panting at 53 days pregnant

Question
our small mini schauzer is 53 days pregnant . She just started panting a lot.
Other than that she seems slightly uncomfortable due to her sizebut not in
any pain. I just got a clean bill of health from the vet a week ago? Is this
normal I'd should I start monitoring for an early birth?  Thanks!

Answer
Hi Melissa:

If you're not already doing so begin taking her temperature about three times a day. Normal temp is between 101-102.5 but some dogs will normally average lower so establish a baseline for her so you'll be able to detect any obvious variances. Usually a pregnant female will experience a slight drop in their normal temp, often 98 degrees or lower, approximately 24 hours before labor beginning. She may just simply be panting from carrying her load but I'd definitely keep a very close eye on her & be prepared in case she does whelp earlier than expected. It's often difficult to know exactly when actual conception occurred so it's entirely possible her anticipated due date is really earlier than thought. Watch for some obvious signs of impending labor, other than panting, such as aggressive nesting behavior, shivering, vomiting, refusal of food, etc. I just had one of my females whelp last week & she didn't have a drop in temperature nor did she show ANY signs of labor beginning, until I received a frantic phone call from my husband that she'd just had a "puppy" on the couch! It ended up just being her water breaking & Lord knows that man is totally ignorant but well-intentioned! And I was able to rush home quickly enough as within 5 minutes of my arrival puppy #1 was born. So while some dogs follow all the signs to look for in pregnancy & impending labor others apparently didn't read the manual & refuse to abide by the rules! It's always best to be prepared & be as watchful as you can. The following links may provide you with some additional details on what to look for & expect. Hope this helps!

http://www.pets.ca/articles/article-dogpregnant.htm

http://www.petbitsforyou.com/labour.html

http://www.dog-spoiling-made-easy.com/care-of-pregnant-dog.html