- Increase in appetite.
- Weight gain.
- Increase in nipple size.
- Swollen belly.
- Tires more easily.
- Nesting behavior.
- More affectionate.
- Irritability.
Maybe you’re hoping for puppies or concerned that your recently adopted dog is starting to look a little “round,” and you’re wondering if she’s pregnant. Maybe your dog went into heat earlier than anticipated and went out for a late-night romp through the neighborhood. Whatever the reason, you’re in the right place. It’s crucial to know if a dog is expecting in order to properly care for her.
Dogs don’t make figuring out if they’re pregnant easy. Every dog experiences the hormonal cycle related to pregnancy after being in heat. Dogs who are not pregnant may appear and behave pregnant due to these hormones. Although a dog’s false pregnancy can be very convincing, the more of the following signs of pregnancy in dogs you observe, the more likely a pregnancy is.
The canine equivalent of morning sickness, which typically appears three weeks after breeding, may be the first pregnancy sign you notice. Dogs may vomit a few times or have a poor appetite, but they should feel better in a few days.
When can a dog get pregnant?
When they come into season, which occurs roughly every eight months, dogs have the ability to become pregnant. Being in heat during this fertile period, which can last up to three weeks, is another name for it.
Your dog might get into fights with males if they don’t feel ready to mate during this time in addition to becoming pregnant. If you don’t want a male to mate with them, you can prevent your dog from getting into any altercations and their sexual advances by walking them on a leash during their season.
Breeding is frequently best left to the professionals because pregnancy can be expensive and emotional for both you and your dog. Consider having your dog neutered if you want to prevent a pet pregnancy. See our neutering your dog page for more information.
Dogs typically go through a gestation period of 61 to 65 days, but you might not notice any outward physical changes in your dog until they are already well into their term. There isn’t a home pregnancy test for dogs, so you’ll have to keep an eye out for the typical symptoms of dog pregnancy.
What To Do If You Think Your Dog is Pregnant
If you think your dog is pregnant, the first thing you should do is call your veterinarian. Your veterinarian will be able to perform an ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy after your dog has been expecting for roughly 4 weeks. They might also be able to conduct blood tests after 35 days. When your dog’s pregnancy is confirmed, you must take a number of actions to maintain their health.
Put your dog on a high-calorie diet with the nutrients it needs to be healthy after she has been pregnant for approximately four weeks. There are some premium dog food brands specifically made for pregnant animals, and your veterinarian can suggest the brand that will work best for you and your pet. Avoid giving your dog large breed puppy foods because they frequently lack essential nutrients like calcium and phosphorous that a growing puppy needs.
It is typically advised to feed your dog smaller meals more frequently because it won’t have as much room in its stomach.
To ensure that your dog is healthy during pregnancy and has no conditions that they could pass on to their puppies, you should take them to the veterinarian. This includes a fecal exam to check for intestinal parasites. Giving your dog any over-the-counter dewormers could harm her and the puppies, so avoid doing so.
If your dog’s pregnancy is planned, make sure she has received all of her shots and has been treated for parasites before getting pregnant.
Create a cozy, quiet location away from noise and other animals for your dog to nest as her pregnancy comes to an end. Additionally, you must ensure there is sufficient room for them to enter and exit as they please.
Make sure your dog avoids contact with other animals for three weeks before and three weeks after giving birth to prevent them from contracting the herpes virus. For adult dogs, this infection is less dangerous, but for puppies, it can be fatal.
By measuring your dog’s rectal temperature, you can determine within 24 hours whether she is about to give birth. In this time frame, their temperature will drop below 100of.
When Your Dog is Giving Birth
Your dog will experience light contractions when giving birth, which will last for six to twelve hours. This stage can make them restless. Your dog might begin to stray into and out of its nesting area, or it might dig, pant, and throw up. Later, when their contractions become stronger and more frequent, puppies will be born.
Before giving birth to their puppies, your dog will struggle for 10 to 15 minutes. They ought to have a puppy every 45 to 60 minutes, but occasionally they’ll take a break and wait up to 4 hours. It’s normal for them to deliver puppies either head first or tail first.
Fetal membranes, which are masses of greenish-black color, are expelled after each puppy is born by your dog.
Make sure your dog is not overexerting themselves or taking breaks longer than four hours by keeping an eye on them. If so, you must take them right away to the veterinarian.
You should keep an eye out for the following indicators after your dog has given birth:
Call your veterinarian as soon as you can and let them know your dog is nursing so they can prescribe medications or treatments that are safe if your dog isn’t feeling well or you notice any of the above signs.
Puppies are born with a protective fetal membrane, which their mother removes when they are born. You will need to remove this sack yourself if the mother doesn’t so the puppy can breathe. You can accomplish this by breaking the sac, wiping any fluid from the puppy’s nostrils, turning the puppy’s head so that their mouth is open, and gently stroking their body while wiping away any remaining fluids with a towel.
Additionally, you may observe that neither the mother nor the nurse cut the umbilical cord during delivery. If so, you will have to break it yourself. You must be careful not to pull on the cord as doing so could harm the puppy’s internal organs. Using your thumb and first two fingers, gently tear it away from the puppy’s body by about an inch.
When the puppies are born, you should contact your veterinarian immediately. They can give you guidance on what to do next, including when to begin taking the puppies to the doctor. If the birth went well and the puppies don’t have any conditions like umbilical hernias or cleft palates, they might also ask you to bring them in right away. They might advise delaying the puppies’ initial veterinary visits until they are a little older.
It’s important to avoid interfering with the mother and her puppies too much during the first few weeks, despite how tempting it is to hold and cuddle these brand-new adorable furry creatures. This can be stressful for the mother and babies. Newborn puppies are also very susceptible to illness. Because they are so protective, the mother may also act aggressively toward any person or animal that approaches them.
Puppies need to be 3 to 4 weeks old before they can control their body temperatures on their own. For their comfort and warmth, you must provide them with a warm, clean box or bed that they can share (the temperature should be 97oF). Additionally, you must ensure that if they become too hot, they have access to a cooler area.
If the mother agrees, you can gradually begin introducing the puppies to other animals and household members. Beginning this when they are young may improve their integration into the family.
You can begin weaning the puppies from their mothers’ milk and introducing hard puppy food when they are 3 to 4 weeks old. To make the hard food easier for them to eat, you can also combine it with water or soft puppy food. Leave the food somewhere they can access it easily themselves. Mother will have them mostly relying on solid puppy food by the time they are 5 to 6 weeks old.
As the puppies get older, the mother will begin to stray from them to rest and interact with other animals and people in your home. Make certain the mother returns frequently to check on her pups.
Call your veterinarian if you notice any runts in the litter (puppies growing more slowly or with less energy), as they may have an underlying medical condition.
Puppies shouldn’t be placed in a new home before they are at least 10 weeks old. This gives them enough time with their mother and brothers/sisters.
FAQ
What are the first signs of pregnancy in a dog?
- Weight gain.
- Swollen Stomach.
- Increase in appetite.
- Gets tired easier.
- Irritability.
- More affectionate.
- Vomiting (in the first few weeks)
- Decrease in appetite (first few weeks)
How long after mating can you tell a dog is pregnant?
Dog pregnancy diagnosis. From days 21 to 25 of her term, a dog pregnancy test that gauges her hormone levels or an ultrasound from days 20 to 22 can be used by your veterinarian to confirm a pregnancy. Your veterinarian will be able to perform a physical examination around day 30 to determine how many puppies your dog is carrying.