F.A.Q Puppies & Dogs

How can I tell if my bitch is pregnant and what can I do to help her if she is?

If you suspect that your dog is pregnant, it is a good idea to get her checked out by a vet.

The signs of pregnancy are:

• The apparent length of pregnancy is between 56 and 72 days. The actual length is between 64 and 66 days. 
• Increased body weight and enlargement of the abdomen possibly from about day 21. These signs may not be obvious if there are only a few pups. There may be a loss of ‘waistline’.  
• The dog may be quieter than normal from about day 21.
• Enlargement and reddening of the mammary glands, especially from 40 days after mating. However, this can also happen if a female dog has a pseudo or false pregnancy. 
• Milk production is variable. Some female dogs produce a watery fluid from day 55 onwards, others only produce this just before giving birth.
• The dog’s temperature will drop immediately before birth.

Your dog may need special care if she is pregnant:

• Food intake does not increase during the first 30 days of pregnancy, but during the last half of pregnancy, the amount of food eaten may be doubled. This food may need to be divided into 2 or 3 meals a day. 
• Regular exercise should be taken throughout the pregnancy as long as a pregnant dog is willing. 
• You should also worm your dog. If she is pregnant dogs reduce transmission of the worms to the pups through the placenta. The vet can advise you about this.

The vet may need to do special tests to determine the number of pups, and their size, to see if this poses a danger to your dog's health. This can be done through:

• Feeling the abdomen. At about 1 month after mating the 'swellings' will be about 2cm diameter. It is difficult to do this in nervous or overweight animals, and after day 35 the individual pups cannot be felt and diagnosis using this technique becomes more difficult. 
• Identification of puppies’ heartbeats. This can be done with a stethoscope or an ECG. The pups heart rates are faster than the mothers.
• Ultrasound examination. Using this technique it is possible to diagnose pregnancy as early as 16 days after ovulation, but after 28 days it is better if the date of mating is not known.