A boxer pregnancy is exciting, and waiting for the big day to arrive can cause anticipation, as well as confusion. Determining when your boxer will welcome her puppies into the world can prove to be a difficult task. Fortunately, there are a few ways in which to know when your boxer is going to have her puppies.
Things You'll Need
- Rectal thermometer
- Lubricant
Instructions
Take your dog to the veterinarian for tests to determine how far along she is in her pregnancy, suggests Pets.ca. A doctor can often feel the placental sacks between 20 and 30 days. After 30 days, the sacks become so swollen it is hard to distinguish them; if he feels them, the dog is almost halfway through her pregnancy. In addition, the doctor can detect the puppy heartbeats at 25 days, while radiographs can pick up the puppy skeletons after 45 days. Dogs are pregnant for about 62 days. From the results of these tests, you can determine a time period in which your boxer will have her puppies.
Take your boxer's temperature daily, beginning on the 55th day of gestation, recommends AllBoxerInfo.com. Place lubricate on the end of a rectal thermometer and insert it into your boxer's rectum about 1 inch. The normal temperature for a dog ranges from 100.5 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. When your boxer's temperature drops to 98 degrees, expect her to go into labor in about eight to 24 hours.
Observe your boxer's behavior. During the first stage of labor, many dogs start to shiver, tremble, pant, become anxious, vomit and even refuse to eat. She may seek out a private setting or nestle into her whelping box. When this behavior occurs, expect the new arrivals within six to 12 hours.