HOW TO SPOT WHEN YOUR GIRL IS GOING INTO LABOUR

THE FOLLOWING IS A GUIDE, ALL GIRLS ARE DIFFERENT, AT ANY POINT YOU ARE WORRIED CALL YOUR VET.

TEMPRATURE 

YOU MUST KNOW YOUR GIRLS RESTING TEMP.. ITS USUALLY 37.4 - 37.7

TAKE HER TEMP THE SAME TIME EVERYDAY AND WRITE IT DOWN.

YOU SHOULD SEE A SIGNIFICANT DROP USUALLY TO LOW 36'S. THIS IS A SIGN ITS STARTING, WE FIND IT THEN GOES UP TO 38'S AND THATS WHEN PANTING STARTS.

POO

YOU NORMALLY SEE A CARAMEL COLOURED POO JUST BEFORE ALSO. THIS IS A PAIN POO (JUST LIKE A BABY WOULD HAVE) IT SOMETIMES HAS SEED LIKE BITS IN.

MILK

THIS IS NOT ALWAYS GUARANTEED.... BUT MOST GIRLS WIL GET THEIR MILK IN THERE LOWER TEETS BEFORE PUPS ARE BORN. IF MILK IS STILL NOT THERE AFTER PUPS ARE BORN, DON'T PANIC. KEEP PUTTING PUPS ON AND THEY WILL BRING IT THROUGH. IF STILL NO MILK CALL VET FOR OXYTOCIN INJECTION.

ITS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA TO GET FULL FAT GOATS MILK IN READY JUST IN CASE SHE DOES NOT PRODUCE. BUT 95% NEW MUMMYS WILL GET IT IN. DO NOT FEED PUPS IF MUM HAS MILK!!!!! THEY NEED HER COLOSTRUM.

SHAKING

YOU MAY NOTICE YOUR GIRLS MUSCLES IN HER BACK LEGS SHAKING, OR HER CHEST.

THIS IS A FORM OF PAIN RELEASE. (THIS CAN HAPPEN A FEW DAYS BEFORE WHEN PUPS MOVE DOWN ALSO)

DROPPED

YOU MIGHT THINK THAT YOUR GIRL LOOKS SKINNY ONE DAY? A BIT LIKE A COW... HER SPINE WILL BE MORE PROMINENT AND SHE WONT LOOK AS PREGNANT. THIS TELLS YOU THE PUPS HAVE MOVED DOWN AND POSSIBLE STARTING TO GO INTO BIRTH CANAL.

PANTING

THIS IS A SURE SIGN THAT SHE WILL BE HAVING PUPS VERY SOON. NEVER LEAVE YOUR GIRL IF SHE IS DOING THIS AS PUPS COULD ARRIVE ANY TIME AND SHE NEEDS YOU WITH HER.

DIGGING

MANY PEOPLE SAY ITS THE DOG NESTING, BUT I BELIVE IT TO BE A PAIN RELEASE FOR HER.

GIVE HER LOTS OF BLANKETS/TOWELS TO DIG HAPPILY.

SICKNESS

SOME DOGS VOMIT WHITE FROTH NEAR TO GIVING BIRTH. THIS IS NORMAL. DONT WORRY UNLESS SHE CANT STOP BEING SICK. IF THAT HAPPENS SHE WILL NEED TO SEE A VET. ITS VERY EASY FOR A PREGNANT GIRL TO GET DEHYDRATED.

DILATED

A PROFFESIONAL WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU IF SHE IS DILATED AND OPEN READY TO GIVE BIRTH.

FOOD

MOST GIRLS GO OFF THEIR FOOD THE DAY OF LABOUR, BUT NOT ALL. IVE HAD GIRLS WHO EVEN EAT DURING LABOUR.

OTHER SMALL SIGNS ARE

STARING, PACING, HIDING