Emery's big belly and updates

Update on Emery on Day 62ish . . . 

Em is showing some nesting behaviors like digging, she ate her breakfast like a champ but she is otherwise quiet. She is currently sleeping under my bed on a soft shag carpet . . .  Hoping she doesn't want to have her babies there! <wink>

Our whelping room is ready for the puppies to arrive!

Some notes on the last few days of Emery's pregnancy . . .

Week 9 

• Watch for her temperature to drop. 
• You may take it rectally if you want but she's just plain old cool to the touch compared to what she has been the last 8 weeks.
• She may also become restless, seek seclusion and in the last few days. 

Due Date January 29th (approximately) 

• Expected date of whelp. Average is 62 days but may take place from the 58th to the 68th day. 
• Keep watching for that cool to the touch.. if you're actually taking the temp, it does drop from 101 to 98 degrees.
• Appetite will disappear as whelping approaches.
• May see a clear discharge from the vulva.
• At onset of labor may pace, dig, shiver, pant and/or vomit. 
• First fetus will be delivered within 4 hours of the onset of labor.

We have an exiting week ahead, I believe in you Emery! 💘

Drum roll...🥁

Emery was NOT happy with waiting for her breakfast until after the x-ray! 😚 

I brought her food and she ate right after the vet visit! 

X-ray Day! Take a peek at the upcoming Believer Babies!

X-rays are an invaluable resource when whelping a litter, a couple reasons "why" I do radiographs on pregnant dogs. X-rays are generally done after Day 50+ of gestation, otherwise the skeleton hasn't ossified (calcified) enough to count the babies. 

You can usually count puppies readily on radiographs, again +/- one puppy. (Count skulls, not spines! Most people count BOTH). Even then, someone can be hiding behind another puppy or along mom's spine. This helps me plan for the whelp and know what to expect. 

The other advantage is that the skulls can be compared in size to the width of the dam's pelvis (not usually an issue with Vizslas).

Drum roll...🥁 Emery had her X-ray today with Dr. Beckie Williams (Chino Hills Animal Hospital). How many babies do you see? Don't forget to count the skulls and the spines!

Beautiful belly! 💖

Look at this beautiful belly on the Baby (aka one of Emery's nicknames) 💖

Emery loves her coats 🖤 🤍

Emery loves her new coats made by Michelle @ Rhapsody Vizslas

Link to Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/RhapsodyCloset?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=752326421

What is a Fetal Heart-rate Doppler?

Yay! Puppy heartbeats for the Baby Believers were detected by a hand held fetal heart rate doppler (I listen for the fast beating). Emery laid quietly on her side while I checked the puppy heartbeats, she is such a patience and sweet girl (and I think she likes the treats she gets for the "belly check").

A normal puppy heartbeat (near full term) is between 170-230 BPM (beats per minute) and somewhat resembles the sound of galloping horses. An adult dog has a heart rate between 90-120 BPM.

Ultrasound doppler equipment has been used in human medicine for over 20+ years to confirm pregnancy and monitor fetus development and well being. 

In a canine, fetal heart rates can be detected around Week 5 of gestation. The doppler detects the motion of the beating heart and translates that motion into an audible heart beat (some dopplers, like mine, have a display showing the heart rate). Using a doppler throughout gestation allows me to confirm a pregnancy (after Day 30), and approximate the number of fetuses in the litter (Day 45 and up). I also use the doppler during whelping to monitor the fetusues and communicate any issues to my reproductive veterinarian.

Emery's pregnancy update!

Emery Day 51

Hanging in the whelping box where she likes to nap

Last week was Week Seven - Days 42-49 – January 8th 

• Your bitch will begin shedding the hair on her belly in preparation for the birth- this is totally normal and no cause for alarm! The puppies will continue to grow and develop, and now look almost completely fully formed.

• Towards the end of the seventh week, stop feeding the puppy food you have been introducing and go back to feeding her regular nutritious food- as much as she will eat. This triggers the bitch's body to begin to store calcium from the rich puppy food she has been fed until this point, an important mineral during the later stages of the pregnancy.

This wee is Week Eight - Days 49-57 – January 15th 

• Your puppies could be born at any time from now onwards, so be prepared! Avoid any rough and tumble play or stimulation which might lead to the onset of early labor, as ideally your pups should spend another week in the womb. Your bitch will probably begin 'nesting' at this stage, and you may even be able to see and feel the puppies moving within her tummy when she's lying down.

• Towards the end of week eight, your bitch will start producing colostrum, the forerunner to her nutrient-rich milk, and then the milk itself. Continue to feed as much as your bitch will eat (note you do not want her fat) and prepare for the birth!

• Weight gain end of pregnancy = 2 lbs per puppy. Emery has gained nearly 10 lbs. and she still has 12 more days to go and most weight is gained in last week. 

You can read more about canine pregnancy here: https://canna-pet.com/dog-pregnancy-stages-a-week-by-week-guide/

Flashback to pre-pregnancy Emery . . . and this week!

Emery in November 2019

Emery this week! She's certainly grown plumper around the belly! She has gained 9+ lbs. so far. 

Getting ready for puppies!

We’re getting ready for puppies! The whelping box is ready to setup and we’ve put aside the necessary supplies to assist with Emery’s whelp (puppy birth). Today we received the adorable puppy collars used a few days after birth and until Go Home Day.  

More of Emery's belly!

Emery and her ever expanding belly!