Your Pregnant Dog: The Basics

If your dog is pregnant or you think she might be, there are a few important bits of information that are good to know about dog pregnancy. This information will help you diagnose a pregnant dog, guide your dog through her pregnancy and take care of your dog, and her puppies, once they are born.

There are many signs to look for in a pregnant dog, including the absence of an estrus or a menstruation in your dog. This is perhaps the first sign that your dog is pregnant. If you are unsure of when your dog was last in heat, or had an estrus cycle, there are other signs to look for. Your dog will begin to sleep more, eat more and urinate more. As the pregnancy progresses your dogs belly and nipples will also begin to grow.

The normal length of a canine pregnancy is 59-63 days. Your vet can diagnose a pregnancy at about 4 weeks by doing a belly palpitation. Abdominal x-rays can be taken at 45-50 days of gestation to determine exactly how many puppies your dog is carrying. Litter size for your dog depends on her breed and that of her suitor. Larger dogs will typically have more puppies then the smaller dogs. If you are unsure of her suitor's size, you may want to opt for an abdominal x-ray.

The diet for a pregnant dog should be either a high quality or a puppy diet to meet the needs of both mom and her puppies. Feed your dog more frequently at the end of the pregnancy to compensate for the enlarged uterus. Dogs do not need extra calcium, or vitamins A and D, when they are pregnant; in fact, giving calcium to your dog can be very dangerous. However, calcium may be given after delivery.

Once pregnancy is diagnosed you should make a place for your dog to give birth, commonly called a whelping box. The whelping box should be away from heavy house traffic to give her some privacy. About a week before your dog gives birth, have her stay in the whelping box to get acquainted with it. After birth your dog will want to stay in a nice quiet place for a few days, hence the whelping box; it's also a great place to keep your dog and her puppies after the birth.

Once the projected date for the puppies' birth is near, you can take your dog's rectal temperature daily during the last week of pregnancy. A drop in temperature signals the beginnings of labor. Normal rectal is 100-102.5 F; when your dog is in labor it can drop to 98 F. Roughly a week before she gives birth, your dog may expel a clear mucus discharge as the mucus plug breaks down, another indication that labor is imminent. If you notice any blood, or green or black discharge, contact your vet immediately.

During the first stage of canine labor, your dog may appear restless and begin to pant. Vomiting and not eating are also common signs that labor is imminent. Some dogs also exhibit nesting behavior when in labor such as digging or tearing up papers. These behaviors, all signs the first stage of labor has begun, can last anywhere from 6-24 hours and may not be recognizable to the dog owner.

The second stage of canine labor is birthing each puppy. The third stage of dog labor is the passing of the placenta and afterbirth. Stages two and three of labor alternate until all puppies have been born. Puppies are born about 45-60 minutes apart with your dog typically straining for about 10-30 minutes for each puppy. Dogs should not rest between puppies for more than 4 hours. These stages can go on for many hours with your dog resting in between to clean the puppies off.

If you are present when the puppies are born, check each one to make sure they are OK. Puppies are sometimes born still in the membrane sac; the sac needs to be removed as soon as possible to prevent suffocation. Let the mother attempt this first within a few seconds of birth; if she cannot or does not remove it, you can remove the sac with your fingers and rub the puppy to stimulate breathing. Dogs will have a brown to reddish discharge for about 6 weeks after birth. Consult a vet if your dog is lethargic or does not attend to one or more of her puppies.

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