# Maltese is 59 days prrgnant! Need help with temp!



## maltesemomxoxo (Oct 28, 2010)

*Hello, my Maltese is getting close. Yesterday her temp was around 98.7 all day. Today it was 98.7, 99.6, 98.6, and now it's 98.2. Any idea? With her first litter she went into labor on day 59 which is today. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! *


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

maltesemomxoxo said:


> *Hello, my Maltese is getting close. Yesterday her temp was around 98.7 all day. Today it was 98.7, 99.6, 98.6, and now it's 98.2. Any idea? With her first litter she went into labor on day 59 which is today. Any help would be greatly appreciated!! *


From what I can make out normal is about 100/102.5 and it will drop to 99 degrees of lower and approx 24 hrs after she should enter the first stage, is there any restlessness panting or straining? If your sure her temperature has now been lower for over 24hrs and nothings happening I would perhaps ask you vet.

This link should help with what to look for as regards to possible problems
The 6 most common problems during and post whelping (canine pregnancy)

There is also these signs of possible problems
Signs of potential trouble include:
• Indications of extreme pain
• Strong contractions lasting for more than 45 minutes without delivery of a pup
• More than two hours elapsing between puppies with or without contractions
• Trembling, shivering, or collapse
• Passing a dark green or bloody fluid before the birth of the first puppy (after the first puppy, this is normal)
• No signs of labor by the 64th day after her last mating

This is a handy link too
Item 9 downwards.
http://www.akc.org/breeders/resources/guide_to_breeding_your_dog/pdf/guide_to_breeding_your_dog.pdf
I dont breed but hopefully there should be a lot of help on those links, but if you are worried or in doubt give the vet a ring.


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## maltesemomxoxo (Oct 28, 2010)

*Thank you! She pants every now and then, other than that she just sleeps! Since last night she's been very uncomfortable and moving from place to place. And she has slowed down on eating. *


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## maltesemomxoxo (Oct 28, 2010)

*I took her temp at 11pm and its 98.8. Grr...taking the temp is just confusing!! But..she keeps sitting up. When I feel her tummy it's hard...and she has definitely been panting more than usual today and currently. I wonder if it's possible she's in stage 1? *


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## MaisyMoomin (Mar 14, 2012)

What's her previous temperature been, is it a significant drop compared to her normal readings?
We found our bit he's temp varied depending on time of day, day before welp am it had dropped to 98.4 which was a considerable drop compared to her normal temp.

Good luck


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

maltesemomxoxo said:


> *I took her temp at 11pm and its 98.8. Grr...taking the temp is just confusing!! But..she keeps sitting up. When I feel her tummy it's hard...and she has definitely been panting more than usual today and currently. I wonder if it's possible she's in stage 1? *


To be honest if she has had a deffinate temperature drop and nothing is happening after 24/36 hours and she is showing some signs but the labour is not progressing then I would consider just running it past your vet.

A friend on mine on one of her litters Much larger breed, had a temperature drop and literally just sat there doing nothing at all, it turned out she had uterine inertia and ended up having a cesar, if she hadnt then it would have likely meant loss of mum an pups. A puppy can get stuck, contractions may not start there are sometimes reasons why labour doesnt progress and especially with a small breed and if it seems not to be progressing like her first labour did, then personally I would rather err on the side of caution then just wait and see.


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## comfortcreature (Oct 11, 2008)

maltesemomxoxo said:


> *I took her temp at 11pm and its 98.8. Grr...taking the temp is just confusing!! But..she keeps sitting up. When I feel her tummy it's hard...and she has definitely been panting more than usual today and currently. I wonder if it's possible she's in stage 1? *


I think it is important to note that the temp will go up an down in a bitch from 99 to 101 for weeks prior to giving birth. 98.8 is not far off of 99 and is a fairly normal temperature.

It is when it drops below 98 degrees that you need to sit up and pay attention. Usually, if you are taking temps twice a day, you will see a rise to above 101 the half day prior to the drop to 98.

I just checked my records to see if I kept the temp chart from a foster litter I whelped about 8 years ago - and I have it!!!

This girl ran cool in the mornings. We already knew that from taking temps a week or two earlier.

5 days prior to whelping - 99.4 in the a.m. and 100.1 in the p.m.
4 days prior to whelping - 98.6 in the a.m. and 100.2 in the p.m.
3 days prior to whelping - 98.6 in the a.m. and 99.8 in the p.m. 
2 days prior to whelping - 99.0 in the a.m. and 100.6 in the p.m. 
day before whelping - 100.4 in the a.m. and 97.8 in the p.m.
- the night was spent watching her pace and scratch and she started contractions around 11 a.m. the next day.

Notice how she was cool in the mornings until the day before she whelped - and then there was an elevated temperature there followed by a sharp drop.

This was the same pattern followed with the other foster girl I whelped pups from as well.

If you know the date of the first tie, dogs most commonly whelp 60 days following that tie. Three days before or after day 60 happen often enough as well. I understand first litters are commonly a day or two earlier than day 60.

Sled Dog Hotel I experienced complete uterine inertia (no labor at all) with my oldest son. We nearly lost me and him from that experience and the decision (unwise) to let it wait a bit. I know that I would always be too fearful to not be watching temps myself. Inertia, when a body just doesn't go into labor, is a serious concern. I don't see a temp drop to 98.8 being low enough though especially as I believe the female here is on day 60 just today . . . and its not uncommon for dogs to go to day 63.

CC


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

comfortcreature said:


> I think it is important to note that the temp will go up an down in a bitch from 99 to 101 for weeks prior to giving birth. 98.8 is not far off of 99 and is a fairly normal temperature.
> 
> It is when it drops below 98 degrees that you need to sit up and pay attention. Usually, if you are taking temps twice a day, you will see a rise to above 101 the half day prior to the drop to 98.
> 
> ...


To be honest from last night when the OP posted until your really informative post nobody seemed to be around, I dont breed, but I do know that if nothing happends 24 hrs after a temp drop it can be trouble and knowing the problem my friend had I just gave the links I knew were quite good for advice last night and really advised caution if nothing seemed to be happening. I thought it better to be over cautious. Not having breeding knowledge first hand its hard. Hopefully your post should re-assure and help the OP a lot more then I could.


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## comfortcreature (Oct 11, 2008)

I'm with you on the side of overcaution, don't get me wrong.  I just thought I'd put the word in that 98.8 is a fairly normal temperature in some dogs still. This is when it is important to have a bit of history of what a dog's 'normal' is.

Looking back up the thread, however, the 98.2 would be something that would trigger my angst as well. As that was just this morning (I'm having trouble figuring out times with the U.K. being different - we are still late morning here) then I would suggest to start looking for prelabor signs now - and as I read it there are some - the restlessness and panting specifically. If I were the breeder here I believe I'd be counting on those as being indications of stage one labor. Good luck Maltesemom.

CC


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## maltesemomxoxo (Oct 28, 2010)

*Thank you for everyone's help!! I do believe she is in the first stage of labor as she is panting often on and off. She's very uncomfortable and keeps moving around. Today is day 60 and it seems as if the time is coming near. I will keep everyone posted and will be checking her temp here very shortly. Thanks! *


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## maltesemomxoxo (Oct 28, 2010)

*I have no clue what's going on anymore!! Last night she was panting for the majority of the night and kept moving around trying to get comfortable! She also went off her food and that's super strange for her! She also had soft poo in the evening. Today is day 61 and she has been sleeping for most of the day. When she's up, she's been panting, and she has barely eaten. She only had about 5 pieces of her dog food. I am so lost because all signs have pointed to first stage of labor. But once she's sleeping, I don't see no progress.  *


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

maltesemomxoxo said:


> *I have no clue what's going on anymore!! Last night she was panting for the majority of the night and kept moving around trying to get comfortable! She also went off her food and that's super strange for her! She also had soft poo in the evening. Today is day 61 and she has been sleeping for most of the day. When she's up, she's been panting, and she has barely eaten. She only had about 5 pieces of her dog food. I am so lost because all signs have pointed to first stage of labor. But once she's sleeping, I don't see no progress.  *


Would you say this could apply?

Stage I labor has gone on for 24 hours without producing a pup ◦Stage I normally lasts 6 to 12 hours where the dog will exhibit nesting behavior and her temperature will drop.


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## Sled dog hotel (Aug 11, 2010)

Shortly before whelping, the bitchs body temperature will drop to 99 degrees or lower (from a normal temperature of 100 to 102.5). Approximately 24 hours after her temperature drops, she can be expected to enter the first stage of labor when the cervix dilates and opens the birth canal for the passage of puppies. At this time, she will pant, strain, and appear restless. This stage of labor is followed by actual abdominal straining and production of the puppies and placentas.

Above is one version of what should happen from one of the links I gave you yesterday and in an earlier post.

This is other information from the other link I gave
Dystocia



Dystocia may be the cause if the mother to be is not progressing through labour as expected.

Causes



Maternal Causes
Sometimes difficult birth is the result of problems with the shape and size of the pelvic canal. If the pelvis is narrow, either due to breed conformation or because of a previous fractured pelvis, delivering puppies may be difficult. &#9702;Breeds predisposed to Dystocia include Dachshunds, French bulldogs and boxers.

Uterine inertia can also cause dystocia. Uterine inertia occurs when the uterus is no longer able to contract and push the puppies through the vaginal canal. It can occur at any stage of labor and may be associated with uterine exhaustion.

Puppy Causes
Size of the puppies. The size of the pups can cause dystocia. If the puppy is too large, it will not fit in the birth canal.
Position. Puppies are normally born either head first or rear legs first. Puppies may be in a position that won't allow easy passage.
 Birth defects. Defects that result in enlargement of certain body parts can make birth difficult. Death of the babies can result in abnormal positioning and can affect uterine contractions.
Single puppy litters


This is signs to look for thats why I just asked on other post if this sign could apply

Signs


Your dog has been pregnant for over 70 days.
Stage I labor has gone on for 24 hours without producing a pup &#9702;Stage I normally lasts 6 to 12 hours where the dog will exhibit nesting behavior and her temperature will drop. 

Steady strong contractions have continued for over 1 hour without producing a pup.
Prolonged resting phase continues over 4 hours when there are more pups to be delivered.
There is a foul smelling vaginal discharge.
 Mother-to-be has excessive vomiting or is extremely lethargic.

Treatment



First your veterinarian will do a physical examination, including a vaginal exam, to determine whether the pups can move through the birth canal. An x-ray to determine the size, shape and number of pups may also be necessary. If your veterinarian feels the pups can move through the birth canal, there are a variety of medications available to assist labor:
If the mother-to-be is nervous, your veterinarian can administer sedatives 
 If uterine inertia is suspected, medication can be administered to stimulate contractions of the uterus.
After prolonged labor, the mother may have low blood sugar or low blood calcium. In this case, your veterinarian will give calcium and dextrose injections which can help strengthen uterine contractions
If easy passage is not possible, or if medical treatment is not effective, your veterinarian will deliver the pups by Cesarean section. 

Prevention



There is little that can be done to prevent dystocia, having good knowledge of what to expect from the birthing process and detecting problems early resulting in prompt veterinary assistance will give the mother the best chance of delivering live, healthy puppies.

If you think any of this applys and it a possibility that whelping isnt proceeding then I would be onto the vet sharpish. Especially if this is her 2nd litter and its following nothing along the lines of the first.


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## maltesemomxoxo (Oct 28, 2010)

*Thank you for all your great info! I do appreciate it. Currently my female is on day 61 so I know I still have time. She has been panting off and on throughout the day but is very alert and seems to not be stressed. She'll nibble on a few pieces of dog food here and there. She'll also just sleep and move around to be more comfortable. I'm sure the time is near with her symptoms she's been having. I've been keeping a very close eye on her. *


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## maltesemomxoxo (Oct 28, 2010)

*So her temp this morning is 98.8. But...I think I missed her temp drop because when I take her temp I can it believe how slow it moves up! And she has been digging and had some more soft poo. Hmm..I guess we will wait and see. *


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