My Friendly Pets

What an exciting time? Your dog is pregnant!!! Whether your dog was intentionally bred(you should already know a lot of this information) or an accident that happened it is necessary for you to know what is happening to your dog and how to make this the best experience possible for your pet.

The normal gestation period for dogs is about 63 days, but the dogs can usually deliver the puppies anywhere between 58 and 68 days. Unfortunately, there are no urine stick tests or blood tests to detect if a dog is pregnant. The earliest diagnosis can usually be made by a veterinarian 26 to 35 days after breeding when the doctor can feel the pregnancy (puppies) in the dog’s abdomen. X-rays can also detect the pregnancy with various levels of accuracy depending on when in the gestation period the x-rays are taken.

So what will your dog look like when she is pregnant. Well, for the first five weeks or so, you might not even notice a difference in her appearance. After the 5th week, if the dog is pregnant with a large litter, you may notice a weight gain. The mammary glands may begin to grow around the 35th day, but will definitely be prominent after the 45th day, as the Mom is getting ready to be the main source of nourishment for her pups.

Pregnancy can be a trying time emotionally for humans and the same is true for dogs. You might notice that your pregnant pup seems a bit more restless; she may seek seclusion and withing the last couple of weeks prepare her “nest” by shredding papers, blankets or bedding. Some dogs become quite irritable the last couple of weeks of their pregnancy and it is best that they are not around children which can be disruptive and even more annoying to the dog at this delicate time.

It is very important that your dog eat well during her pregnancy. It is recommended that during the first 4 weeks of the dog’s pregnancy, their nutrition needs will be fairly close to what they were prior to the pregnancy. However giving the dog small amounts of high protien supplements, such as lean meat, eggs, or liver (no pork) can be very beneficial for the dog. There should always be fresh water available as the fluid needs of your dog will increase. And the recommendation for feeding after the birth of the puppies is puppy food for the Mom until after the pups are weaned. Puppy food is high in protien and the Mom needs that to keep her strong and lactating.

We’ll talk more about the birth of the pups in tomorrow’s entry.

For those of you like me, who miss some of the American Idol episodes, catch up with fellow blogger, Reed Dunn and his blog about the hit show.