Babys due any time now.

Question
Our female BT (puddles) is going to have puppies just any time now I have noticed a major change in her behavior (being clingie to me and not wanting to go out side and every time she sits or lays down with me she rolls on her back and wants me to rub her belly)She has never done that before. She is very big and has milk coming out of the nipples when squeezed. Yesterday I noticed a small amount of a muciousy discharge from her vagina. Her temp is still at 100 degrees F. but when she lays on her side I can visiably see the puppies moving around vigorously. Do you have any idea of how long we have now.

Answer
Hi Tommy. In most cases the mothers mammary glands will fill with milk in approximately  24 hours before labor.  Upon examination, you should find that her external genitalia is enlarge and soft to the touch.  You might also be able to see a thick mucous discharge.

Your mother to be will become restless and may refuse to eat when food is offered. When the time to give birth arrives the mother will show signs of contractions and possibly begin to shiver, and in most cases when the mothers temp drops below 100, she will deliver within 24 hrs.  

When the time to give birth arrives the mother will show signs of contractions and possibly begin to shiver.   After each puppy is delivered it will be proceeded by a greenish, fluid-filled sac (placenta). Each puppy is attached to a placenta by an umbilical cord. In larger litters, you may not see one placenta passed immediately after every puppy. Some placentas may be retained and be expelled gradually days after all puppies are born. Most puppies are born head first, but as many as one-third may be born hindquarters first. Either position is considered normal.

In most cases, after each puppy is born, the afterbirth will soon follow. However sometimes - for whatever reason- not always.  It is not uncommon for two afterbirths to pass at the same time, what is important is that all the afterbirths eventually pass.
In some cases, unknown to us, the mother can and will pass the afterbirth outside, while using the restroom, making it had to be completely sure that each one has passed.

Diarrhea and Signs of De-hydration

Diarrhea is normal, for a couple of days, due to eating the placentas and afterbirth, and it is also normal for her to have a vaginal discharge that may appear bloody or a greenish-black color for a few days to 2 weeks, but this does not indicate a problem unless it persists beyond 4 weeks of whelp.

It is never a good thing for a animal (or a person for that matter) to have prolonged diarrhea, but it is even worse for a nursing mother.  We need to keep an eye on her to insure that she does not become dehydrated.  

One way you can check for dehydration is to do the following:  Using your thumb, pointer finger and middle finger pinch a good amount of skin/fur at the base of the head between the shoulder blades.  While you have a hold of the skin/fur pull up and away from the body, forming a tent, then release and observe how fast/slow the skin/fur returns to normal.  If it returns quickly, she is well hydrated, however if it is very slow, or remains tented she is dehydrated.  

If, after preforming the test, you feel she is dehydrate you can feed her water using a turkey baster or something similar.  I would feed her water every 30 minutes until the skin/fur snaps back quickly and make an appointment to see your vet.

Good luck, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have additional questions.

Sincerely,
Penny DiLoreto
www.puppies-dot-com.com