Shih tzu 64 days pregnant

Question
Hi, I have a shih tzu who is 64 days pregnant today. She turned 4 years old yesterday. This is her first litter. I have been taking her temp all week and it goes up and down. It went up to 100.3 the highest it has been so far on day 61 then on day 62 went down to 98.4. It didn't stay down that long though. That is also the day she lost her mucus plug. Yesterday day 63 it went back up to 99.5. This morning it was down to 98.4 again but didn't stay there, it went back up to 99.3. She has had short spells of panting and digging but nothing constant. The puppies have dropped because I can feel her spine really well now. They are still moving and active and I can hear heartbeats. We are in a dark, quiet room right now to give her some rest. Is it possible that she is delaying her delivery? Also, is it possible judging by her behavior and temps that she may not go into full-blown labor on her own? Is this normal? Do all dogs have a drop in temp that stays down? Thanks in advance for all your help!

Answer
Hi! The temp drop doesn't stay down, that's why so many times it's missed. It sounds like mom is trying to gear up to whelp. If she doesn't do anything by tomorrow, I'd put a call in to the vet. I wouldn't let her go past day 65 without a check up at least. That's all you really can do at this point. And have patience. :-) Every girl is different, and so is their pre-labor symptoms. No one can really tell for sure if she will go into labor on her own or not. It's not a yes or no answer, because there are so many different things that can happen, good and bad. Put a call in to your vet in the morning, and see what he says. Good luck!If I can help with anything else, let me know!