My pregnant dog has milk and lost belly hair. Is she in labor soon?

Pregnancy lasts on average 63 days or 9 weeks. So she should be around 6 weeks depending on when she played, she should be showing by now. The hormones can cause their hair to thin especially as the belly grows.

A pregnant dog's temperature will often dip down up to 48 hours before going into labor. It usually drops to 98-99, then will go back up to normal (100-102). I would watch Tobie for any other signs of labor. If she hasn't had any puppies in 48 hours, it may be best to have her examined by the vet.

Her rectal temperature will be below 100.0 when she is within 24 hrs of her due date. So she has a ways to go still. Her digging seems like early preparation at this point. It is good that you have a whelping box already. : ) There is no way of knowing how long she has until her rectal temperature is below 100.0, so its best to check this daily. I hope that Coco has a smooth delivery for her pups. Here is more information on delivery of puppies and what to watch out for to indicate she may need a vet visit. --> https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951546 Best of luck moving forward with Coco. Take care! : )

Do you mean 53 days pregnant? Dogs are pregnant for 63 days /- a few. If you are seeing milk from mammary glands, then she is very close to labor. I would monitor her, give her a comfortable, warm, quiet place to be able to go to. Once she begins labor, they usually can do it all on their own. The problem to watch for is if she is actively pushing for 20-30 min without any progress. If that occurs, get her to the ER Right away. It is normal to have times of rest, and blocks in between puppies but in those natural times there is no active pushing. Good luck.

It's not difficult to take your dog's temperature rectally, but it is a task best performed by two people. Have someone hold the dog still, preferably someone the dog knows and likes. If no help is available, make your dog lie down on her side and hold her as best you can, while talking to her soothingly. After shaking down the thermometer (or use a digital thermometer) and lubricating it well with petroleum jelly or K-Y, lift his tail and gently push the thermometer in. Insert the thermometer from one to three inches, depending on the size of your dog and hold it in place for at least two minutes (or until it beeps, for a digital). After you remove the thermometer, wipe it clean and read the temperature by the height of the silver column of mercury on the thermometer scale. A temperature of 100.5° to 102°F degrees is normal.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Based off of this information, it is possible that Willow is close to whelping. Some bitches stop eating during the last twenty-four hours before labor, and may act differently. The rectal temperature will drop below 100F (37.8C), usually an hour or two before whelping. I would keep a close eye on her tonight to see if she progresses to the second stage of labor. Second stage labor is the stage of delivery. She will start to strain. If straining continues for two hours without any signs of a watery discharge ("water breaking") or puppies, you should contact your veterinarian. Most dogs experience no complications with delivery. First time mothers should be attended by their owners until at least one or two puppies have been born. I hope this is helpful!

Dogs will gestate anywhere between 58 and 68 days. Typically, the progesterone level will drop to around 2ng/ml about 48 hours prior to labor and then again to 1ng/ml about 24 hours before labor. You should also monitor her temperature. Labor typically follows within 24 hours of a drop below 100 F. If your vet is not concerned, be patient. Bella is almost there!