Your dog is pregnant and close to the time to give birth, but you don’t know what to do? Well, fear no more; here we have brought many expert tips and a lot of quality information about pregnant dogs and impending births.
Let’s start with understanding the basics.
Common signs or symptoms of dog pregnancy
Three weeks after the mating, the female dog may have an upset stomach that continued for about 10days. It’s easy to diagnose her pregnancy by checking her vulva. Also, after exactly 30 days of mating, you can have a blood test to confirm the pregnancy. However, the late-term indicators are mostly seen as the dog flaunts a definite abdomen size increase and developed nipples that look bigger and broader than before.
Even the dog owners can have a secured means of identifying the pregnancy by visiting the veterinarian. The vet may take an ultrasound test along with a radiograph test to check how many puppies are inside.
How long does the dog pregnancy take?
The pregnancy or gestation period for dogs is between 60 and 63 days with the first thirty days passing as usual. The dog owners can start counting from the day she first mated.
Roughly to the halfway mark, the dog will have some issues equivalent to the morning sickness that may make them skip food for a few days. The last thirty days of the pregnancy are crucial where some changes are to consider. During this time, the puppies are growing incredibly fast that impacts the dog’s metabolic system, thus she requires more food to stay in a healthy weight range.
How to Care for Your Pregnant Dog?
Make the pregnant dog feel comfortable
Keep in mind that pregnant dogs are more susceptible to vaginal discharges that oftentimes make them feel irritable and less comfortable. Thus, it is always recommended to keep your dog in such a place where they feel comfortable and relaxed. Look for a place that has fewer household activities and house routes are seldom taken. This makes sure that the dog will not get disturbed from its rest. And, when it comes to the dog’s sleeping regime, make her feel extra relaxed by providing a bed that suits her conditions and needs.
Too often, dogs will most likely stay at one place during their pregnancy period and this is why it is better if your chosen dog bed product offers the exact comfort that your pregnant dog needs.
Feeding a pregnant dog
Take care of the pregnant dog’s diet. Make sure to feed her high-quality dog food during the pregnancy period. Here high-quality indicates the protein analysis of 28% to help keep the mother in good physical shape for nursing the puppies. As such, there is no need to supplement the food with any vitamins, additives, or packed food rich in calcium unless your dog is struggling with any known health problem or condition. This is because there are usually risks involved with most vitamins and supplements that can harm the health of your pet.
The biggest strain is the last month of the pregnancy where the puppies really have a growth spurt. Thus, switch her to a high-quality puppy food along with the additional caloric and protein intake she needs for her rapidly growing puppies.
Always make sure to provide lots of fresh water for the mother during the pregnancy. Even if due to the morning sickness, the dog avoids having food, she must be hydrating properly. If you observe any signs about not drinking or appear in discomfort, call the vet immediately and get her in for a check-up.
Maintain distance from other dogs
Keep your pregnant dog away from the other dogs. This will prevent your dog from catching diseases that might spread by coming in contact with other dogs. The need here is to keep your dog in a protected and guarded area. Doing this will not only provide much-needed protection to pregnant dogs but also make them comfortable as well. Also, if you have other dogs or pets in your house, make sure they do not harm the pregnant female. While it is highly unlikely that they will cause harm to the mum and the unborn puppy, still it is a good idea to keep them away as possible the last few weeks before whelping.
Exercising
Maintain the body shape of your dog with regular exercise sessions. During the first half of the pregnancy, your dog can exercise as normal. She can easily go out on her daily long walks; however, it’s good to avoid your dog doing strenuous exercise. The dog owners must take her for long walks or play games of fetch in the backyard. Even she can jog with you and play with other dogs as she always has. You might feel your pregnant dog with less energy than usual when she gets closer to the 30-35th day of the pregnancy, but be sure that she should not become lethargic or inactive.
Vaccination
Pregnant dogs should not be given vaccination as some shots might cause abortion. Make sure to give vaccination only before the breeding process so that the puppies can remain protected through the mother’s milk.
Taking care of dogs has become an important undertaking these days! This care is something that we cannot take for granted. Just like humans, pregnant dogs need attention, proper hygiene along with a good and well-balanced diet.
Remember, a dog may experience difficulties during her pregnancy tenure just as humans do! It is thus vital that you schedule vet visits to keep her pregnancy in check and find out whether it’s going on well. Many pregnant dogs require help in giving birth to the puppies and in some cases, caesarian help may be needed to save both the life of the mother and the puppies.
We hope this was a useful read. Keep visiting this space for more dog care tips or to shop for dog collars USA online!
