Pregnancy in dogs: signs, how long it lasts, periods by day and week

How to understand if a dog is pregnant or not

The first symptoms of pregnancy in dogs can be noticed approximately 10-14 days after mating. In most cases, you will notice the following symptoms:

• loss of appetite. The animal may completely refuse food or eat less than usual. This phenomenon is explained by hormonal changes in the body, the appetite will gradually recover;
• nausea and/or vomiting. These are signs of toxicosis, which are also caused by changes in the endocrine system. No special action is required from the owner, it is enough to provide the dog with access to clean water. Manifestations of toxicosis disappear around the end of the first month of pregnancy. If they continue, and especially increase, then you need to contact a specialist to prevent intoxication;
• behavioral changes. They manifest themselves in different ways: some bitches become more affectionate, others fall into drowsiness and apathy, the third may become more sensitive, they do not allow themselves to be touched;
• nipple changes. Swelling and darkening of the nipples in early pregnancy in dogs is observed among those who have already bred. In primogeniture, this process usually occurs later.

You can check whether a dog is pregnant or not at a veterinary clinic. If you are expecting offspring, a laboratory blood test will show an increased level of relaxin. However, this test is reliable only after at least two weeks have passed since mating.

Ultrasound will also help determine the presence of embryos. Already at the beginning of the fourth week, the veterinarian will be able to fix the heartbeat. At a later date, for example, at the 6th week, the specialist will accurately determine not only the number of puppies, but also the level of their physical development.

The duration and characteristics of the course of pregnancy in different dogs

How long pregnancy lasts in dogs depends on the physiological characteristics of the animal. On average, the duration of the gestation period is 8-10 weeks (56-70 days). In the presence of pathologies (injuries, physical exhaustion, stress, diseases) or due to age, childbirth can begin earlier or later than the specified period. Knowing this, the owner must prepare in advance for possible complications.

Pregnancy of small dogs lasts about 60 days, and large breeds can give birth in 67-70 days, and this will be the norm for them. If more than 70 days have passed, and the dog has not yet whelped, then you need to contact your veterinarian. Such a delay may be due to confusion in terms, but may also indicate the development of any deviations.

The number of puppies in a litter also depends on the size of the breed. According to statistics, a large dog has fewer of them than a small one. The development of complications during pregnancy is not affected by either the number of newborns or the size of the mother. However, gestation of the fetus is of great importance – the puppies outgrow, and this makes childbirth difficult for the mother, and for newborns it turns into hypoxia and intoxication. The early birth of offspring threatens babies with problems with the respiratory system.

Pregnancy periods in dogs

You can navigate by the gestational age of your pet using a special calendar. It is compiled by days of gestation or by weeks. The last option is shown in the table below.

How to care for a pregnant dog

It will be necessary to provide proper care for the dog not only after mating, but also 2-3 months before it. A four-legged friend will need to be shown to a veterinarian in order to rule out contraindications for pregnancy, discuss possible vaccinations (including those that fall out during the gestation of puppies), be tested for various infections, and undergo anthelmintic therapy.

After the pregnancy has come, the owner needs to pay special attention to physical activity, nutrition and hygiene of the animal. In addition, the upcoming addition to the family will require some rearrangements in the house from the owner.

Walking

In the early stages of pregnancy, you should not protect the dog from long walks. A sufficient amount of oxygen will reduce the manifestations of toxicosis during its development, and will also have a positive effect on appetite and the development of offspring. However, it is also not necessary to force the animal to physical activity. If the pet is lethargic, wants to sleep, turns around home, then it is better to take her out for a walk more often, but not for long.

Food

Food should be high in calories within reasonable limits. The reference point is the appearance of the dog: with obvious weight loss, the caloric content of the diet is increased and vice versa. Toxicosis should also be taken into account – it is he who can cause a decrease in the weight of the animal. It is necessary to add more protein foods to the diet, and reduce carbohydrate-containing foods. In the second month of pregnancy, an excess of carbohydrates and fats can provoke the development of obesity, which is fraught with problematic childbirth.

If the dog prefers dry food, then you should choose a product specifically designed for this period. Do not forget about vitamin and mineral supplements. With natural nutrition, they are added to food or given separately from food.

Attention: dry food for pregnant dogs, as a rule, already contains the necessary components; information about their quantity can be found on the packaging. An excess of vitamins can harm both the expectant mother and the puppies.

In the first month of pregnancy, the diet remains the same – twice a day. In the future, the frequency of food intake is increased to 3, and then up to 4 times a day. Fractional nutrition allows for a more complete assimilation of food, prevents stagnation in the intestines, since growing puppies put pressure on the stomach and interfere with the normal movement of food through the digestive tract.

Hygiene

Hygiene procedures are reduced to washing the paws after a walk, the usual treatment of the eyes and ears. Experts do not recommend bathing a dog during pregnancy and lactation. This should only be done if absolutely necessary. The owner must ensure that the animal does not fall under the draft: you need to dry the coat as soon as possible.

Changes in the house

The owner will have to make changes to the interior in the second half of the pet’s pregnancy. By this time, the dog’s body weight increases, it becomes less active, rests more. To make her comfortable, you need to make a new, larger bedding.

Closer to childbirth, the animal is looking for a suitable place for this. It is advisable for the owner to pre-select a nook, equip it appropriately, and then gradually accustom the animal to it. Sometimes the dog itself determines the desired territory and does not want to change it to another. In this case, you will have to make concessions (within reason).

The room in which the newborn puppies and mother will be located should not be too cold or excessively hot. Optimal conditions: average air temperature, no drafts, the ability to move. For the first time, the corner must be protected from the rest of the space in such a way that the puppies cannot leave it, and the adult animal can freely pass back and forth.

Pathology of pregnancy in a dog

The pathological course of pregnancy in dogs can be due to many factors:

• diseases;
• helminthiasis;
• anomalies of internal organs;
• age features;
• stress;
• male incompatibility.

Among such pathologies, false, frozen and ectopic pregnancy can be distinguished.

False pregnancy in dogs

6-8 weeks after estrus, the dog may show signs of a false pregnancy:

• increased appetite and thirst;
• swelling of the nipples, the appearance of colostrum;
• nausea and urge to vomit;
• apathy, drowsiness.

The pet may show an increased interest in soft toys, “caring” for them.

A false pregnancy poses a certain danger to the physical and mental health of the dog. Among its consequences, tumors of the mammary glands, cancers of the appendages and uterus, infectious diseases of the genitourinary organs, and mental disorders are noted. If the animal shows the above symptoms, the owner should take the bitch to the clinic for an ultrasound as soon as possible.

Treatment of false pregnancy at the beginning of the development of pathology is to change the living conditions of the dog. The frequency of feeding is reduced to once a day, while significantly limiting liquid, dairy and meat dishes. All items that remind the dog of her “motherhood” must be removed. The amount of time allotted for a walk is increased to the maximum possible, trying to stimulate physical activity in the pet by all available means.

If after 3-4 days the situation has not changed, and even more so it has become more serious, proceed to drug treatment. Hormone-based drugs and homeopathic remedies are indicated as therapy. If there is no result, surgery is performed.

Frozen pregnancy in dogs

This pathology is characterized by the death of embryos (all or part). A halt in the development of embryos can occur for various reasons. What to do in this case depends on how the dog’s body reacts to what happened.

• With the death of all embryos, you should wait until a miscarriage occurs. With a long wait, it is artificially stimulated, since frozen embryos can mummify and begin to decompose.
• If live embryos are preserved (ultrasound is mandatory), the pregnancy is preserved. During childbirth, the dead embryos will come out with the newborns. After childbirth, a control ultrasound examination of the animal is carried out: if there are dead remains in the uterine cavity, they are disposed of by stimulating the contraction of the walls of the organ. In the absence of a result, the dog is sterilized.

There are other options for the development of events. For example, a partial miscarriage of dead embryos may occur with the preservation of normal or all embryos (both dead and alive), purulent inflammation may begin or there will be no symptoms at all, and so on. The owner must be extremely attentive to the dog, and contact the clinic at the slightest change in the condition of the animal.

Ectopic pregnancy in dogs

Dogs can also have an ectopic pregnancy. It occurs due to various reasons: the pathological structure of the uterus, trauma, endocrine disorders. The first signs are spotting, pain (the animal may whine). Such a pregnancy, most often, is interrupted with the help of medications, if the period is short, or by an operative method.

Vaccinations during pregnancy and lactation of a dog: possible or not

Pregnant and lactating dogs are not vaccinated. Vaccines can cause serious harm to developing puppies, ranging from developmental anomalies to fetal death. Vaccinations must be given prior to mating. An animal passport will help determine the date: the owner must look at the date of the next vaccination and compare it with the period of the upcoming pregnancy and feeding. If they match, you need to contact your veterinarian and vaccinate either before mating or after the expected lactation.

When to deworm a pregnant dog

You need to get rid of worms before mating, for 2 weeks. It should be taken into account that anthelmintic therapy is carried out no more than once every 3 months. Pregnant animals should not be given medication for parasites. As a rule, by the time the next deworming time comes, puppies are already being transferred to regular food.

Termination of pregnancy in dogs

In some cases, it becomes necessary to terminate the pregnancy in dogs. This can happen due to medical indications, for example, due to an ectopic pregnancy, or mating was not planned. The sooner the interruption is made, the greater the chance of the animal retaining the ability to the next conception. Surgical abortion often results in complete sterilization.

Medical abortion is performed using hormonal drugs, such as mesalin. Injections are given twice, and if necessary, three times a day.

Important: dog owners need to know that such an intervention entails disruption of the endocrine system, disorders of the functions of the gonads, inflammation in the uterus, and abnormal course of subsequent pregnancies.

Last days before childbirth

You can find out that childbirth is approaching by specific discharge from the animal’s vagina. Most often, they appear after the dog wakes up or when urine is released. At this time, you need to monitor the body temperature. Approximately 20-24 hours before delivery, the temperature will drop by 1-1,5 degrees. In addition, a change in the behavior of the pet will also tell about the beginning of childbirth: she begins to look for something, dig a “hole” in the floor. When the dog begins to sit down, begins to fuss, then you need to prepare for the reception of newborns – no more than an hour and a half remains before they appear.

Pregnancy in a domestic dog should be under the constant supervision of the owner, who has first aid items at hand, as well as the telephone number of a veterinarian. Attention and care is the key to successful bearing and birth of healthy puppies!