? overdue pregnant dog

Question
I have a 3-year-old pregnant lab. I am not sure exactly when her tie was, but I think it was the last week of Oct or first week of nov (at the latest). I took her to the vet 2 1/2 weeks ago for an ultrasound and the vet thought she would whelp in 1-2 weeks. She had has milk for 3 weeks, she's been losing her mucus plug for over 1 week, and her puppies "dropped" 8-9 days ago and are moving like crazy. She is showing no signs of impending labor-no nesting, no loss of appetite, no temp drop, and she is acting normal. Her normal temp has been 99.5-100.9 for over 1 week now. How will I know if she is overdue? I really thought she would have whelped by now. I called my vet and they do not seem concerned. Thanks!

Answer
Hi Angie. If she was bred say the first week of November, then she wouldn't be due intil next week. Are you absolutely sure she's lost her mucus plug? Sometimes, a dog may get a slight creamy discharge that is not the plug. The plug is super stringie, like a big glob. She's had her milk in for three weeks? Wow. You might want to consider having an x-ray done. And maybe consulting a different vet. If nothing happens by the middle of next week, I would definitely be taking her to a different vet. It's not safe for her to go too long overdue. However, without an exact due date, it's really hard to tell for sure when that would be. Keep an eye out for a colored discharge, or for her to get really listless. Also watch out for the puppies not moving much at all. Keep taking her temp like you're doing. Make sure you take it once in the morning, and then in the evening. Sometimes, the temp will change at different times of the day. If you only take it at night, you may miss a drop in the morning. The best advice I can give you is to talk to a different vet. Maybe have an x-ray done, keep taking her temp, and keep an eye out for anything unusual. I'd be kind of worried if she's still pregnant by the end of next week. You may have to get firm with the vet, make them understand your concern. On the other hand, you don't want to force a c-section either. If the pups are too early, they may not make it. I'm sorry I couldn't be of anymore help.