What to do starting the 58th day of a Dog Pregnancy?

As we've already seen, in the 24 hours before birth begins, the hormonal levels of progesterone significantly go down in the female; so much so that as a consequence of this drastic descent, the body temperature can also go down to 36.8 to 36.2°C. It's for this reason that by measuring the temperature we can pretty much determine the moment in which birth will start. Hence, in spite of the personal sacrifice that it implies (you'll have to get up a couple of times during the night or a couple of nights to take your dog's temperature), is well worth it.

What you have to do is, as of the 58th Day since the first mounting, take the rectal temperature every three hours and write down the result of each reading on a graph. For a couple of days you'll notice of the temperature remains around 38.5°C, with slight sways during the night, dawn and early hours of the morning and minor increases towards midday. After that, you will see how the temperature goes down considerably to 38°C or 37.8°C, that might be punctual, returning to 38.5°C; finally, you will observe how the temperature apparently goes and stays around 37.5°C or less. When you have taken three consecutive readings -- I repeat, and very important, three consecutive -- all 37.5°C or less, you can be sure is that your female dog will enter in labor within the next 24 hours. If the temperature keeps on going down (even below 36.8°C) during the 24 hours, you must suspect of a problem. Needless to say, it is convenient to consult the veterinarian, who will analyze the results of the readings that you have been gathering.