Dog gestation: everything you need to know about dog pregnancy!
Dogs are certainly among the most common pets. In Italy, they rank fourth, preceded by fish, birds and cats. Dogs are loved for their faithful and loyal character towards their family, for the company and joy they bring to the home that welcomes them and even for their extraordinary gifts towards the little ones, especially the children, with whom they succeed. to create a unique and special bond.
If you have a female dog at home, it may happen that you decide to have her puppies in order to further enlarge the family. When getting pregnant, the dog presents various symptoms due to pregnancy and it is necessary for the owners to adopt a series of behaviors in order to monitor her gestation, to ensure that she arrives at birth in good health. In this article we will explain everything there is to know about dog pregnancy, from how long it lasts to what should be done immediately after the puppies are born.
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When can a dog get pregnant?
Female dogs begin to become fertile just a few months later than cats. In fact, the latter go into heat for the first time around 5-6 months, while dogs reach sexual maturity between 7 and 9 months. This period of time can vary depending on several factors, first of all the breed. Normally, a dog comes into heat twice a year, but there is no shortage of cases where a female dog only gets one.
In general, the bitch can remain incitement in the so-called estrus phase, which occurs when she is still losing blood. If the mating takes place during this period, then the level of possibility of having a litter within a few months is very high.
Dog pregnancy symptoms
Let's start by saying that there are no pregnancy tests for dogs like for women. To find out if your dog has already entered the gestation stage, then you need to pay attention to a series of signs in behavior and symptoms. The main ones are:
- Swelling of the nipples: one of the most obvious pregnancy symptoms. The bitch's nipples tend to get bigger and darker.
- Whiter gums: With the start of gestation, the dog's blood flows more towards the uterus and this leads to a whitening of the gums.
- Pronounced belly: this signal can be seen about 30 days after the start of gestation. It will be precisely by palpating the belly that the veterinarian will be able to understand and confirm the dog's pregnancy.
- Nausea: unlike what happens to women, female dogs do not suffer from nausea and vomiting at the beginning of gestation, but from the middle onwards, around the 30-40th day.
- Behavior changes: the alteration of behavior varies from dog to dog. There are little dogs that during pregnancy tend to become even more affectionate towards the owner, seeking his attention. Others, however, feel more tired or prefer to be alone .
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What to do if your dog is pregnant
Once the various symptoms and signs of a dog's pregnancy are understood, there is always a need for confirmation from the veterinarian. As already mentioned, there are no tests, but a specialist visit is required. The "classic" method is that of palpation. abdominal, with which, however, it is not possible to know the exact number of puppies until the 45th day of gestation, when the bones of the little ones begin to calcify. The other tests that the veterinarian can use are blood tests, radiography and ultrasound. The latter is the most recommended because it does not pose the risk of radiation and can be done between the 25th and 35th day of pregnancy.
Taking care of your pregnant dog doesn't take much. Experts especially recommend paying attention to nutrition, integrating the intake of calcium and mineral salts into regular meals. Also, the closer the delivery date approaches, the more the dog may be inappetent. It is therefore better to think about snacks throughout the day rather than the classic 2 or 3 meals a day.
Finally, from the fifth to the sixth week of gestation it is recommended to reduce physical exercise, but to always keep the daily walks. Likewise, it is advisable to wash or bathe the dog quite often in the last phase of pregnancy, so that childbirth can take place in the best hygienic conditions.
How long does the dog's gestation last?
The gestation of a dog lasts about 65 days. This data, however, can vary depending on various factors. For example, the length of canine pregnancy can affect the size of the animal, the breed, the number of pregnancies already had. and even a genetic trait. In fact, it has been noted that the gestation time of a dog is very similar to that found by the mother and even by the grandmother.
Given the amount of factors that come into play, a dog's pregnancy is said to last anywhere from 58 to 70 days. The length of this period also becomes greater depending on the number of puppies in the womb.
Before giving birth: when are puppies about to be born?
When the day of delivery approaches, female dogs tend to isolate themselves further, to seek secluded and calm places, where they can rest as much as possible. Usually it is advisable to arrange a comfortable kennel or mattress to be comfortable during the time of birth, but it may happen that he prefers another place. Remember that the bitch could begin to "groom" and fix the kennel, smelling it and touching it with its muzzle and paws. It is her way of making it clear that she is preparing the bed that will welcome her puppies.
In addition, in the days preceding the birth, the dog begins to produce milk and may have dark discharge, completely normal in the last phase of pregnancy. The behavior of the expectant mother can appear decidedly irritated and nervous and, when it is found, a drop in body temperature of at least 1 ° C means that the birth of the puppies is imminent.
The time of delivery
The birth of the dog is divided into three phases and the duration can vary depending on the case and how many puppies there are in the womb.
- Relaxation of the uterus: the phase of greatest tension for the bitch, which can be up to 24 hours.
- Ejection of puppies: it is normal for the dog to start licking her genitals at this time. After the contractions, the puppies are expelled and released from the umbilical cord directly by the mother.
- Expulsion of the placenta: Similarly, each puppy is expelled along with the placenta. Here too, the dog "takes care" of it. In fact, female dogs free the young from the placenta by eating it. By doing so, it will allow the puppies to breathe better and will take care of them by licking and cleaning them of any residue.
Normally, a litter is composed of 5 or 6 pups and they spend at least 20 minutes between the expulsion of one puppy compared to the other. For this, the birth can last from 2 to 6 hours, not counting any complications. In fact, especially in the case of large litters, the dog can rest at regular intervals, starting to take care of the little ones already born.
What needs to be done next?
As happens at the time of birth, if there are no complications, even in the hours and days following the birth of the puppies, not much needs to be done. In fact, female dogs are usually quite independent in handling their young. It is important, however, to make sure that your dog takes care of it. This is because mother's milk is not only the only source of sustenance for puppies, but it is also rich in colostrum, a fundamental substance to make them immune to various diseases.
In any case, it is always recommended to have the new mother and the newborns examined by the vet within 24 hours of giving birth to verify that they are all in good health.
