How do I know when my dog is ready to give birth?

[pinkday]

The first thing you do is monitoring the temperature regularly and specially 4 days before the due day. It takes about 58-63 days from the time your dog was bred. Your dog’s temperature is supposed to drop down to 98. The normal body temperature* of a dog is 101.5° F. She will probably vomit and stop eating. She’ll be restless and seeking for a quiet place to have her puppies. However, she’ll have no pain from contractions. Some people recommend preparing a box for her to have her pups. About 24 hours before the labor milk is produced. Be prepared to assist the mother when giving birth, if necessary, and remove the covering membranes from the puppy, clean the face and also remove mucus from face and nose so that the pups will be able to breathe. Applying iodine at the end of the umbilical cord might help to prevent infection. It’s not healthy for the mother to eat most of the placentas. She might have diarrhea for a few days. There is about 30 to 60 minutes between births. The mother rests a little after each birth. The room temperature* should be no less than 70° F and cold floors should be avoided.

* www.thermopet.com