AboutJoyce Crierie Expertise Raising dogs in and for all manners of obedience, protection and personal pleaure, I'm happy to assist in all dog related questions. Whelping, breeding, AI, training, behavior and holistic treatments.
Experience Breeder for 25 years raising Bullbreeds including Olde English Bulldogges, Mini Bulls and Molossers. Willows Haven Bulldogges
Organizations Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers, Dog Legislation Council of Canada, International Working Dog Breeding Assoc. Canadian Assoc of Professional Pet Dog Trainers, International Assoc. of Animal Behavior Consultants, Southern Alberta Just For Fun Agilty
Publications Dogs All, Creatures All, Dogs in Canada & Citzen Pet Author of The Olde English Bulldogge
Expert: Joyce Crierie Date: 7/4/2008 Subject: dog pregnancy
Question Here I am again, asking question about my dam, hope you can answetr these questions:
1. My dog is now on her 62th day of pregnancy, can I ask until when is the expected date of labor?
2.When I palpate the tummy of my bitch I can feel a round skull, is this a puppy? And when I measure the inches in her birth canal it feels like there is a stringy thing in her getting in position (like playing), but not expelling himself, what is this??
3. My dog exhibits a digging effecty, what does this mean? and when she sleeps her feet is vibrating, she's like shivering, what is this??
4. When is the time my bitch will gonna give birth, what are the signs and symptoms.
5. In her 2 months of pregnancy I never seen a bloody discharge in her vulva...her temperature still remains to a normal state although it goes up & down..I am alarmed why she isn't going in the process of labor, what is this? Is she does not want to expell the pup inside her?
Thank You for your little help Joyce, in a way this helped me in determining the stages and development of my pregnant bitch, hope you'll be there if I need assistance!
Answer I can only give you a ballpark day on when your female will whelp (otherwise I'd be wearing a turban and staring in a fishbowl at the circus). The best indicator is that your female has gone off her food. Meaning she doesn't eat a thing. That's a strong sign that something's up.
The uterus lays around the inside a dog much like a really big worm. When you're feeling around for pups, you could be feeling a head, back or your female's kidneys. It tough to make out unless you've done x-rays and can determine the placement of the pups.
How are you measuring the "inches in her birth canal"? The birth canal goes up and in, much like and elbow. If it's a case of sticking your finger inside your female, that is the "bottom slide of the elbow". If it is soft and pliable, her body will be reaching the whelp stage. The stringy thing, could be her mucus plug which comes out weeks or days prior to whelp. Sometimes it gushes but mostly it's a constant drip, typically when she urinates.
When you say she digging effecty....do you mean that she digging into things (carpet, dirt, pillows??). This is a sign of nesting. If you have her in a whelping box (which I hope you do), layer it will newspaper or old towels. This gives her a nest to deliver her pups into. The shivering is common, it's a reaction to the changes in her body.
Puppies are just like 2 legged babies, unless you schedule a section, they don't come with a watch. They'll come whenever they are ready and not a moment before. Each female is different, but typically, there is restlessness, panting, digging and loss of appetite.
"Bloody discharge" happens during heat, whelp and can continue for weeks after birth. Don't borrow trouble, but be thankful there was no blood.
The thing is you need to relax, make a strong cup of tea, read a good book and let Mother Nature do her thing. Pacing, poking and prodding your female makes her uncomfortable and you a wreck. Thousand of animal give birth successfully every day, there is no reason to believe your female won't either.
