A dog pregnancy calculator is an indispensable tool to help you figure out approximately when your female dog is due to deliver her litter. Just use the handy dog due date calculator below to figure out an approximate delivery date based on when she was bred. This dog pregnancy calculator also includes the dates for a leap year.
A Handy Canine Pregnancy Calculator
Dog owners often want to determine when their female dog is due after a breeding has taken place. The answer is simple; it can take a few moments to calculate if you're simply using a standard calendar.
The average dog pregnancy will result in the litter being due approximately 63 days from the date of ovulation, as that is the average gestation period for dogs. Many people mistakenly calculate from the date of the breeding, which can lead to problems with the due date accuracy. However, you can get a general idea of when your dog will deliver based on the breeding date.
Calculating Your Dog's Due Date
Input the date your dog was bred either as the full month and day (for example, September 14) or in month/date format (for example, 09/14). If you aren't completely sure, take a look at your calendar for an approximate date to put into the due date calculator. Then, click get due date on the calculator for an approximate day your dog will give birth.
Simple Calculation
Now you know how to determine your female's due date for any breeding date using this helpful calculator. Keep in mind that your dog will have several approximate due dates if you breed her on consecutive days during her heat cycle. You should be prepared for her to give birth any time during this time span.
Calculating Days Pregnant
If you have no idea when your dog's ovulation or breeding dates are, there is no calculator to tell how many days pregnant your dog is. However, your veterinarian can do an ultrasound of your dog as well as check her belly and nipples to estimate her due date. Checking for vaginal discharge can also help narrow the date down as this happens around 21 to 31 days into the pregnancy period.
If you do know the date your dog was bred, you can use this tool as a gestation calculator as well to determine which stage of pregnancy your dog is in.
Using Hormones to Determine Canine Gestation
Breeders use several ways to tell when their dog will give birth. The best method is using hormone testing, which can be done with blood draws and vaginal smears. The hormone tests can help a breeder develop a dog ovulation calculator, which then can determine when a dog will give birth from measuring progesterone levels.
Labor Indications
You will know when a dog is about to go into labor by watching for some obvious signs. Dogs will start to appear uncomfortable and restless, which usually lasts about 24 hours up until she gives birth. She may refuse to eat or eat very little.
You should also see signs of her vulva swelling up and her water will break. Her body temperature will also change from about 101 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit, up from 98 degrees. Once her labor contractions begin, she will clearly look uncomfortable and will make straining, heaving motions, and this may include panting, whining, shaking and even vomiting.
Write down your on-call veterinarian's phone number and keep it handy in case of an emergency during the labor process.
How Many Puppies Will She Have?
There's no way to determine exactly how many puppies a dog will have without an ultrasound or radiograph done by your vet. This can be administered after about 45 days into the gestation period. It's not a 100% exact method, but your veterinarian should be able to give you a very close, if not exact, number.
There's an old myth that you can predict litter size by counting your pregnant dog's nipples, but this is not true. Most dogs have eight to 10 nipples, and the average litter size is five puppies.
Caring for Your Breeding Dog
Breeding a dog is a huge responsibility and you should research canine gestation heavily before taking this on. In addition to understanding the breeding cycle, you should be aware of what a dog pregnancy looks like week by week, being aware of signs your dog needs veterinary care immediately. Knowing a breakdown of the most common dog pregnancy timeline symptoms will also make the process less stressful for you.
