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Dog Pregnancy: Using Temperature To Determine The Signs Of Whelping

Typically a dog’s period of gestation is between 57 days and 65 days following conception. Now this is where it gets tricky. It takes that long after conception and not breeding. It’s extremely important that you know this little fact. Dog breeding and conception does not always occur at the same time. After sexual intercourse the sperm has the ability to stay viable for up to five days following the action (coitus).

Though the dog may be pregnant she may not display external signs until later in the term. And sometimes it is possible not to know the dog is pregnant until a few days before giving birth. All of a sudden her abdominal muscles will seem to distend and sag, which causes that overweight and bloated look. The dog's vulva will also be significantly enlarged during her last week and within two days before whelping, it will become noticeably softer.

Some pregnant dogs will also produce an enormous amount of colostrum and milk by this time. This causes her nipples to be easily expressed. However, just because your dog is expressing milk from it's nipples it does not necessarily mean that she is going to whelp soon.  It could simply be the result of abdominal pressure from the pregnancy.

Using Temperature As A Reading Of Impending Whelping

A method more commonly used and that has been used for many years is simply taking the matron’s temperature. This method has been going on for many years to determine if the dog will soon whelp. However it is somewhat controversial due to many veterinarians who are adamant that temperature readings may not be accurate.

This is because during the last week of her term she is prone to drastic changes in body temperature.  A dog will normally display a temperature anywhere form 100 degrees to 102 degrees. And in the instance the dog owner takes her temperature the temperature dropping 2-3 degrees is what gives the owner the sign she will be whelping soon.

If you insist on using temperature as a way to notify you of impending whelping then be sure to keep accurate records of your dogs temperature as her due date approaches. By keeping meticulous records of the history of your dog's temperature, you can better determine of whether the sudden drop in temperature is a real sign that she is going to give birth or if it is a false alarm. And as always, if there is a sudden increase or decrease of temperature that is out of the normal range, call your veterinarian immediately for further investigation