How to Know If a Dog Is Pregnant

If you are a first time caregiver, you may not detect the first signs that something is wrong with your pet. She has a strange behavior, she does not eat, and she is more sticky than usual. Watch out. This may be a sign that your dog is pregnant. Keep in mind that a dog’s pregnancy is an important cover for her, but it is also very delicate and needs a series of care.

Obviously, if your dog is sterilized, she will not be able to father offspring. However, sometimes dogs go through fake pregnancies that mimic real ones. This state is known by other names such as pseudo-pregnancy, false pregnancy, psychological pregnancy or false pregnancy. It is not a disease, but something natural that can sometimes happen to your dog. It can occur one or two months after heat and on very rare occasions could cause a health problem.

So that you can detect whether or not your pet is pregnant, we are going to give you a series of indications with which you yourself will be able to observe those signs that will help you know if your dog is expecting puppies or not. However, if you want to clear up doubts or have suspicions, it is recommended to go to the veterinarian. Remember that if she is indeed pregnant, she will need a series of care.

What do you need to know if a dog is pregnant?

• Observe your dog a lot.
• Follow the instructions given below.
• If you are pregnant, go to the vet to carry out the relevant tests (ultrasounds, X-rays…).

Instructions to know if a dog is pregnant

1. Pay special attention to the pet’s eating habits. If her appetite decreases or she does not show much interest in her favorite food, this could be an indication that the dog is pregnant. It is convenient that you take it to the vet to check it because it can be an indication of pregnancy or some health problem of your pet.
2. You can have nausea just like a woman.
3. Check for vaginal discharge, which is a common sign of pregnancy. You will notice that it will be a light pink color; it is because it is preparing to house its puppies inside.
4. As happens in pregnant women, the dog will also change its physical appearance. She is preparing her body for her to hold her offspring later. Normally, these exchange rates occur:
   • Check if his stomach has started to grow. Although it will not be evident until the fourth week of gestation.
   • See if she has swollen nipples. That bulge isn’t very big at first, so it may go unnoticed if you don’t look closely.
   • The nipples begin to take on a stronger pinkish color than normal and also a little more bulky. The nipples often swell in preparation for nursing future offspring.
5. As the weeks go by, your pet will gain weight. Because even if he doesn’t eat at first, this behavior will change and he will start eating twice as much.
6. Look for behavioral changes. With pregnancy, the animal will become lazy, it will no longer feel like running or playing as it did until now. You will notice that she is more exhausted, fatigued or listless; she sleeps more hours than usual. This is mainly due to the hormonal changes you are experiencing. It is advisable to go to the veterinarian so that your pet can be checked to make sure that the pregnancy is correct, and if it is not because it is pregnant, the specialist will be able to carry out the necessary tests to determine the cause of the animal’s behavior.
7. A pregnant female may become more affectionate than normal. She sticks closer to you, she wants you to pet her constantly… However, there have been cases where the exact opposite happens, that the animal becomes surlier and doesn’t even want you to touch her. It will depend on the trust he has with you. This may be another indication that she is expecting puppies.
8. Control your pet’s belly. When the pregnancy is more advanced, at about a month, you can feel its belly and feel the puppies. Keep in mind that with so many changes in its body and its character, due to its gestational state, it may be the case that your pet refuses to be touched on the belly.
9. When you take her out to the park she always used to get together with other dogs, that is, socialize. Now, instead, she moves away from the rest of the dogs, as if she wanted to be alone. That is because pregnant dogs seek tranquility and that is why some prefer to be alone.
10. Another sign of her pregnancy is that she will begin to make a “nest” where she will give birth to her young and nurse them.
11. If you have followed these instructions, but are still not sure if she is pregnant or not, you should take your dog to the vet as soon as possible. Apathy and lack of hunger can be a sign of other diseases that the animal may have at that time.
12. Take him to the check-ups indicated by the vet to avoid problems during delivery.
13. Finally, don’t forget that her diet will change once you confirm that she is pregnant and, above all, give your pet a lot of love.
14. Watch and analyze your dog’s postures and with these you will also know how to identify the moment when she will start to be pregnant.

Tips to know if a dog is pregnant

• Sometimes, after a few weeks, the pet returns to eating with appetite to recover what it lost during the first days.
• A few days before delivery, milk will begin to flow from the nipples. This is a warning that there is little left for her to give birth.
• During pregnancy, the dog’s body temperature could rise. This is something normal as a result of pregnancy and also an indication that she is going to give birth very soon.
• Sometimes a pregnancy is difficult to detect. To definitely make sure if she is pregnant or not, we can take the dog to the vet. A simple blood test and ultrasound will give the answer.
• During pregnancy, it is recommended that the mother-to-be be fed with feed specially prepared for pregnant women. The vet will tell you that you have to vary her diet de Ella since now she has to feed herself and the little ones that she carries in her womb de Ella. That is why she will provide you with food supplements (vitamins, minerals) that you have to give to the dog.
• The duration of the gestation pregnancy is usually around two months and one week, although sometimes it may last a few days less or more. The number of days of pregnancy is the same for all races. Specifically, it usually ranges between 58 and 67 days, although the average duration is 63 days. Keep in mind that small breed dogs generally have a slightly longer gestation period than larger breed dogs.
• Remember that during the time that she is pregnant, she will need to be in a quiet environment and you can even assign her a room to herself. The goal is for her to feel comfortable and safe.
• Veterinarians recommend performing at least two ultrasounds during pregnancy. The tests they normally do are: ultrasound at the third week to see if everything is going correctly, auscultation at one month to listen to the heartbeat of the pups, x-rays to detect where the pups are placed and palpations in the abdomen.
• As a last piece of advice, think about whether you are going to want to keep the pups or not. In case you do not want to keep them, look for owners who want to adopt a dog and thus avoid an increase in the rate of abandoned dogs, euthanized or in protection centers.