Dog Pregnancy Symptoms
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Do you suspect a dog pregnancy at your house? Doggies.com is happy to begin a 5-part series on pregnant dogs. This first installment deals with pregnant dog symptoms. Future installments will include a care guide for pregnant dogs and newborn puppies and a quick-reference FAQ on dog pregnancy.
Canine pregnancies are very unlike human pregnancies. For example, human females become fertile every month, while dogs typically go into heat only twice per year. Bitches (female dogs, not nasty female humans!) may start having heat cycles as early as 4 - 6 months of age for small breeds or at 12 - 24 months of age in larger dogs. Each individual fertile period lasts 7 - 10 days, depending on the breed of dog. Dogs never reach menopause, so you could experience a dog pregnancy even in a very old bitch.
Dog Pregnancy Test
There is no blood or urine dog pregnancy test that can be used, as the hormonal changes a dog goes through are relatively similar whether the dog is pregnant or not. Therefore, you have to rely on symptoms of dog pregnancy, at least initially. Knowing when the dog mated will help you a great deal, but if you did not see the blessed event, you can still use this guide to pregnant dog symptoms to get a good idea of if your dog is pregnant or not.
Dog Pregnancy Stages
For about the first month, you likely will not see many outward dog pregnancy signs, as the changes inside your dog are microscopic. About 2 - 3 days after mating, the eggs are fertilized on their way to the uterus. At 10 or 11 days, the fertilized eggs implant themselves in the uterine lining.
The first symptom of dog pregnancy you are likely to notice occurs at 14 to 15 days after mating. If you look closely at the dog's nipples, you will see that they are becoming larger and turning a darker shade of pink. At about 20 days, the fur around the nipples will begin to thin out to allow the pups easier access to them.
One of the most visible symptoms of dog pregnancy is present from days 21 – 28, when the bitch goes through morning sickness, similar to what human mothers experience in early pregnancy. Although dogs don't typically vomit as much as humans, they often lose their appetites and refuse to eat.
By 25 days after mating, you can notice one of the most important dog pregnancy symptoms - heartbeats! If you have access to a stethoscope, press it gently against the dog's abdomen and listen closely. You probably won't be able to pick out how many puppies are in there, but it's exciting to hear the little thumps, nonetheless.
By 30 days after mating, the embryos are big enough to be felt through the dog's abdominal wall. They will be about walnut-sized and can be felt well enough to determine how many puppies are in your pregnant dog. A dog pregnancy ultrasound can be taken at this point to verify the pregnant dog's litter size. Symptoms at this point are pretty easy to spot, as the dog's abdomen is rapidly growing.
Other dog pregnancy symptoms are swollen nipples and restlessness. Your dog may spend a lot of time grooming herself and may wander around, sniffing for places that would make a good den.
After six weeks, the puppies will be large enough that they begin crowding each other and squirming around. If your dog will allow you to touch her stomach, you can feel them, just as you would a kicking baby. The abdomen will feel hard and will be extremely large and stretched. At this point, the bitch may lose her appetite entirely, as her stomach will be crowded with puppies, leaving little room for food.
When does a dog pregnancy end?
Most dogs deliver their litters about 54 - 72 days after conception. A few days before the delivery, the key pregnant dog symptom is that her nipples will leak a milky fluid when squeezed. She may also have a clear discharge from her vagina. You should begin taking rectal temperatures twice a day when you see discharge from either place. When the temperature drops from 101 to 98 degrees, the dog will begin delivering within 12 - 24 hours, and your dog pregnancy will be at an end.
Enjoy your puppies!
Read Part 2 Dog Births on the Way – A Care Guide here
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Leave a comment on this article here!
| colleen_rowland@hotmail.com |
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| i breed my dog a week ago and they both locked for about a half an hour now she don't eat as much and she sleeps a lot and her vulva is still a little swollen could this be a sign that she is pregnant |
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| scammerman03@yahoo.com |
| thanks alot... i hope there is an article about pugs... about pregnancy and pups... thanks |
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| bergalergrer@aol.com |
| my 11 month old female shepard isn't eating n my 10 year old shepard (father) won't lets us touch her without him being right next 2 her. . . . is this a sign of pregnancy??? |
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| layla |
| do all dogs know what to do when their babies are born??? like my dog is super playful and eww, what if she doens't know what to do at birth? |
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| spilv8@yahoo.com |
| i have a chihuahua she already had her pups but it was very cool and scary i couldnt believe my eyeswhen the little angels came out:)! |
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| allyandsarah@hotmail.com |
| i have a german sheperd mixed with a husky and it is barely 1 week old in pregnancy and im scared of what will happen next |
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| sparky16-24@hotmail.com |
| i have a miniature poodle and she is barely 12 weeks pregnant im scared of what is going to happen when she is having her little angels. |
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| sparky16-24@hotmail.com |
| oh new born puppies r the best they r cute and special little angels i think when a dog has pups it is the most wonderful thing in its life!:) |
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| markeera@yahoo.com |
| I HAVE A BICHON FRISE THAT IS A YEAR OLD AND SHE IS PREGNANT BUT IT'S BEEN 3 MONTHS,CAN A DOG BE PREGNANT FOR 3 MONTHS AND WHAT SHOULD I DO? |
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| jchoroba@comcast.net |
| My English Springer Spaniel came into heat on May 12th. I took her to the vet for a Bruc. test on the 14th and got a negative a couple of days later. I then took her in for a vaginal smear on the 19th and the vet said the cells looked matured and that she should be ovulating within the next several days. I bread her on the 21st and they connected but did not lock butt-to-butt. She was flagging fairly well but not great. The males around seemed interested but not crazed. I took her back to her boyfriend on the 22nd and they locked for 20 mins. Flagging and interest was much better. I took her back again on the 24th and again they locked for 25 mins...with interest still high from the male and her flagging well. She had a mild transparent brownish discharge for a couple of days after breeding and then it stopped. Her vulva was still a little swollen for a few days afterwards, too. Depending on how things worked biologically, this puts her right around 13 days +/- after breeding. Immediately after breeding she seemed to sleep quite a bit, was very clingy and wanted to be with me all of the time. As of right now (13+/- days) there doesn't seem to be any noticable sign of pregnancy and now has been eating like a horse. Is it common or possible that enlargement or pinking of the nipples might happen within the next few days or so? Other than the appitite, there doesn't seem to be any symptoms of her being preggers...? I thought it would be pretty obvious but am not seeing anything that tells me it took. Any ideas? |
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| Darksomeone123@hotmail |
| Thats Great But i havea Question(hopefully will be replyed Quickly) I bread My dog they locked up a good 3-4 times for around 20-27 minsMy dog acts and looks Really Pregnate But i cant feel anything much less she sit still for me to feel around..Dose this mean it was a fluke preagnacy she should be haveing them soon she even dug herself a den... |
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| mccue_noel@yahoo.com |
| is it possible for the puppies to be to big to be drlivered? |
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| Sara/czaaraa@yahoo.com |
| I have a 2yr old Caridgan Welsh Corgi. I bred her 29 days ago and know she is pregnant.Can anyone tell me if she shold be having a dark red discharge this soon? Any help will be great, may take her my Vet in the morning anyway. If you know anything about this breed, email me czaaraa@yahoo.com This is her 2nd litter, but it has been a year since her last pregnancy. I am having her fixed after this litter. Thanks everyone. |
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| JessBsweet3@yahoo.com |
| My Bichon has been pregnant for 21-25 days what should I do with our male? Is it ok to keep him around her or should I separate them for her and the puppies safety? This is our first time to have puppies so I am open to advice. Thank you . |
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| JessBsweet3@yahoo.com |
| my rating on this article is a FIVe!Best information on the internet and I have looked for about a month.Thank you Sooooooooo Much ! This has been VERY helpful for me a first time breeder. Sincerly, Jessica |
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| Alyssa |
| My chihuahua is six years old and she is pregnant. This is not her first litter, and she had some green discharge coming from her vagina, then a still puppy was born. I called the Vetrinarian and she said that there is nothing to worry bout, but I've nver seen this before. I looked it up on the internet and I read that you should act immediatly and go to your vet. But we don't have the money for an emergency c-section and we are scared for or dogs life. |
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| destiny.boggs@yahoo.com |
| I thought this article was very informative.But I do have one more question.I have a dog about7 to 10 lbs. and I truly think that she is expecting. But it has not been confirmed. She is not eating and she is guarding certain stuffed toys. Tonight her stomach started twitching, almost like a mussle spasm. It did this for better than an hour, and its still doing it. Is this normal? She has never done this before. Please let me know any information that you can. Thanks Destiny |
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