she lost her mucus plug

Question
QUESTION: Hi Renee,My maltese who i thought had an outside tie,lost her mucus plug this morning at 4:30am estern time,My husband and I thought maybe she wasn't pregnant cause she didn't seem to look any bigger,yesterday we noticed her belly looked different,almost partitions when she sat,she has be cleaning herself constantly for 4 days,started nesting in her favourite chair,she doesn't go much in her whelping box,but digging every where,yesterday I also noticed her vulva larger,her beast look somewhat the same,she will not let me take temperature,even though we thought she may not be prego we bought what ever we needed just incase,I been using this site http://www.homestead.com/malteseluv/WhelpingInfo.html#anchor_145 I have everything ready,she had her outside tie Sept 20th,and yesterday made 63 days,but now we are thinking our maltese may have mated when we weren't looking and made an actual tie,she had a blood tinge mucus,no smell,and she woke me up for it,she has been licking none stop,but is finally resting,does this mean I still have to wait 24 to 48 hrs before we see a pup,?I went to sleep at 2 am,only to be awaken at 4:30 am by her when I noticed her blood tinge mucus in her whelping box,should I rest when she rest,lol?

ANSWER: Hi Mary! lol I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh. But I love questions like yours. They remind me of my first few whelpings, when I was running around, and convinced myself that mom was going to die, the puppies were as well, and I knew I was going to have a heart attack waiting for it all to happen. An old breeder friend of mine told me the best cure for whelping nerves.....drink a beer. lol

Sorry for the going on and on....it sounds to me like you guys are really ready. Grab a book, and settle down to read. It helps to pass the time. And yes, it sounds to me like your girl should be going into labor very shortly. A dog will usually go into labor between 24-48 hours after they loose their mucus plug. That doesn't mean that a puppy will be born 24-48 hours after she looses it, just that labor should start within that time frame. It may take even longer before she actually starts to whelp. You said she was digging like crazy, that may be the first part of labor for her. So, just be close by, and keep a good eye on her. Call your vet, and let him know when she does start labor, just in case she needs help, he'll be prepared. Make sure you get an emergency number as most girls decide to wait until the vet closes, or a holiday. :-)Good luck, happy holiday, and if you need anymore help, feel free to holler!! Oh!! And definately, rest when she does. You won't have a good nights sleep when those puppies come!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I will let you know when she has her little darlings,Thank God my vet works Saturdays,I just hope she has her pups at least by tomorrow
Mamma here is so excited and sad for her at the same time,i hope you checked out the link to the website i have gone to for most of my preparing for this special day,
Renee Thank you so much,you have been a great help,
P.S wish I was a drinker,cause I am sure a beer would calm me nerves,hops is great,lol

ANSWER: As a matter of fact, I'm checking your web page out that your sent right now! I appreciate it. I love good sites that give great info. They're a great help, and I love to learn myself! Hey, if I can help in any way, just let me know. And yes, please let me know when she has them! I love it when people write back and let me know that all went well. Happy holidays! :-)
P.S. I'm not a drinker myself. That's why I suggested the book. lol That's what I do. Read a really good book, and then bam! She'll start her labor. It works everytime! lol

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Renee
Just to let you know,My Maltese is going through a false pregnancy,this morning at 4:30 am (48 hrs)when she didn't start panting,I got a little concerned,so i took her into the Vet,she had an exray done,no puppies,but if you see her you would think she is so ready,I can say I am very  disappointed ,but guess her next season hopefully won't be 10 months like her last one,and I will try again,I just hope her next fee weeks are not so hard on my Lola
Thank you again so Much
Mary

Answer
Hi Mary. I am truly sorry about that. Sometimes, when you get your heart set on a good breeding, it just doesn't work out. It can be heart breaking. We'll cross our fingers for next time though! Again, I am so sorry, and if I can be of anymore help in the future for you, please just let me know! Oh! And thank you for your really nice comments in my feedback. :-)
P.S. Some girls can take a false pregnancy really hard. Be patient with her, and things should calm down. If they continue, or it gets worse, you may have to take her to the vet. There are things that he can give her to stop the symptoms.