When will my dog give birth?
What are the signs I should look for if my dog is pregnant, and might be ready to give birth? How long does a dog's pregnancy normally last?
4 Answers
Dogs are usually pregnant for about 2 months. You should take them to the vet to get an ultrasound to be sure they are healthy and that there are not going to be any complications. This will also tell you how many puppies there will be. Similar to cats , dogs will look for a safe spot and "nest". They may also be uninterested in food. If you notice them acting unusual or "hiding" it may be time. You can also call an emergency vet and tell them the symptoms and they would likely be able to tell you if it is labor or if you should bring them in. Here is a good resource to learn about Dogs and Pregnancy : http://www.akc.org/content/dog-breedi...
For starters, you should know that pregnancy in dogs lasts approximately 63 days (56 to 69 days). Toy breeds may deliver a week earlier while large breeds often deliver later.
s many people have mentioned, it is a good idea to visit your veterinarian to know whether or not they will be able to fully know whether she is pregnant or not. I will give you my advice, coming from a veterinary technician who will be attending vet school in the future.
Dogs gestation periods last around 63 days. Generally speaking, veterinarians aren't able to examine your dog and determine if she is pregnant until about 20-30 days into her pregnancy. If you saw the act happen, did both of the dogs tie? If they didn't there is no chance she is pregnant. If they did, here are the 4 things they can do to determine if she is:
You can look for signs of pregnancy, but they can often be mistaken for her heat cycle. Swelling of her nipples and vulva, changes in behavior, and of course, swelling of the abdomen. These are not things you will notice until you are closer to the end of her pregnancy.
They can do a specific test to check for hormones, but this must be done at approximately the 23rd day of the pregnancy, so it is very time specific, and if you aren't sure when she was bred, this may not be the right option for you. However, even if you are sure of the date, many times the test can come out with a misleading result as the hormone is difficult to catch. Also, as I will explain here in a bit, dogs can undergo false pregnancies which can cause a test to show positive even if it's not.
After the first couple of weeks, veterinarians may be able to palpate your dogs abdomen and try to determine if they feel anything that may suspect a pregnancy, such as changes in positioning, and of course puppies in the uterus. This is also very hit or miss, as every dog is different, and even things such as diet or gas can cause changes in their bodies.
X-rays or ultrasounds are going to be your best option to determine if she is pregnant, although again, this is something that you won't be able to do until your pup is about halfway through her pregnancy. For x-rays, you need to wait until bone mineral has started to form the puppies skeletons, otherwise you may not find anything. Ultrasounds can be done a little earlier, but not by much, and they also can show things that may look like pregnancy, but are not, or may show nothing when your dog is, in fact, pregnant.
Last but not least, if you truly don't want your dog to be pregnant, and don't want her to ever be pregnant, your simplest and best option is going to be to have your dog spayed. If she were to be pregnant when they go in, they will terminate the pregnancy in a humane manner and continue spaying your dog. This is going ...
Hi there!
Here are some commonly seen signs of pregnancy:
- mammary development
- distended (enlarged) abdomen
If your dog was in heat and was in contact with an intact male dog, it's a good idea to take her to a veterinarian to check and have any questions answered. You may not see these signs until late in the pregnancy, or sometimes, not at all.
A dog's gestation period can be marked quite firmly at 63 days.