Questionhow do u know when your pit is ready to go into labor? and are the puppies born in sacks? and what happens if she can not deliver them and the vet is too far away to rush her too, the father is part neo blue mastiff and black lab he is the runt like her so they are both smaller then their brothers and sisters. her dad is a 120lb red nose (large skull) and his dad is 240lb neo blue mastiff, as u can tell i only take the runts they are the best too me.
AnswerFor the last couple of weeks of the pregnancy, you take the female's temperature every day, a couple of times a day. When her temp drops below 99F, that usually means she is within 24hrs of delivering her litter.
You should have a contingency plan set up with your veterinarian before the dog goes into labor. The vet should have discussed this with you when you took her in for her first "prenatal" check up. If they didn't, ask them when you take her back in for emergency numbers, etc. The second visit to the vet should be around two or so weeks before she is due. They can do an ultrasound to check the position and number of pups while you are there, as well.
If your vet does not have an emergency number (which they most likely do), or they tell you that they will not be available to assist you, call another vet. Keep calling around until you find someone that will help you with the delivery or can at least offer to be on "stand-by". If something goes wrong, it could mean the death of pups or your dog, so it is better to err on the side of safety.
If you are worried that your dog will have complications, or you do not think you can deliver the pups yourself, you can also ask your vet about having the pups delivered at the office. You would have to taker her in ahead of time and leave her there, but it may prove to be beneficial- especially if you are worried about distance, etc. Just something for you to think about.
Yes, the puppies will be born in sacs. The mother should break the sac open with her teeth and clean the pups after she delivers them. If this is her first litter, she may not know what to do. If she does not break the sac open, you should do it. Make sure your hands are clean and use your fingers to gently break the sac open. Clear the mucus away from the pup's eyes, nose, and mouth. Use sterile scissors to cut the umbilical cord and then sterilize the stump with iodine to prevent infection.
