She will not let me take temp!
Due to whelp in 5 days.
I do not want to get her too upset.

What to do?

This is a training issue... But I digress...

Have someone hold her head, while you put a hand under her flank to keep her from sitting, and take her temperature. She may not like it, but you have to win this battle.

Best wishes for your litter!

Are you using a digital thermometer? If not, get one; they are very fast at getting up to temp.

If she doesn't want to lay down for you, let her stand; you may have to kind of pin her against a wall/corner or whatever to keep her still. Make sure the thermometer is lubed with KY jelly and insert it; keep the other hand on her flank/belly to keep her standing; talk to her and love her up until you hear it beep. Give her a treat and tell her she's a good girl.

Like kids, they may not want to do things we need them to, but if it's for their own good they have to.

Go to Walmart and get yourself an ear thermometer like we use for infants and children. I am a nurse anesthetist so I have a medical background. I have the Braun Thermoscan which was $40.00 but it is a long term investment. It is accurate and it is very fast like 3 seconds maximum. You just slide it into the ear canal as far as it goes (which is not very far) and push the button. I got mine for my husband who works from home so he is the one home with my girls when they have a litter and he did not want to take their temperatures rectally! LOL
Good luck with your litter!

Good advice up above, so I won't add to it.

But....What the heck are you talking about, "she won't let me" ! Get a grip sister and grow a set, YOU are supposed to be in charge !

Crawls back under rock, and shakes head.

Thanks all.

I needed that encouragement to "buck up".

Just hate to upset bitch when so close, esp on a Sunday. Not my favorie whelping day....

Reason I love this forum!

ina discussion on a repro list it was said and agreed that the human ear thermometers are not accurate in a canine ear. due to the fact that the dogs canal is much longer and true body temperature would be deeper in the canal than what the human thermometer could reach.

so when you need to be accurate, I would not suggest this option.
also got to agree, make her lay down and use lube. if you dont hurt her in the process she will get use to it.

I agree about training, but I also acknowledge that she could be stressed and doesn't feel comfortable with anyone messing around there so close to whelp...The issue to me is that it is necessary for her to get used to it. I would do as suggested with a rectal thermometer, very lubed up, hand under the flank so she knows she can't sit. And have someone feed her something yummy while it is being done. You will need to take her temp frequently and you want her to have positive associations with it, not a battle. Best with the whelping.

I'm sorry this doesn't help you, but I'm glad I will never have to take rectal temps again! I am using the temp-chip microchip that displays internal temperature on the microchip reader. They are only about 50 cents more than the regular ones and sure save a LOT of time and hassle!

My rectal thermometer has a bendable, flexible "easy" end and tip. It too is very quick. I sometimes have to be firm too, don't worry, it won't hurt her and in the end, you need to know. Good luck with it, and also good luck with your litter, I wish your girl an easy time of it, and I wish you a daytime litter! Yes, a tall order, but while I'm wishing............*S*

Stay there and continue shaking your head if you can't assist the original poster with better advice then to *grow a set*. You weren't going to add to the good advice above so I sugggest you leave it be as you planned.

I never had this problem but some girls change during pregnancy. She might listen to her owner all the time but now, when she might be very uncomfortable.

I'm sure Tami has it right. She apprently has used the digital ear testing and can see the drops in temperature, either way.

Let me add something to that, sit on the floor, put your arm around her flank holding up her tummy then put your knee up underneath so even if she sits, it will be on your leg. Either the person holding her head can keep track of time or put your watch on your left wrist so you can see it.

I stopped taking temps pre whelping years ago. As long as I had done progesterone testing so I had an accurate due date, I found that the temp drop meant nothing. The pups would come,from 24 hours before to 24 hours after due date, without fail. I do monitor temp after whelping though. I found that when I did take temps, some would drop, go up again, drop again, go up again, and some would not. The information was just not helpful.