Chihuahua gestation

[amarillo]

We have a long hair Chihuahua that mated around September 1st and she is already going into labour. Is this too early? Will the puppies live?

[drgnrdr]

The gestation period of the dog is considered to be 63 days though this is not written in stone and a normal range might be 58 to 68 days. Some time around the 45th day, your dog should be examined by a veterinarian. At this time, the skeletons of the unborn pups will have mineralized and are thus visible on a radiograph. Your dog's abdomen should be x-rayed so that you know how many pups to expect. Ultrasound may be used to confirm pregnancy much earlier (after 25 days, the embryonic heart may be seen beating) but it is more difficult to count the number of pups using this method.
Small animals seem to have more problems birthing, get to a vet, or call one and tell them what is going on, it sounds like you've never done this before?

When your dog's due date is approaching, you should begin monitoring her rectal temperature. When her temperature drops below 100F (normal canine temperature is 101F-102F), labor may be expected within 24 hours