Pregnancy In Dogs

The majority of this article is written by a certified veterinarian.

A dog’s pregnancy may not be as sensitive a human pregnancy, but they still have their complications and requirements. There is a whole checklist you must cross off to ensure a safe whelping process for your dog.

This article covers all the tips, steps, and essential points of looking after a pregnant dog.

Everything You Need To Know About Dog Pregnancy

For dogs, pregnancy can begin during the estrus stage of the heat cycle, which is the most fertile time for a female dog. If your female dog mates with a male dog during this stage, she will most likely end up pregnant.

Dog mating and breeding should be a thorough process: You need to select a suitable male with good health and temperament and know the process of caring for the resulting breed.

Important Terms:
Canine pregnancy leads to the birth of puppies after delivery.
These puppies born together are called a litter, and their mother is called a dam. The father would be a sire.
The period of pregnancy is called the canine gestation period / dog gestation period.
Whelping means giving birth to puppies.

In case of planned breeding, always keep notes of the day of mating and the date of birth of the puppies. The pregnancy might also require extensive visits to the vet for both the dam and the young litter.

Dog mating and breeding should be a thorough process: You need to select a suitable male with good health and temperament and know the process of caring for the resulting breed.

Important Terms:
Canine pregnancy leads to the birth of puppies after delivery.
These puppies born together are called a litter, and their mother is called a dam. The father would be a sire.
The period of pregnancy is called the canine gestation period / dog gestation period.
Whelping means giving birth to puppies.

How Long Is A Dog Pregnant?

A dog’s pregnancy length can range from 56 to 67 days, depending on the breed. However, on average, the dog gestation period lasts about 62 to 64 days.

According to an expert opinion, the timing of conception and mating may not always match. This means that how long it takes for a dog to have puppies after mating can further vary. However, there are some general timelines we can count on.

Delivery time of the puppies can depend on the breed and size (number of puppies) of the litter.

Month 1:
Fertilized eggs travel to the uterine horn during the first month of pregnancy.
The eggs are then embedded in the uterine lining for 15-18 days.
The fetus grows rapidly in the early days of pregnancy, and the swelling of the uterine lining doubles in diameter after a week.

With your vet’s help, you should be able to notice the heartbeat of the fetus by the end of the first month.

Month 2:
Development speeds up in the second month, and the embryos take shape as distinct puppies.
Month 3:
Once third month of pregnancy starts, the litter should be ready to be born.

How Can You Tell If Your Dog Is Pregnant?

There are certain changes you will notice in your dog’s behavior when they are pregnant. Be on the lookout for these sometimes subtle changes and other signs of dog pregnancy.

Here’s how to tell when your dog is pregnant:

• Early Signs Of Dog Pregnancy At Home

Some early signs of a pregnant female dog are similar to those of a pregnant human.

Decreased Energy: You may notice your dog becoming tired and lethargic easily.
Vomit: She might start to vomit frequently.
Swollen teats: Your dog’s nipples will become larger, producing a semi-clear fluid.

These signs become apparent in the later stages of pregnancy in dogs:

Weight gain and appetite: There will be noticeable weight gain as well as increased appetite.
Mood Swings: There will be some temporary personality changes. Your dog will likely become more affectionate, but also often become irritable.
Size: Her tummy will increase in size.
Nesting: She might display nesting behavior, where she will gather soft or otherwise comfortable objects together.

Tests To Find Out If A Dog Is Pregnant

These tests can be administered by your vet to know if your dog is pregnant for sure:

• Palpation

A palpation test is done by a vet at the 28 – 30 day mark after the dog is bred, to ensure that the sacs have retained their shape.

At this time, the pregnant dog’s tummy area feels like squishy balls due to the presence of fluid-filled sacs around the fetus.

• Ultrasound

An ultrasound can be performed after 25 – 35 days from the start of the gestation period.

Ultrasounds confirm pregnancy. This test will also let you discover the puppies’ heartbeats to get an estimate of how many pups the dam has in her belly.

The puppies’ heartbeats are usually 2 – 3 times faster than the mother dog’s heart.

An ultrasound can be performed after 25 – 35 days from the start of the gestation period.

Ultrasounds confirm pregnancy. This test will also let you discover the puppies’ heartbeats to get an estimate of how many pups the dam has in her belly.

The puppies’ heartbeats are usually 2 – 3 times faster than the mother dog’s heart.

• Hormone Test

This test for dog pregnancy is done 25 – 30 days after the dog has been bred.

The vet performs a hormone test to check for the level of Relaxin, a hormone produced exclusively during pregnancies in dogs.

• X-Ray

X-Ray is one of the most effective methods to determine if a dog is pregnant, but can’t be done until later in the pregnancy.

You can get an X-ray done at about 55 days after the breeding to both confirm the pregnancy and accurately know the number of puppies your dog will deliver.

X-Ray is one of the most effective methods to determine if a dog is pregnant, but can’t be done until later in the pregnancy.

You can get an X-ray done at about 55 days after the breeding to both confirm the pregnancy and accurately know the number of puppies your dog will deliver.

What To Do When Your Dog Is Pregnant

The following steps will guide you through how to take care of a pregnant dog and what to do for a pregnant dog’s care routine.

• Proper Nutrition

Nutrition is an essential aspect of ensuring the birth of healthy puppies. If you already give your dam high-quality dog food, your vet might not change anything for the first few weeks. But as the size of the dam grows, you will need to feed her much more than usual.

A high-calorie diet is recommended to provide enough nutrients and should be continued throughout the pregnancy and weaning period. This can be a diet made for puppies or a high-quality commercial package for pregnant dogs.

As there is less space in her stomach for food, be sure to feed your dam smaller, but frequent portions of food.

If a dietary change is recommended, start gradually (and ideally before breeding) to avoid giving your dog an upset stomach. Mix the new and current foods to slowly increase the new diet intake as she proceeds through the gestation period.

Don’t make any sudden changes on your own: always consult a vet.

• Exercise

Strenuous exercise is not recommended while trying to get your dam impregnated, nor during the pregnancy period.

Once the breeding is done and the dog is pregnant, you can revert to some low-stress forms of exercise.

Don’t leave physical activity on the table completely as that can negatively impact your dog’s health, as well as the puppies.

A short walk and short periods of easy-going physical activity are ideal. Nothing too hectic as the dam now needs the energy to carry the puppies.

• Consult The Vet Regularly

Visit your vet for a checkup before breeding your dog, and mention that you’d like to breed.

Make sure your pup is properly vaccinated and do not make any nutritional or exercise changes without your vet’s approval.

Your dam will have to go through a fecal exam to check for intestinal parasites before carrying puppies. In the case of parasites, your vet will give medication for deworming before mating.

Giving dewormers from mid-pregnancy to some days after delivery significantly reduces the chances of the puppies getting hookworms or roundworms.

Continue regular vet checkups while your dam is pregnant. Other than confirming the pregnancy, your vet will check for potential health issues during and after the whelping process (giving birth).

You must also set up some emergency rules with your vet in case of an unexpected delivery time.

How To Prepare For Puppies

Take the following steps to get ready for the hectic new addition of puppies to your dog family.

• High-Quality Puppy Food

You must feed the mother high-quality dog food from the fourth week of pregnancy and gradually add puppy food to the diet.

Consult your vet for details on what kind of food to add, and the exact amounts for your dog. There is no one-size-fits-all solution because it depends on the breed of your dog and size of the litter.

• Whelping Box

Prepare a whelping box or similar area for your dog and place it in a familiar, warm, and quiet place.

Size:
This box should be big enough for the dam to comfortably stretch and lay in and also have space for a litter of puppies.

Mother Exit & Puppy Walls:
There should be an easy exit point for the mother dog, but the sides should be high enough that the puppies can’t escape. If they get loose, puppies can get hurt easily.

Lay down plastic sheets or puppy training pads on the box’s floor. Things are bound to get a little messy.

• Milk Replacement

If the dam is unable to breastfeed after whelping, you might have to hand-feed the pups yourself.

Have a nursing kit and supplies for administering milk at hand, just in case.

Also, consult your vet on which commercial milk to feed the puppies.

• Contact Details Of Your Vet

In case of an emergency, you should have your vet’s contact details on hand to avoid a potentially fatal delay. Even better to save it to speed dial.

If you can’t get this from your current vet, call around until there is an emergency vet you can rely on around the expected day of birth.

How To Tell When Your Dog Is About To Give Birth

There are a few signs of labor in dogs that you should know of.

Here’s how to tell when your dog is getting ready to have puppies:

• Early Signs of Labor In Dogs

One early sign of impending labor is the temperature of your dam dropping to about 98 – 99°F (37°C) . On a regular day, dog’s temperatures are usually 101 – 102.5°F (38.5°C).

Labor usually starts from 12 to 24 hours after the temperature drop, so check your dog’s temperature twice per day as the final weeks approach.

Nesting in the bed, anxiety, and loss of appetite are common before the birthing process.

• Stages of Labor

To know when your dog is getting ready to give birth, you need to be aware of the three stages of dog labor.

Stage 1:
Stage one is about preparing for birth. The dam becomes restless, starts to hide, starts panting, and passes red/brown mucus from the vulva.

Stage 2:
During stage 2, the dog gives birth to the puppies.

Make sure your dog is comfortable and undisturbed while giving birth. There is a gap between each puppy, but do contact the vet if your dog is straining or seems sick during the whelping.

Stage 3:
Stage three is post-labor, where the dam needs to be left alone with the puppies to bond and feed them. Make sure to keep food for the dam as well. She will be very tired and will need to eat.

Risks of Dog Pregnancy

After whelping, your dog can also experience some issues related to labor.

Contact your vet immediately if you see any of these signs:

Green discharge (means a puppy is stuck inside)
A missing placenta
Stillborn puppies
Puppies feeling ill, not moving, or not breathing
Puppies are not nursing
Temperature dropped more than 24 hours ago, but no sign of labor
Trembling or shivering
No sign of labor 64 days after mating
Head of a puppy stuck inside
Straining, but no puppy
General sickness

Overview

A pregnant dog needs significantly different care than she normally needs. Feed her well and take the above steps to maintain your dog’s comfort during this difficult process.

Always have your vet’s contact information at the ready and be ready and able to get emergency care when things seem to go awry.