How To Tell If Your Dog Is Pregnant
I wrote a few weeks ago about mating my dog. It’s been three weeks now, there’s been no sign and my fingers are still crossed. So, how do you tell if your dog is pregnant? Read on..
A dog’s pregnancy lasts from 61 – 65 days and sometimes you can’t tell until the pregnancy is well underway. A few telltale signs include:
Discharge – sometimes there will be a slight discharge about 1 month in
Eating habits – sometimes appetite is depressed about midway through the pregnancy, but not always
Teats – the teats will become more prominent around 25 – 30 days in
Getting Fat! – the stomach will become larger and her weight will increase by up to half the weight again. The increase in size may not be noticeable until 45 – 50 days in. I knew one lady who said her dog didn’t even show and then she had seven puppies! (the dog not the lady)
Behaviour – she may become depressed about halfway through the pregnancy
Nesting – as the due date gets closer, the dog will prefer enclosed spaces, may scratch around and may seem restless
You should notice some change approximately one month after mating. A vet can confirm the pregnancy using an ultrasound, feeling the stomach or detecting the hormone relaxin. From past experience, it’s quite difficult for the vet to say how many puppies she’s having, so in my opinion, it’s not worth having the scan unless the vet suspects something may be wrong.
Do make sure your vet is aware of the pregnancy though. Guess I’ll have to wait a little longer before I can confirm Bailey’s pregnant – watch this space…
Mar 17, 2008 | 0 | Dog Breeding
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