Today i notice she is producing milk for the first time i know this is a sign she is getting close but i dont know how close, will it be tomorrow or will it be 2 weeks from milk production? I have done plenty of research to make sure I am prepared but cant seem to find anything on when milk production starts!

Answer
Well, every girl is different. Some don't get milk until they whelp, some get it about a week or so before whelping. If she has milk now, I'd start to watch her very close. You may want to start to take her temp as well. If you do this, take it in the morning, and then in the evening. When the temp drops low, then labor should start within 24 hours. It's hard to nail down a due date when you're not sure when they bred. Also, watch for her to loose her mucus plug. (It's a thick gunky, clear glob that'll come from her vulva. They loose it 24-48 hours before whelping.) If I can be of anymore help, let me know!