About Dogs and Pregnancy

From LoveToKnow Dogs

Questions About Dogs and Pregnancy

Change in Pregnant Dog's Abdomen

Hi,

Visla in wicker bed

I think Maltese/Shih Tzu mix is approximately 39 days pregnant. She was bred four times- twice before and twice after ovulation. Her teats have gotten bigger and darker, and her belly has also gotten quite big.

Last night after eating, her tummy was rock hard and she just wanted to sleep. However, this morning her tummy is not quite as big and it is very soft. Why has this happened? Is this normal?

Expert Reply

Hi Matthew,

There's a chance that the pups have adjusted their position and this could account for the change in the size and feel of your bitch's abdomen. At 39 days, there's still enough room to do this. There's also a chance that she was just bloated after dinner and the situation has resolved itself.

As long as she isn't having abnormal discharge or showing any other signs of not feeling well, you can go on as normal. However, if she begins to act sick or you just sense there's something not quite right about her, don't hesitate to ask your vet to take a look. He/She can check on the pups by ultrasound and hopefully set your mind at rest.

Thanks for your question, I hope you wind up with a lovely litter.

~~ Kelly

Dog Pregnancy, False Pregnancy or Something Else?

We have three female dogs in the home. We recently noticed that our eight-year-old dog had enlarged nipples and was wanting to be left alone. She has become quite mean to our younger dog and growls every time she comes near her. Her belly also has grown a bit, but we do not believe that she was around any males. She had her heat cycle a little over a month ago. What could this be if not a pregnancy? Please help.

~~ Jackie

Expert Reply

Hi Jackie,

Unless you can absolutely rule out the possibility that your bitch wasn't exposed to a male while she went outside, we can't rule out a pregnancy. However, a large cyst on her ovary could produce similar symptoms, and is often mistaken for a pregnancy. This would also account for her change in temperament, as she might be in a bit of pain.

That said, I believe that your safest choice would be to ask your vet to examine your bitch. An ultrasound would allow your vet to see any developing embryos. In the event there are truly no pups, it might also reveal a cyst or other abnormalities that might be occurring. From here, your vet can determine the best course of treatment.

Thanks for your question, and let us know how things turn out.

~~ Kelly

How to Care for Pregnant Dog

I have an eight-year-old Miniature Schnauzer, and I think she's pregnant. It was an accident, but I think the father dog is a lot bigger than she is. I'd like to know what problems this may cause, and if there is anything special I should do for her? Please help as soon as possible because I think she has only got about three weeks to go. I never actually saw them mating, but she has put on weight and changed her behavior.

~~ Joanna Chisholm

Expert Reply

Hi Joanna,

There is a strong possibility that your dog is pregnant. A determined male will get the job done no matter what his size. Here's what I recommend at this point.

  • Continue to feed your bitch very well, and supplement her diet with some cottage cheese for added calcium.
  • Take your bitch to the vet and ask for an ultrasound. This will reveal how many pups, if any, their position and their current head size. Using this info, your vet can calculate how large those heads are likely to be in another week or two. This will help determine if your bitch will need a C-section to deliver her litter.

C-sections are quite common these days, and most bitches come through them just fine. They are even still able to nurse the puppies, so I don't want you too worry to much if this turns out to be the case.

Thanks for your questions, and I hope these suggestions bring you peace of mind. Let us know how things turn out.

~~ Kelly

Retrieved from "http://dogs.lovetoknow.com/wiki/About_Dogs_and_Pregnancy"

 


Comments

Hi Melissa,

I did some research, but I haven't found any information that links Revolution to lowered fertility. Were the two females who had single pup litters bred to the same stud? If so, perhaps the male's fertility is the cause behind the smaller litters. As for your female that hasn't come into heat for almost a year since her litter was born, you might want to wait another month before asking your vet to examine her. That would make it a full year, and vets usually tell you to wait that long anyway before they begin investigating fertility issues in females.

Certainly there seems to be something going on here, so I recommend have the stud's sperm count checked first because that is the easiest thing to do. If he turns out to have good fertility, you'll want to see the size of the litters on your females' next breedings to determine whether this is a consistent problem.

Thanks for your question. :)

-- Contributed by: Kelly

Hello, I raise toy/minature australian shepherds. I have had some trouble in the last few months. Two of my females just had pups and only had one pup each. One of them, it was her first time but the other one has always had litters of 4-6 pups. I have another female that had pups last nov 3 and she has not come in. The only thing that I have changed this year was that I went from feeding Purina One Lamb & Rice to feeding the Purina One Chicken. I did this because I had two dogs that had allergies and the chicken based dog food really helped them. After these two small litters I have changed back to a lamb based the Iams with prebiotics. But of course it will be a year until I breed them again to find out. I was also wondering I use the Heartworm preventative Revolution, if that would cause any problems, they have all been on that for about 3 years tho. Thanks for your time. They are all healthy well cared for and are not kennel dogs. They are house pets.

-- Contributed by: Melissa Berry

Hi Samantha,

I'm not sure that you're going to have any puppies. Given the breeding date, your dog's 63rd day would have been around May 16. However, some dogs do go closer to 70 days, so there may still be a glimmer of hope. As for those heartbeats you thought you heard, it's really not possible to differentiate them from other sounds from the mom's internal organs. This could just be a false pregnancy, or your dog might have absorbed her embryos at some point. All things considered, it would probably be worth it to have a talk with your vet about the situation and have him/her examine your dog to figure out exactly what's going on.

Thanks for your question, and I hope things turn out for the best.

-- Contributed by: Kelly
> See All Comments on this article    


Comment on About Dogs and Pregnancy



(Displayed with your comment)                        (Will not be displayed)
Verification Code:   
    

Dogs Categories
LoveToKnow Tools
More Articles