# What should Chelsea's Temp be before labor?



## AlekonaKini (Feb 6, 2005)

Chelsea's temperature was 99.4/7 yesterday morning when I took her to the vet. Today, her temperature was 99.4. I was reading online that when it falls below 100F then she will give birth within 24 hours.. obviously 24/hrs has come and gone and she is still holding in the baby (plus she's not due for about a week..?)

Plus, she is still eating just fine. Is the temperature just an estimate? At which temperature should her body be before I start to go, "Oh this is it!"


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## Kioana (Mar 1, 2005)

here this is a great site all about chihuahua breeding 

http://www.chihuahualoving.com/HomePage.asp

on this page you'll see the temp before the labor

http://www.chihuahualoving.com/Page3.html


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

100 degrees is the average temp for dogs normally, but like humans some dogs arnt exactly on that point...

id check her temp every 12 hours for the next 5 days then every couple hours the days after that, youll see a sudden spike then itll drop dramatically vixie is normally 99.6, spiked to 101 by the next morning (12 hours) and by dinner time she dropped down to 98.2, she whent into labour 2 hours later.

i wouldnt worry if shes holding steady at that 99.4 but if she drops to 99 or lower, id be keeping myself up that night 

Good luck, make sure you have the Evets adress and your normal vets numbers close on hand Just in case! vixie was given the all clear everyone was a good size too pas but that ment nothing when the pups decided they didnt want out, she whent into labour, they didnt decend into the canal...emergency c-section later and 7 months later...everyones fine


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## AlekonaKini (Feb 6, 2005)

Thanks.. I will definitely keep monitoring her temperature. We bought a special thermometer just for her!


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

i did the same thing, i bought one of the 10 second digitals, i think vixie apreciated not having to stand there with a thermometer you know where for a few minutes lol.


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## LadyBelle1 (Sep 10, 2005)

All of the websites I read said when it drops below 99 and that was the case with Flower when she had babies. As soon as her temp was below 99 she had her pups within 24 hours.


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## AlekonaKini (Feb 6, 2005)

She was 98.9 this evening... eek. There was no raise in temp (that we know of as we just started taking her temp yesterday) and it's down pretty low. We made her a whelping area and we're keeping a good eye on her. She is officially due in 6 days.. but, really it could be any day now.

I put my hand on her belly.. and I swear, it's the most beautiful thing. You can feel the baby's back legs kicking and if you put your head up to her belly you can hear him/her swimming around.

Adorable. I love this feeling. I love being a grandma to a chihuahua and experiencing this. (Forrest) doesn't want to keep the baby.. but we'll see about that.


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## Kioana (Mar 1, 2005)

yea when Jem's temp got to 99 she had hers


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## AlekonaKini (Feb 6, 2005)

Do you all think that she's close since she slipped to 98 last night?? I have yet to check this morning. I have to wait for Forrest to get up to help me with her. She gets too wiggly when you do it so I need help taking her temp.

If it's still 98.. hmmm, do you think tonight, maybe?


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## Kioana (Mar 1, 2005)

i noticed that she maybe close when she couldn't stay still anymore.
Like she'd sit in one place then get up sit again, also Jemini didn't sleep for 2 days at night before had her pups so that ment I didn't sleep for 2 days also


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## AlekonaKini (Feb 6, 2005)

She's in between my legs as Im typing on the computer, on the couch. She's just sleeping.. so she's not incredibly restless yet.. (sigh)


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## AlekonaKini (Feb 6, 2005)

She's back to 99.3 this morning..


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## foxywench (Feb 7, 2005)

some thermometers can sometimes throw a false result, and some females WILL fluctuate. In cases where the temp seems low, keep going back to checking once an hour. youll likely notice her getting listless, wandering, panting a little more ect anything from 12 hours before (though vixie didnt show any sighns untill about 1/2 hour before her water broke...the only way we knew was because of the peek then the drop in temperature.
It seems she runs a little low temp to start with, id say i wouldnt realy go into panic mode untill her temp drops below 98.5, she may even go right down to 98 safely.


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## AlekonaKini (Feb 6, 2005)

Plus, as far as we know - she hasn't had a high fluxuation.. nor is she acting restless. She's STILL sleeping. (Probably storing up some energy before the birth, lol). 

I'm really nervous about the birth.. I don't want to see her in pain. I feel helpless already!


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## AlekonaKini (Feb 6, 2005)

Her temperature was down to 98.8 this morning. A lot of websites I see keep saying once it's hit below 99, then it should be within 24 hours. So unless she's having those puppies tonight....

Last night she wasn't very active. She just wanted to cuddle up next to me and snuggle. I would just lay her on her back, against my upright legs so I could just star at her belly and watch the puppy move. Her belly has gotten REALLY hard. You can feel the puppy VERY VERY well. You can feel the feet and legs and head and back. It's such an amazing experience.

Today, boyfriend is home from work so he's going out and getting all the emergency supplies:

Towels
Iodine.
Sterilized Scissors
Bulb Syringe.
Dog Replacement Formula
Nursing Kit
Heating Pad

etc.

I am so nervous! I feel like I am the nervous mother, prancing around, panicking because I want everything to go smoothly and I and hoping she has a short, smooth delivery.

I also have the paranoia that somehow the vet didn't see another baby and there is one hiding. (And what if we don't know and she has trouble delivering that one?) (Just a million and one scenerios going through my head!!!)

I have already told my work to expect me to call in this week if the puppy comes, just in case I have to stay home with it.

Is this normal?? That I am so anxious about the delivery?


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## Kioana (Mar 1, 2005)

you know they have a whelping kit on ebay but i guess i should have said something earlier. it sliped my mind


but your going to be fine! i was the same way you are now. you'll really get worked up once you see the puppies coming out. you won't know if you want to cry ,laugh or scream!


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## AlekonaKini (Feb 6, 2005)

I will probably cry-laugh, lol. I have never witnessed a birth in front of me.. (and I'm 24!) Never had a pet who had babies before (except a hamster but.. that was the stores fault) and I was in 4th grade and don't really remember all that much about it.

And I worry more about Chelsea then the baby.. Chelsea is my little love bug. She adores me and I just hope she'll be okay!! (And the nearest emergency clinic is 35 minutes away!!!!!!) 25 with boyfriend driving, I am sure...


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## LuvMyPrecious (May 23, 2006)

just remember to stay calm (as calm as you can) because if your anxious it could make her anxious as well. good luck and let us know what she has when she has them.


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