Every day brings new changes to my little girl, I now have a high degree of confidence that she is in fact pregnant. Her belly is now noticeably firmer than normal and she even has a bit of a small belly going. Would now be an appropriate time for a visit to the vet or when would it be best to schedule. I would like to know how many and if she can pass them without any issues.

If you are not wanting just a pregnancy confirmation - then your best bet is to wait until at least Day 55 or as late as Day 58 to get an xray. This will make sure the bones are calcified enough to show up and you can count skulls. Make sure your vet knows that you want him to judge the puppy's size against the pelvis width so he will get the appropriate view to measure these parameters.

My little girl would only be approximately 5 days behind yours, but in a 9 week gestation that can bring a lot of changes. I would appreciate it if you post any changes you see as the days go by. Any clear sticky discharge yet?

Thanks for the tip. I'll hold off the visit until that timeframe. I'm starting to wonder if we missed them tie even earlier because she seems to be a few days ahead of schedule from what would be expected with a March 4th tie.

Yes, is is very possible if they were left unattended. That is why I had asked if you knew when she came in heat. The heat cycle lasts three weeks. Most females are receptive to breeding from the 9th through the 21st day of their heat cycle, give or take a few days.

Her belly is visibly bigger today than it has been and I'd say she is clearly pregnant, given where she is at I'm thinking we missed a tie. The female really doesn't bleed or show to much when she goes into heat, we only knew she was in heat because she was backing up to the male and moving her tail way over to the side, we had never seen her do that before and that is when the tie was witnessed but we were shocked to see her in heat because she had been in heat just a few months prior.

My girl!

For the last several days I could feel at least two distinct lumps in her belly, this morning I can't feel anything, her belly is getting bigger, she is eating like a trucker and sleeps quite a bit. Does this seem consistent with a March 4th tie? She seems further along so I'm still questioning if we missed a tie. Calling the vet tomorrow.

So yesterday would have been 32 days and you can palpate from approx. 28 to 30 days then they get surrounded by fluid and not so easily felt so that could be right. If you are now feeling them again today depending on size she might be a week further along. Post size of bumps and maybe someone else can estimate gestational age. My girl is 29 days and I do not know if she is pregnant by looking and I do not palpate for fear of harming embryos. She only had the one tie so she may or may not be. I really doubt a vet would be able to estimate gestational age unless very familiar w the breeding of toy dogs. There is a chart as to when bones show and teeth show on xrays so later he may have an idea. Listen for heartbeats and feel for movement and this also helps with a guesstimate. The temperature chart has always worked for me so I think you will have a 24 to 48 hour warning.

So yesterday would have been 32 days and you can palpate from approx. 28 to 30 days then they get surrounded by fluid and not so easily felt so that could be right. If you are now feeling them again today depending on size she might be a week further along. Post size of bumps and maybe someone else can estimate gestational age. My girl is 29 days and I do not know if she is pregnant by looking and I do not palpate for fear of harming embryos. She only had the one tie so she may or may not be. I really doubt a vet would be able to estimate gestational age unless very familiar w the breeding of toy dogs. There is a chart as to when bones show and teeth show on xrays so later he may have an idea. Listen for heartbeats and feel for movement and this also helps with a guesstimate. The temperature chart has always worked for me so I think you will have a 24 to 48 hour warning.

Btw your girl is a cutie. Sorry for the double post.

Double posts are not an issue for me! I appreciate all the help and advice as I have no experience with whelping. What I will do is anything that may be required for my girl. She has two vet appointments for next week and I have spoken with the vet regarding this issue. She is in perfect health and up to date with everything from the vet, they feel like by day 40 or 41 they may be able to x-ray a see what they need to see so I will go with their advice. Her belly is clearly different than normal and those bumps that I very gently felt were certainly different. I'll keep you posted after we have her x-ray and we know for certain what is going on. Thanks for the help.

I'm not a vet but would really discourage xrays this early. Have heard a lot of stories of babies being reabsorbed afterwards. My vet says they r perfectly safe too, but I respectfully disagree and i am 99 percent sure every experienced breeder will agree no xrays this early. Ultrasound ok though. Xrays r safe after day 50 but we like to wait as long as possible since babies grow so rapidly and we want to know a birthing size. Please share any information you get from them if u do decide to do them though.

I'll be sure to ask some questions for her wellness check up regarding X-rays vs ultra sounds? I will only do what is recommended by the vet but voice my concern with X-rays. I have never heard of dogs re absorbing? I'm gonna do some reading on that one.

Any ideas for whelping boxes? I was thinking about a box from EZ whelp but I'm not sure if I need it or not? She will not have another liter. Do you have a whelping box? Do you just make one? Not sure what would be best, I plan to have it in my bedroom or a spare bedroom for the first few weeks.

I have a wicker kennel that I line with washable hospital type pads (invaluable for whelping, potty training, etc. - a must in my opinion). I attend births so that happens on the pads, but then mom and babies relax in the kennel with door open. When the puppies are able to come out on their own I then surround the kennel with a baby play yard fence and add a pad for potty training and later a shallow bowl of water and dry food.

My must haves are lots of washable whelping pads, thermometer, ky, hemostats, Doppler or at least a good stethoscope, nutridrops, breeders edge calcium plus (calsorb is another brand but it makes Mom's vomit - either is only given after the birth of a puppy), nasal aspirator or even better a delee mucuos trap, warming pad or a tube shape filled with beans or rice to warm in microwave that you can form in a circle and make a little cozy nest for pups to rest and keep warm while mom is actively having another (then back with mom because sucking helps stimulate contractions), a scale with bowl to weigh puppies.

Here is a link to my kennel, but a regular one with a quilt over would work too. I know a true whelping box has a bar to keep puppies from being squished between mom and sides, but have never felt the need, but I am home all days with mine and check on them frequently. I did use a real whelping box with my Great Danes though.

Mr. Herzher's Original Wicker Dark Brown Pet Residence, X-Large