So, your dog is unspayed and you’re thinking of breeding them. Congratulations! But how do you know if your dog is pregnant?
What should you do if you think your dog is pregnant? And when do dogs’ nipples change in pregnancy? Well, in this post, we’re going to explore the different stages of a dog’s pregnancy, as well as when they occur and what you should do to care for your dog. So, read on to become a more confident and better-informed owner!
How long will my dog be pregnant?
Did you know that your dog has a much shorter gestational period than humans and even many animals? In fact, your pooch will be pregnant for merely 63 or so days!
Your dog’s gestational period lasts from the day that they first release their eggs up to the day that their fluffy litter is finally born. Just like humans, your dog will experience three distinct trimesters, each one around 21 days long.
What are the early signs of my dog being pregnant?
The early signs of a dog’s pregnancy are different and more subtle than a human’s. Morning sickness, for example, affects hardly any dogs. Even then, morning sickness only occurs during the third or fourth week of a dog’s pregnancy, rather than at the beginning.
The main early sign of a dog being pregnant is substantial weight gain. Your dog may also seem more tired than usual. But most dogs are just as playful and active as ever at the start of their pregnancy. Some early nipple swelling is possible, but again, unlikely.
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What should I do if I think my dog is pregnant?
If your unspayed dog has mated recently, take them for a prenatal check-up about 2 or 3 weeks after. This gives your vet an opportunity to get a good picture of your pooch’s overall health. They can treat any minor issues and give you advice.
You can also ask your vet any questions you have, like what food you should give them while they’re pregnant. Plus, if your pooch does turn out to be pregnant, the vet can give them their first ultrasound.
If your vet thinks your dog is early in their pregnancy, your vet will give your pooch a blood test to check for a hormone called relaxin. Relaxin is a hormone that dogs produce more of when they’re pregnant.
If your vet thinks your dog is in at least their fourth week of pregnancy, they may skip the blood test and opt to palpate your pooch’s belly to confirm pregnancy. Your dog’s belly should only be felt if it is certain that they are between the 28th and 35th days of their pregnancy.
If an untrained person tries to confirm pregnancy in this way, they can easily cause harm to the growing puppies, who are still merely the size of walnuts at this point. So, leave confirming pregnancy to your vet.
What happens in my dog’s second trimester?
As your dog reaches the end of their second trimester, their belly will become noticeably larger. Then, at about the 40th day of their pregnancy, your dog’s nipples will start to become larger and darker, too.
As your pooch’s due date gets even nearer, their breasts will enlarge even more. You may even begin to notice a little milky fluid trickling out at times. This is normal and nothing to worry about.
Around this time, vets sometimes actually ask you to come back in for an x-ray of your dog’s belly. This is typically around the start of your pooch’s third trimester, or 45 days in. This low-risk procedure allows your vet to better figure out how many puppies your pooch will be having. An x-ray is a great way to see the puppie’s bone structure.
What happens towards the end of my dog’s pregnancy?
As your pooch comes into the final 2 weeks of their pregnancy, their belly will get very large, to the extent that it sways beneath them as they walk and restricts their mobility. You may even feel and see the puppies moving around inside your dog’s belly!
At this point, your vet may want to take one final x-ray. This x-ray will confirm how many puppies there are. This x-ray will also check whether the puppies are the right size for a natural birth. During this visit, your vet will tell you what to expect during your pooch’s birth, how to care for the new puppies, and who to get in contact with during an emergency.
How do I care for my dog’s new puppies?
First of all, you’ll have to get prepared. Set up a snug den area that your pooch and their new puppies can have all to themselves. Layer the den with plenty of snuggly blankets and pillows. Keeping the puppies warm is paramount. So, put a small electric heating pad in your dog’s new den.
There may be some staining and waste in the den, so make sure that you choose bedding than can be easily and quickly washed. Though your dog will want to be alone with their new puppies, do keep an eye on them and stay in the area.
It is very important for the puppies to spend as much time as they can with their mother during these early days. Nonetheless, do drag your dog out for at least a short walk every now and then so that they can do their business away from the puppies.
As your vet will probably have told you, the puppies will be unable to eat solid food until they are around four weeks old, when they can start to eat a mixture of puppy food and milk. Nonetheless, do stock up on solid food before the pups are born. Ask your vet what they recommend.
It’s also important to be vigilant about signs of illness. If any of the puppies are not nursing, crying excessively, experiencing diarrhoea, or being rejected by the mother, get in contact with your vet right away!
