My girl was AI'd July 7 (sorry, I do not remember progesterone numbers at the time:(. I figured she was due September 7 or 8 at the latest.

She is still eating and running around, no labor signs. Temp has been 101.1 until last night, then 100.1, this am 99.8, 12 noon - 99.4, 4pm we are back at 100.1. I will call vet tomorrow and Ultrasound, etc., if needed.

Any ideas of what is happening? I usually do surgical insemination, so wondering if it's taking longer because this was vaginal AI?

She has had one previous litter - surgical AI and delivered at day 61. She did not go off her food last time either, so that's not an indicator for her. Last time she did drop temp to 98.4 about 6 hours prior to delivery.

Did you xray? If so, how many puppies?

I always ultrasound 1st litters but not subsequent ones, so no x-ray or ultrasound. We think we hear at least 4 different heart beats and can palpate 2 pups, but it could be wishful hearing/feeling.

I would take her into the vet for a check - xray to see how many are really in there and perhaps check her progesterone to see if she's just not going into labor with just one/two puppies, which happens.

Take her for a ride in the car. Seriously, I had a girl go to day 65 (I know when she was due, we did progesterone, and only one AI), I headed to the ER on a Sunday to check heart beats, 40 minute drive, pulled in the parking lot, went in to register at the front desk, came out and she was starting contractions. Delivered first pup there and 2 more on the drive home (had a friend with me riding in the back of the SUV with my girl so she'd tell me when another contraction was coming and I'd pull over and park). Delivered 11 puppies in 4-1/2 hours.

Temp drops and then rises before labor. I would still go to the vet for an x-ray and exam but I bet she whelps the 1st pup within 24 to 36 hours. A progesterone level might be in order too.

Can you express colostrum from your girls nipples?

Some girls have colostrum and milk for over a week before they whelp their litters. Every girl is different.

If she can express colostrum or milk mixed with it, what do you feel it means?

I would go for an xray. Honestly, I find the ultrasounds useless. I typically KNOW my bitch pregnant when she is. I find an xray alot more useful in the whelping process than the ultrasound.

Sure, if you want to do both, that's fine, but to me, the xray is the important one.

Often times bitches temps will go down, then go up again briefly, before the final plunge below 99 degrees.
It would help to have progesterone results so you can try to pinpoint the day of ovulation. Puppies should be born 63 days after that, give or take one day either way.
Small litters are often late or have nonexistent contractions due to lack of hormonal feedback. An ultrasound is preferable to an xray at this point to determine fetal heartbeats.
I would be getting pretty nervous at this point if it's past 64 days, so try to find your progesterone levels taken in July.

Temp 98.4 this am and she hid her food under newpaper in the whelping area. She's no longer happy and smiley, wouldn't go out to potty without me. I think labor will start soon. Vet's office is not open yet, I'll touch base with her vet and see what that progesterone was when we did AI and give them a heads up in case labor doesn't start soon. I do remember we did the AI on a Saturday, vet had said Sunday would have been better but no Fed Ex shipment then. My guess is she ovulated late and hence we are late. She's obviously pregnant - I'm guessing 6 or 7 pups, we'll keep you posted.

Thanks for the replies - the one about going to 65 days is encouraging.

Are you counting days from day of LH surge, ovulation or day of AI??

Here's a good article you might find helpful:
http://akitasites.net/IVIS.pdf

Sounds like her bitch is ready to whelp by hiding food and her temp dropping to 98.4 early today. She's probably whelping the litter as we speak.

I suspect that there was no or minimal progesterone testing done. I can see forgetting it from a prior cycle and looking through paperwork but not from a current cycle. Just my opinion for what it's worth.

There was progesterone done, I find my e-mail to the stud owner 6 days prior to breeding stating "progesterone is still 1.3" I phoned the stud owner with subsequent progesterones and foolishly did not keep a record.

Anyway, the outcome of all this is the worst whelping scenario in our 9 short years of occasional breeding.

I phoned the vet Monday am asking to have an x-ray and exam with section if needed- "we are too busy today, come in 1st thing on Tuesday." Yes, this is a repro vet office and dumb me, I made an early Tues appointment while asking if I can get some pitosin for just in case.

So labor started 4pm Monday night, pushing started at 6:30, still no pup at 9pm, so I call the vet. He told me to give Tums (I had been giving icecream) and to give pitosin, I did not like the idea but followed his advice. We have always had easy deliveries so this was all new for us. He said,"I'm sure in an hour or two you'll have the first pup, give extra pit if it's not there then." Stupid me, I followed his instructions. Well, after 7 hours of pushing (I could feel the pup almost at the vaginal opening but it stayed there for almost 2 hours.) I finally called the vet and even though he always promised to come in and section, he told me to go to ER. Thankfully we have a new and good ER here. They took 20 minutes dislodging large dead pup and then they did a section for the small remaining litter.:(

I've learned several lessons - I am going to discuss my concern with my vet regarding that they would not take me in on Monday and if we can't resolve this for next time, we'll switch vets. (This vet is well liked and known as our area's only repro vet!) I am going to ultrasound early or Xray week before so I know if and how many pups. I won't ever put a girl through what my girl went through again. If my vet won't section, off to our new ER as they were great. I had chosen my vet thinking he'd be there if I ever needed him but he wasn't. Please realize that we've never had a whelping issue until now, probably because we only do a litter or 2 a year.

Call me stupid, I know, I just hope someone reading this will know enough to speak up and do something more than I did if in the same situation.



Any way, momma is happily nursing next to my kitchen right now:) We thank God we still have her.