whelping/travel

Question
QUESTION: Your Question was:

Two questions for you and thanks much for your time:
1.  I have a GSP who is at her 61st day today - I have ready everything I can about whelping and some say she is due on day 62 and others say she could go to 65 days because she is a first time whelper - any advice about that? I have been taking her temperature, started at 100.8 F on day 59 in the p.m., then at 99.5 on day 60 a.m. and p.m. then today, this a.m. was 99.5, not home from work yet to check (hubby is home keeping an eye on her just in case).  I guess this is a question within a question - she was only serviced once by the male does that generally indicate a smaller litter? Some tell me yes, others no, but she has not gotten as big as I had thought - I think I am used to my goats who get big as houses it seems!  But she is an athletic dog and has gotten a larger mammary system of late along with her loin area filling out more so than before.
2.  Unfortunately I must travel 3 hours to a special event this Friday and have a person taking care of our farm but no one is up to watching mom and pups so I must take with me - so, do I keep the pups in a warm small container/basket and mom nearby? Would not think it a good idea to have mom in with pups?

ANSWER: Hi Donna

Gestation is 63 days from when the egg is fertilized.  So as breeders we usually round out the days in case we're early or late. If we bred over the course of 5 days we split the difference as an insurance policy.

The size of a litter is determined by the number of eggs released by the female the sexes by the male.  A male can produce tens of millions of semen in one breeding. A female is born with all the eggs she's ever going to produce in her lifetime.  

And finally, if you are going somewhere new with the mom and her family, expect complications.  You are best to keep her in with the pups that will keep her from become anxious.  The bottom of a vari kennel works just line it with towels and let them travel together.

Good luck


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

QUESTION: Thanks for the info - I know all about the dates - all the whelping calendars show that she should whelp at 63 days - she was only bred once - she came into early estrus and by the time I got her to the male - 7 hour drive - she only allowed him one tie.  So I am taking the 63rd day noted on all the calendars as June 21st to be the date.  

Also would you comment on the temperature - Sunday she was 99.5 a.m. and p.m. and then today, Monday at 4 a.m. she was 101 and just before I left for work she was at 99.3.  Does the temperature really work re giving you a fairly good heads up with whelping? Thanks again for your time.

Answer
Personally I have an issue with temperature as it does fluctuate from everything as simple as the female laying in the sun to drinking water. And we've had issues with females having a little higher or lower core temps than "normal" so you have to know what your girls internal temperature usually runs at when she's not pregnant.

The very best indicator is lack of appetite.  A female will typically quit eating the day before she whelps.

Hope that helps.