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 pregnancy in dogs

Although pregnancy in dogs, like humans, is a stressful and anxious process, but there is nothing more exhilarating than waiting for a new life in front of you.

following up on pregnancy and childbirth in your dogs is certainly an exciting thing, but it needs some information, which you will find during the current article.

 

dogs pregnancy

Diagnosing pregnancy in dogs

If you think your dog is pregnant, visit the vet in the fourth week.

The vet will perform a virtual examination of the dog.

In the period between 25 to 35 days, the doctor can diagnose the presence of pregnancy with an ultrasound. Ultrasound is completely safe in pregnancy.

There are also some analyzes and tests to measure the level of the hormone Relaxin

It is possible for the doctor to palpate the fetuses by hand from the 28th to the 35th day, and not before that.

Do not attempt to palpate the fetus yourself, as this may cause a risk to the pregnancy. The palpation process is deceptive and requires trained personnel, ask the doctor how to do this at home.

The heartbeat of the fetus can be heard from day 42.

An X-ray can be done starting from day 45 to 55 to see the skeleton of the puppies in the mother's abdomen, and to know the number of fetuses more accurately, preferably at the end of that period.

It is more difficult to diagnose pregnancy with overweight and violent dogs.

The doctor will tell you everything about caring for the pregnant dog, and will also give her the necessary insect and worm medicines if she is infected with any of the parasites.

Consult the veterinarian about the appropriate feeding schedule for the pregnant dog, and the types of foods that provide her with the needs of that period.

At the end of the pregnancy period, learn from the doctor the signs of birth, as well as the emergency number that can be followed up in case of any problems, and instructions for caring for puppies immediately after birth.

 

Stages of pregnancy in dogs

first trimester

The process of fertilization of the egg occurs in the first few days after marriage, and takes place in the lower part of the oviduct.

The embryo arising from the fertilization process begins to migrate to the uterine horn 6 to 10 days after insemination through uterine fluids.

The embryo implants itself and fully attaches to the uterine wall after 17-21 days of fertilization. Once attached, the placenta begins to form.

second trimester

By day 35, the internal organs of the body begin to form.

On the 40th day, the fetus's weight increases at a rate of approximately 75%.

last third

Starting from day 42, the last trimester of pregnancy begins, and the rate of fetal growth increases dramatically.

Nails begin to grow, and the skeleton begins to harden and gain bone mass within approximately 45 days.

The rate of weight gain at this stage is the largest.

 

dog pregnancy week by week

During pregnancy, the mother and puppies undergo many changes, the most important of which are the following:

 First week:

The egg begins to divide to produce new cells immediately after fertilization, and no obvious changes appear on the pregnant female dog during this period.

second week:

The egg continues to divide, and some minor behavioral changes may appear in some dogs.

third week:

The fertilized egg is implanted in the uterine wall, and this results in a slight swelling in the abdomen that does not exceed 0.8-1 cm, and metabolic changes begin to appear during this period.

fourth week:

The fetuses begin to grow slowly and reach a length of 2-3 cm, and they can be felt when the abdomen is palpated.

fifth week:

Puppies begin to develop faster, and grow to a length of 5 cm each. At this stage, the mother's appetite for food increases more to meet her high need for energy.

sixth week:

The length of the fetuses is between 6-7 cm, and the stomach of the dog becomes more visible during this period, and the puppies' heartbeat can be heard by auscultation examination.

Seventh week:

At this stage, it is possible to discover the number of fetuses, and discover any problems or complications in pregnancy, as the mother loses her appetite for food, so she must be encouraged to eat.

eighth week:

 The puppy's skeleton is fully formed, and the milk begins to flow heavily.

ninth week:

The puppies are fully grown and ready to be born at any time, and the mother has increased manifestations of discomfort and anxiety.

as well as her nesting behavior, a behavior that appears during this period when the female begins to organize the house and prepare it in preparation for birth.

 

 how long does a dog stay pregnant?

The gestation period of dogs, regardless of their breed, is 63 days, but birth may occur at any time between the 58-68th day of pregnancy or may be as late as 70 days.

This is because the duration of pregnancy depends on the number of previous pregnancies, and also on the date of fertilization, which may occur a day or two after mating.

 Where the egg remains capable of fertilization for two days, while the sperm can live in the vaginal canal for several days.

Starting from day 65, follow up on the veterinarian continuously, and he will decide when an intervention should occur, the matter varies from case to case.

 

how to take care of a pregnant dog?

Nutrition during pregnancy

A pregnant dog needs to get her nutritional needs in a balanced way, try to choose the appropriate type of food for her.

In the initial period of pregnancy, the dog does not need any extra calories, and until day 42, after that her need for energy gradually increases.

Weight gain in the first 40 days should not be more than 10% of the dog's normal weight.

Temporary loss of appetite can occur in the first week of pregnancy.

Dogs during pregnancy need easy-to-digest and fast-absorbing food to avoid stomach bloating, the space available for a full stomach is less than normal at the time of pregnancy.

With the increase in the size of the fetuses in the mother's abdomen, the bitch cannot eat sufficient quantities of food in one meal.

so it is necessary to gradually increase the number of meals, until it reaches the leaving food constantly in the last days of pregnancy.

Avoid malnutrition and also avoid obesity and weight gain, both of which are dangerous for pregnancy and childbirth.

Watch out for giving your bitch any extra amounts of vitamins and calcium, excess calcium in the body is one of the common causes of dystocia.

Visit the vet

The periodic visit to the vet during pregnancy is important to maintain the health of the dog and to ensure the safety of the pregnancy.

The first importance is the diagnosis of pregnancy from the base and the exclusion of the presence of a phantom pregnancy.

The veterinarian will give the dog deworming medicines in the period from the fourth to the sixth week, as well as insecticides, if any.

Follow-up of pregnancy with ultrasound and other diagnostic tools not only aims to confirm the presence of pregnancy, but also follow the vitality of fetuses, and determine the approximate date of birth.

Learn from the veterinarian about emergencies that may occur in pregnancy or childbirth and when to resort to it, also remember to write an emergency number to call when needed.

I prefer to visit the doctor twice during pregnancy if there are no problems, the first between the fourth and fifth weeks, and the second within 50-55 days of pregnancy.

Preparing for birth and receiving puppies

Of course you want the process of receiving the puppy to be as comfortable and hassle-free as possible, the best way to do this is to prepare a box for labor or delivery.

The goal of the birthing crate is to provide a safe, warm and easy-to-clean place for the puppies and their mother. Put the box away from other dogs and animals, and in a completely quiet place.

Just buy or make the box, give yourself some time to introduce the dog to it, the dog is always looking for a warm and quiet place to give birth.

if you don't introduce it to the mother before birth, she will probably look for another place, your wardrobe for example.

If it is the first time that you witness the birth process of your dogs, talk to the vet about the necessary needs, your role in the delivery process, and the necessary interventions in the event of any emergency problems.

read a lot about the topic and educate yourself well, or seek the help of a doctor or his experience to be present.

Prepare a set of supplies that you may need during the delivery process, such as:

1. Newsprint on the floor and sides of the box is useful for easy cleaning after delivery.
2. Clean, dry towels to clean puppies when needed.
3. A thermometer to measure the dog's temperature before or after birth, if needed.
4. Dental floss to tie the umbilical cord if the dog does not chew.
5. Sterile scissors to cut the umbilical cord.
6. Warm water to keep small dogs warm (be careful not to be hot)
7. Antiseptic such as betadine to cleanse the stomach of small dogs after cutting the umbilical cord “dip the end of the umbilical cord after cutting in betadine”
8. Your vet's emergency number.

 

How do dogs give birth?

Most dogs give birth naturally unless they experience a problem during childbirth, which is called dystocia.

which requires the presence of a veterinarian to perform a caesarean section that requires anesthesia of the pregnant female dog to open the uterus and remove the puppies.

and dystocia is more common in some cases, such as some head breeds Large and short body or Toy breeds, and the occurrence of pregnancy in an advanced female dog.

especially after the age of seven, makes it face problems in the birth of puppies due to the small size of the embryos.

The date of birth of a pregnant female dog can be predicted by several signs such as hypothermia and some strange behaviors such as isolation, restlessness and turmoil.

in addition to the presence of some vaginal secretions, and it is important to monitor the pregnant female dog during childbirth to avoid any complications that require the presence of a veterinarian.

 

What is the average weight of a dog at birth?

There is no specific average weight of a dog (puppy) at birth, as the weight depends on the type of breed.

how long does it take for a dog to have puppies once in labor?

Labor usually lasts 3 to 12 hours. Before labor, contractions begin and have started 12 to 24 hours later.

The normal rate for the birth of a new puppy is 30 minutes to an hour.

Also, the birth of a puppy should not take more than two hours.

If the birth lasts for more than 24 hours, you should contact the veterinarian.

 

how long does false pregnancy last in dogs?

Dogs are characterized by a relatively short pregnancy period, which leads to many changes that indicate pregnancy in a female dog.

 such as increased appetite, urination, enlarged nipples and abdomen with some vaginal secretions.

bearing in mind that these signs do not confirm the presence of pregnancy unless it is confirmed that there are fetuses inside the womb.

Sometimes dogs are exposed to a false pregnancy like humans, which means that some of the previous signs appear with the absence of fetuses inside the uterus.

When you do not feel any movement in the abdomen after the sixth or seventh week of pregnancy, you should consult a doctor to make sure that a fake pregnancy is assumed.

False pregnancy may occur due to unsuccessful mating. Sometimes false pregnancy occurs in dogs without mating, which is a common phenomenon in dogs.

Where studies mention that 87% of dogs go through a false pregnancy twice in their life.

Often the dog does not need outside help when a false pregnancy occurs, unless there are complications such as mastitis.

 

birthing process for dogs

Unlike humans, dogs generally give birth easily and do not need help. Your role is to help out when necessary.

Each puppy is born surrounded by its own placental membrane. In most cases, the mother ruptures this membrane, and sometimes even eats it.

 If you don't, you have to remove it, because puppies can't survive more than a few minutes before they run out of oxygen.

The bitch should also cut the umbilical cord while cleaning her young. If you don't, it's up to you to cut the rope and tie it to some unwaxed dental floss.

All puppies should be swabbed with iodine to prevent infection from entering through the umbilical cord.

The rope should be tied and cut about 1-2 inches away from the puppy. You should also keep track of the placenta count.

A retained placenta can cause problems for the mother, so monitor her carefully, and while you're at it, watch the puppies to make sure they are all breathing normally.

 

How many puppies do dogs give birth to?

As for the number of births that a female dog can carry at one time.

the female dog carries between (2-3) puppies each time and may sometimes reach a large number ranging between (10-12) puppies.

depending on the age of the female Pregnant dog, male dog’s ability to be vaccinated, and breed type.

 

Training dogs to get Pregnant

No need to worry about dogs getting pregnant. Pregnancy is a natural instinct.

But you have to know that raising a pregnant dog as well as newborn puppies is a very tiring task, and it includes many obligations. At the same time, this event ends with great joy.

At first, you must make sure the dog is ready for mating. A dog can reproduce from its first heat.

Some dog breeders consider waiting for three or four menstrual cycles in dogs, until they are completely ready for the experience of pregnancy.

 

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