# Longest time from temp drop to first whelp?



## Guest (Dec 13, 2008)

From everything I've read and experienced, once a bitch's temperature drops you can count on her beginning to whelp within 24 hours. What is your experience with this?

I ask because this week that did not happen. My girl's temp dropped to 97.6 at noon on Wednesday so of course I'm up all night long waaaaaiting. By 2 pm Thursday there was a whole lotta nothing going on and I was starting to get anxious.

I called the vet who I am communicating with via a vet tech and I describe what is going on. The vet tech proceeds to tell me my bitch is not in hard labor yet. Um, as the saying goes, no sh#t Sherlock.  Anyway, I'll cut to the chase.

Pups finally starting arriving at 7 pm and once they got rolling, all was fine. 11 in a little over 4 hours.

So what's the deal? I mean, at 97.6 that was clearly the drop of her temperature. Anyone know what would cause the whelping to be delayed like that? Has this happened to you? It was a new one on me.


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## T. Mac (Feb 2, 2004)

Myunderstanding is that it is approx. 24-36 hours. My last litter was about 32 hours. 

T. Mac


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## windycanyon (Dec 21, 2007)

I had one that was at least 40 hrs from detected temp drop to first pup. I think my average is at least 24 at this point. 

I have read that the temp drop MAY correspond to progesterone drop which is needed to get the whelp/detachment etc going but don't know how accurate that is. 

At least yours got down to biz once she got going!!! That's nice! My recent 7 in less than 3 hrs was as fast of a whelp as I'd had in a long time.


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## Jiggy (Apr 14, 2003)

I went to a Dr. Hutchinson seminar and he stated that is was not the temperature drop, but actually the rise in temperature AFTER the drop that determines when a bitch is going to whelp. He said the temp can stay down for a long time, but expect pups in 4 to 6 hours after the rise back to 100 or over.

I haven't tested this myself.

Marcy


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## Guest (Dec 13, 2008)

Jiggy said:


> I went to a Dr. Hutchinson seminar and he stated that is was not the temperature drop, but actually the rise in temperature AFTER the drop that determines when a bitch is going to whelp. He said the temp can stay down for a long time, but expect pups in 4 to 6 hours after the rise back to 100 or over.
> 
> I haven't tested this myself.
> 
> Marcy


Wow, that is interesting. Great info...thanks! I wish I had posted my question yesterday; I could have given it a test run. 

I had no idea their temperature went back up. I always stopped checking after the drop. 

You would think I would know most of this stuff by now.


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## HarryWilliams (Jan 17, 2005)

Congratulations!!! HPW


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## YardleyLabs (Dec 22, 2006)

I've gotten to the point where I ignore the temperature drop because it just drives me crazy. I've had it go down 48+ hours ahead of whelping. This time I'm actually going to try WhelpWise for the first time although that is more because my litter is due at Christmas and I lost a pup in my last litter because I didn't know it was there. Good luck on yours. Hopefully your pups have now arrived.


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## ErinsEdge (Feb 14, 2003)

I have stretched it to 24-48 after numerous bitches whelping normally like yours after 24 hours. However, never trust them so I still sleep near them. I have had no drop on some, or if it ocurred I missed it, and I have had some that needed to drop below 98. Usually my normal drop is below 99.0. Once they drop I don't continue taking it-maybe they do rise but I thought Dr Hutchinson also indicated that a drop and rise and no pups was not a good sign (probably > 6 hours then)


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## windycanyon (Dec 21, 2007)

The last temp I had recorded was 8 hrs before whelp began, and she was still 98.6F. Shortly after that, she did get restless enough that I knew we were turning the corner.


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