Third trimester · Days 50–56

Week 8 of dog pregnancy: count the puppies

Skeletons show on X-ray, so the puppies can be counted. Milk may begin to appear.

Updated October 2026 · Information only, not veterinary advice

What you may notice

Stock your whelping supplies. From day 56, take her rectal temperature twice a day.

Continue small, frequent meals. Her appetite may dip in the last days before labor.

X-ray at about day 50 to 55 gives a count and a view of head size against her pelvis.

Questions

When is the best time for an X-ray?

About day 50 to 55. The puppies’ skeletons show then, so they can be counted and head size checked.

When do I start taking her temperature?

From day 56. Take it twice a day. A drop below about 99.0°F (37.2°C) means labor is likely within roughly a day.

Keep reading

Enter a date and see her current day, week and what to expect now.

Day-by-day dates for vet visits, X-ray, setup and temperature checks.

What happens, what to feed and when to see the vet, weeks 1 to 9.