"Taking your Dog's Temperature"

Taking your dog's temperature
by:Dr.Debbie Jensen


Taking your dog's temperature and recording it will tell you, within 24 hours, when labor will begin
Did you also know that 12-24 hours before it drops it will rise higher then its been in weeks.
This gives you more time to prepare for the birth of her puppies.


1. Begin taking your dog's temperature at your estimated day 56 of her cycle.

2. Record it in the Am and PM ( best time is when the dog is calm).

3. Don't miss taking a temp

You will notice a huge increase in temp right before it drops. Any temp recorded lower than 98.4 indicates labor should began within 24 hours If you dog goes beyond 24 hours and labor has not begin, call your veterinarian

Note* I have been recording temperatures for 20 years and have found this to be accurate in 99% of my dogs.

Why should you take an record your bitches temperature.?

So you can know within 24 hours, when your dogs will go into labor.

A dogs normal Temperature is 101.5.

In the last trimester of pregnancy the pregnant (censored) will have a temperature around 100. This is contributed to hormone levels.

Dogs can safely whelp their litters 58 days after conception. After 58 days the pups lungs are fully developed and they can breath on their own.

Not all thermometers are created equal. Do not use tape on the forehead thermometer or in the ear thermometers, and please don't use the under the arm pit method. If you don't know how to read a thermometer ask a pharmacists or a friend. I find the most accurate thermometers to be the glass rectal thermometer. If you feel your dog is hyper and glass can pose a danger, than use the digital thermometer. Always use the same thermometer, don't switch back and forth, or you will not get accurate readings.

Take your dog's temperature in the morning and in the evening. The best time to get an accurate reading is when your dog has been sleeping or is calm , not after a run in the yard or playtime.

How to take your dogs temperature?

Began with shaking the thermometer below 98 degrees.

Stick it in a jar of clean petroleum jelly. In an emergency I have use cooking oil or spit.

Make you dog lay down and do not let the dog sit down and break the thermometer while it is inserted in her rectum. Hold on to the thermometer so you don't lose it. Inset the thermometer in 2 inches, rotate or spin if you fell resistance.

Keep the thermometer in 2 minutes.

Take out and wipe it with a tissue.

Read it, and record the temperature on your chart..

There are many signs to let you know when the time is near.

1. Temperature has dropped between 99. to 98 degrees.

2. Pupils will dilate.

3. She will hide in dark places.

4. Digging

5. Panting

6. She will stare at her rear end in confusion.