dogs 59 days pregnant

[keeelyyyy12]

I have a Lhasa Apso bitch and she is 59 days pregnant, how do I know when she is going to go into labour? The pregnancy wasn't planned and I have just recently found out that she is pregnant so I have counted back to when they tied as we thought it didn't work but anyway she hasn't yet went of her food but has been having slight discharge for the past 3 days and has had some morning sickness.... could someone please get back to me and help me out as I'm unsure of whether I'm being nervous about this or if she is going to have them soon, I have read everything up but nothing has told me exactly what I need to know.Thank you :)

If you've no experience of breeding then ideally you want to find someone who is experienced and also willing to act as a mentor for you through the whole process. Have you been in touch with her breeder? Or the breeder of the sire (presuming he's also yours)? The Book of the Bitch is generally considered to be the bible for breeders but nothing beats having someone knowledgeable there with you, or at the very least at the end of the phone for you if you need them.

Do you have a whelping box set up and all the appropriate kit you might need?

For future reference, there's an injection that can be given to bitches if they've been mated accidentally which will put a stop to pregnancy and can be given up to day 45.

How long ago did you find out she was definitely pregnant and have you increased her food intake since then? If she's not been fed appropriately during her pregnancy she may be more likely to get tired and need intervention and the pups may be more at risk from fading puppy syndrome.

As she's a small breed and presuming this is her first litter you need to keep a careful eye on her in case of eclampsia during the weeks after she's had the puppies. There's a good article with a list of symptoms here.

There are some good articles on the AKC site about nutrition during pregnancy, whelping and up until the puppies are weaned. Obviously it's a bit late for part one (though it's still worth a read), but parts two and three will both still be useful.

If she has had a discharge for three days I would get her checked out tonight, it could be a sign of stalled labour. Pregnancy in bitches can vary from 57 to 72 days. If you were my client phoning me saying she had had a discharge for three days I would be seeing her ASAP.

They're from a GR website, but these articles give a pretty good breakdown of what to expect during the various stages:

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

This article about potential issues is also worth reading.

Bear in mind though that however much you read it's no substitute for experience and if I were you I'd be ringing round you bitch's breeder, the stud's breeder, anyone with real experience who may be prepared to help you.

Also err on the side of caution when it comes to deciding to involve your vet. Do they run their own out of hours service? Bitches tend to whelp at night so if your own vet doesn't run their own OOH service you need to find somewhere you will be able to take her if necessary.

I'd be getting her checked too. Are there any whelping services in your area? Or a friend with experience? As you haven't any experience & the pregnancy is unplanned getting some help would be a good idea.