Dog Pregnancy"Dog Pregnancy can be managed with little intervention. You can help your dog by making changes in the way you feed her and in preparing a safe and comfortable place to give birth." Canine pregnancy lasts approximately 65 days. Determining the exact day your dog became pregnant may or may not be difficult, depending on the circumstances, but we’ll give you some general guidelines to follow. Dog Pregnancy SymptomsFor the first three weeks or so of your dog pregnancy, you may not notice any symptoms. She may become more affectionate and she may begin to eat more than usual. Her nipples may enlarge slightly. Four to five weeks into pregnancy, a clear mucus vaginal discharge may be noticed. This will continue until your dog gives birth.Dog Pregnancy DiagnosisAt 28 – 30 days into the suspected dog pregnancy, your veterinarian can perform a blood test to determine if your dog is indeed pregnant. This test checks for the hormone relaxin, which is produced when the fertilized egg implants. With small litters (less than three puppies) false negative results may occur.Also at about 28 days into the pregnancy, your vet will be able to pick up fetal heartbeats with ultrasound. This will verify that your dog is pregnant and your vet can give you an estimate as to how many puppies she is going to have. About this same time, your vet may be able to palpate the uterus and feel the fetuses. This may not be possible on large dogs or one that has puppies under the rib cage. Around the 60th day of the pregnancy, x-rays may be taken to determine the number of puppies and make sure that size-wise they can fit through the birth canal. X-rays are not recommended earlier in the pregnancy because they can be harmful to developing fetuses. For more information see our guide to whelping signs. Canine Pregnancy TreatmentFeed your dog a premium adult dog food for the first few weeks of her pregnancy. In the fourth week of her pregnancy, add some premium puppy food to her diet. Each week, replace some of the adult food with puppy food, until during the last week of her pregnancy she is eating all puppy food.Your dog will need to eat several small meals each day instead of one or two large meals as the pregnancy progresses and the puppies take up more and more space. At the end of her pregnancy, she may need to eat every three or four hours. As long as she is eating a premium commercial dog food, there should be no need to add any supplements to her food. Check with your vet to see what he or she recommends. Your dog should get regular, but not strenuous, exercise throughout her pregnancy to maintain her muscle tone and prevent excessive weight gain. About two weeks before your dog is scheduled to begin whelping pups , prepare a whelping box for her to give birth in. This gives her time to get used to the birthing box. Otherwise, she’ll give birth in the closet or in your bed. Keep a close eye on her as the time approaches, or she may do that anyway. During the time your dog is lactating you may want to consider a natural dietary supplement that helps your dog's body meet the extra demands that comes with milk production. Herbs such as Saw Palmetto, Cleavers, Echinacea purpurea (immune system)and Baryta carb (urinary tract) support the production of colostrum (mothers milk that contains antibodies and nutrients). PetAlive LacToll is made to help increase milk production in lactating bitches and is worth discussing with your veterinarian. A healthy dog can usually deliver her puppies without assistance. Ask your vet what, if anything, you should do to help her when the time comes.
Signs of whelping
include restlessness, panting, licking the vulva, hiding, shivering and in some cases vomiting.
SourcesIVISPregnancy Management in Dogs and Cats Concannon, Patrick W., and Verstegen, John Pet Education From Dog Pregnancy to Dog Health Guide Home
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