Need some Help Please!?!

[FourCorners]

I have a female that is about to have pups I THINK. I been into the breed for 9 years and this is my first breeding and its for me. Well she is at her 58th day from the first tie up. Well she is breathing really hard then usual and is only wanting to lay her back with her legs spread (like a human) and she never does that. But is it possible that she is in labor right now or is she just in pain? And another question is that does she HAVE to be at 98 degrees tempature to have the pups because she is right at 99 degrees right now. Any help would be appreciated.

[simms]

Relax,so she can relax. Keep an eye on her and keep her quite, does she have a welping box?

[MajorPain]

I wish I could help you but I am no puppy expert. Good luck with them. Did you say you were keeping them all?

[FourCorners]

Relax,so she can relax. Keep an eye on her and keep her quite, does she have a welping box?She does have a welping pen that i just finished making last night but its over a 100 degrees outside right now so im keeping her in the house and put her in a large crate and put a blanket over the crate so she can relax.

[coolhandjean]

it is possible...Like someone else said remain calm. She should know what to do, but if you feel she is having trouble, don't be afraid to call your vet.

[DryCreek]

It's possible she is just having some pre labor, basically her body is softening up/adjusting in preparation for the birth experience. Some dogs also vomit or have diarrhea during this time. This behavior can come and go for a couple of days or so before the actual birthing starts.

Has she gotten to know her whelping box at all? This can be very important for some dogs as their 'den' must smell right (like them) for them to be comfortable enough to drop the pups there. If she is laying on a blanket in her crate I would suggest putting that blanket with her smell on it in her whelping box to help her settle in.

Very important....when the birthing does start you MUST keep track of the pup/placenta count. For every pup born you must make sure the placenta is expelled as well. This does not always happen at the same time. I would suggest getting a bucket (and gloves lol) to put the placenta's in so you can match the counts when she is done. If she eats a placenta, make sure you record the fact so it doesn't put your count off.

Most whelps go off quite easily, but, are you prepared for breach births and stuck pups? Are you ready to get down and dirty to help your girl if need be? Do you have your vets number memorized so you can call on the off chance that somethings not going quite right?

Best of luck to you and your girl :) And yes, do relax LOL. Why stress over things that haven't happened yet. When the time comes, just deal with it ;)

[Mr Mark]

Yes, those are all normal signs that she's in labor. Move her to the whelping box and try to keep her there, otherwise she's going to deliver them on your bed, lol!

No she doesn't have to be at 98 degress to deliver. The pups usually need to be around 75-85 degrees, but that's not usually a problem. 98 is actually very hot and will add to her stress. A dog's body temp is higher than our's, so to her it probably feels like 108 degrees. I would move her to a cooler area, air condition, shade, or a fan to help cool her down.

[Mr Mark]

She does have a welping pen that i just finished making last night but its over a 100 degrees outside right now so im keeping her in the house and put her in a large crate and put a blanket over the crate so she can relax.
Okay, that's good. She'll be fine!