With the advancement of technology and the availability of home pregnancy kits, dog owners may be interested in conducting a home pregnancy test on their pet. It is important for pet owners to have a good understanding of their pet’s health and well-being, and knowing if their dog is pregnant can be a key factor in the care that their dog receives. While home pregnancy tests can provide useful information, it is important to note that they are not designed to be used on dogs and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. In this blog post, we will explore the possibilities of conducting a home pregnancy test on a dog and explain why it is not recommended. We will also discuss the signs of pregnancy in dogs and how pet owners can get a definitive answer when it comes to their dog’s pregnancy.
Human Pregnancy Tests Cannot Work For Dogs
When humans are pregnant, they produce a specific hormone called Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, or HCG. Note the keyword, “human”. At-home pregnancy sticks test the urine in humans specifically for this hormone. This is how humans are able to obtain quick and accurate results.
Dogs cannot be tested for pregnancy using urine testing because they do not produce this hormone. In actuality, unlike humans, dogs generally do not produce a particular “pregnancy” hormone. However, dogs do produce more progesterone, which has led to a lot of confusion among many dog owners.
Is there a blood test to detect pregnancy?
Yes. The blood test measures the levels of the hormone relaxin to identify pregnancy in the pregnant dog. This hormone can be found in the blood of the majority of pregnant women as early as 22–27 days after conception. It is produced by the developing placenta after the embryo is implanted. Throughout pregnancy, relaxin levels are elevated, and they quickly decline after the pregnancy is over.
Does a single negative relaxin test mean a female dog is not pregnant?
A female dog may not be pregnant if the test is negative in any way. However, if the test is carried out too early in pregnancy, before the placenta has begun to produce relaxin, a false negative result may happen. If a dog tests negative for relaxin during the initial test, which is carried out between 22 and 27 days after breeding, it should be tested once more a week later to confirm the results. In the early stages of pregnancy and whenever the breeding dates are uncertain, performing multiple tests is crucial.
Most of the time (80% of the time), a dog’s lack of pregnancy can be determined by two consecutively negative relaxin tests conducted starting 22–27 days after breeding. Rarely, if breeding took place very early in the heat period, a third test at 31–34 days after breeding may be necessary. Additionally, there is evidence that small and toy breed dogs may not produce enough relaxin to pass the test, particularly if they are only carrying one or two puppies. Alternative testing is used to look for puppies in these females (see below).
FAQ
How can I test my dog for pregnancy at home?
The first early detection rapid dog pregnancy test for at-home use is Bellylabs Pregnancy Test. The test kit comes with everything a breeder or owner needs to conduct the test at home. The outcome, which has a 96% accuracy rate across all dog breeds, can be read in 10 to 15 minutes.
Will a human home pregnancy test work on a dog?
Because canines do not produce the telltale hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), human pregnancy tests are ineffective in dogs.