# Temp drop in °C before whelping



## tillywink

Anyone know if we've only got a °C thermometer what temp drop we should be looking out for?

We have been told if it's below 37.0 to expect the puppies to arrive within 24hrs, is this correct at all?


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## shazalhasa

Our Coco went down to 36.4c on first litter and 36.5c on this litter.

Both times the litters were born within 24 hours. This time her temp went down at 4am and she started to whelp at 7pm but it was her 2nd litter. Think it was a bit longer the first time but not sure exactly but it was definately within 24hrs.


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## tillywink

Thank you :001_smile:

We are hoping for tonight or tomorrow but knowing mum she'll keep us guessing for a few days yet :


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## foxyroxy1979

I'm getting confused with temp too. Honey has been 37.1-37.7 (98.78-99.86) for last few days. From today I am taking the temp twice a day and this morning she was 36.5 (97.7) but so far I've been doing it in the afternoons so I'm wondering if its just the diff time of day that has given a low reading or if this is the drop to look our for?!
The last bitch I had had lower temps like this for the last couple of weeks of pregnancy with no drop at all!!


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## tillywink

We try to do it same times every day to notice a change

9am and 7pm we mark it off on a graph so we don't forget


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## shazalhasa

We did the temp testing every few hours the day before because it had been down to 37.1 and 37.3 and she was starting to dig around in her pen.


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## foxyroxy1979

Just taken temp again this afternoon and its 96.08 (was 97.7 this morning) can this possibly be right? She only ate half her food this morning and hasn't touched anything since. Any ideas/suggestions?


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## Blondie

The fact she has gone off her food could be a sign 

Our Cleo followed the temp drop thing exactly textbook, but Cara didnt, lol! hers went up and down like a blooming yo-yo, so when she eventually went off her food one morning and passed her plug, and then started panting heavily, we knew then, and only then, it was definetly starting, lol!


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## Tanya1989

Its not the actual numbers that will tell you she is about to start labour. Its the pattern of the numbers. Some bitches are naturally cooler or warmer than others. Some will have temps hovering at 37°C most of the time whereas others may be at the 38°C naturally. Ideally, you look for a temp drop of 0.5-0.8°C or more, then check every hour after to see if it decreases more. This is when you count the 24hrs from


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## foxyroxy1979

Heavy panting has been going on since 7:30pm, she's in her whelping box but constantly getting up, having a bit of a dig around then down again. She had a little to eat a couple of hours ago. She is definatly displaying signs something may be happening soon, if not tonight poss tomorrow night!! We'll see!!


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## tillywink

We have a drop from 37.6 (which it has been for the last 2 days) to 37.1

No panting or digging though :


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## candysmum

tillywink said:


> We have a drop from 37.6 (which it has been for the last 2 days) to 37.1
> 
> No panting or digging though :


thats 0.5 so if memory serves me right thats right on the edge of the "big drop"

so you may have 24 hours just watch her.


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## tillywink

We haven't left her side for even 5 minutes since Saturday she's had stringy clear fluid leaking from her since Saturday


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## candysmum

tillywink said:


> We haven't left her side for even 5 minutes since Saturday she's had stringy clear fluid leaking from her since Saturday


is it fluid or mucas? If its mucas then her plug is coming away.

She will start to pant and dig and be very unsettled when it starts.


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## tillywink

It's a clear stringy fluid which is a little sticky to touch 
(a bit like the clear bogey's you have in your nose) sorry!


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## shazalhasa

tillywink said:


> It's a clear stringy fluid which is a little sticky to touch
> (a bit like the clear bogey's you have in your nose) sorry!


We had that with Coco for a few days before she had hers, the day before though she had a blob of what I would describe as snotlike stuff stuck to her hair just by her flower. It wasn't stringy, just a blob about the size of a 5p coin.


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## candysmum

tillywink said:


> It's a clear stringy fluid which is a little sticky to touch
> (a bit like the clear bogey's you have in your nose) sorry!


thats her plug shes losing your getting closer. some dogs lose it early some right at the end. From my experience candy wa slosing it i believe up to 2 weeks before she had puppies. but it was 2 years ago so i might be mistaken on when she started to lose it but i knew when she was in labour or close she didnt' want to walk and got to the end of the road and was panting so we didn't go far after that.

Its hard to explain but i had a feeling when she was going into labour even though i was on here asking over every little niggle.


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## tillywink

We now have milk flowing :blink:


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## candysmum

tillywink said:


> We now have milk flowing :blink:


this can happen a few days before as well but its all good signs.

Have you got the Book of the Bitch?


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## candysmum

how we doing?


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## tillywink

We have the book of the bitch and wishes I was on commission for the amount of times I have recommended it!

She's now sleeping.


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## candysmum

tillywink said:


> We have the book of the bitch and wishes I was on commission for the amount of times I have recommended it!
> 
> She's now sleeping.


brill book i had it by my side pretty much for the last week and throughout labour.


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## tillywink

We've had another drop to 97.6 and have been awake since 3am with panting, but mum has now gone to sleep again :


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## tillywink

We now have a 'puffed up' back end :blink:


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## shazalhasa

Hope everything is going ok as I've only just seen the update and that was some time ago now


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## tillywink

Still waiting for something exciting to happen

She is dripping milk, and now has lots of clear fluid from her swollen behind. 
Still no contractions or panting. 
Today is day 62


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## candysmum

tillywink said:


> Still waiting for something exciting to happen
> 
> She is dripping milk, and now has lots of clear fluid from her swollen behind.
> Still no contractions or panting.
> Today is day 62


does she have a dip by the base of her tail??

How exciting not long now by the sounds of it. x


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## tillywink

Thanks for everyone's help the puppies all arrived safe and sound late last night.

No help from the vets was required 
I will however say again how good the book of the bitch is as one wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for us reading this book


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## Marley boy

yay congratulations cant wait to see pictures


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## amberspy

congrats 
cant wait to see pics


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## candysmum

Well done.

I think if the members of this forum had shares in book of the bitch we would all be rich the amount of times we suggest it!!

Can't wait to see pictures of the babies xx 

Well done to mum and you x


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## colliemerles

_congratulations.xxx_


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