Pregnant Dog Symptoms

If you’re planning for a pregnancy within your extended family or if you just want to know if your dog’s pregnant, then this is the right place to be. Before you get too excited about possible pregnancy it’s a good idea to learn how to spot pregnant dog symptoms.

A dog can only get pregnant if she has mated during heat. This means if your dog was not on heat at the time of possible conception you should not expect your dog to get pregnant. Pregnancy normally lasts around 63 days although this time can vary by a few days either way.

 The different pregnant dog symptoms can change throughout the term of the pregnancy so it can initially be a struggle to diagnose. The primary stages of pregnancy have four parts to note. These include a decrease of energy, a lack of appetite caused by a canine version of morning sickness, growth under the nipples in preparation for milk production and of course general behavioural changes. Behavioural changes can be difficult to spot as the dog may wish to be left alone during a pregnancy or may wish to extract as much affection from her owner as possible. Depending on her behaviour prior to pregnancy you may not notice the change at all.

As the pregnancy continues, you should expect your dog’s appetite to increase somewhat and of course, providing it is a healthy pregnancy, your dog should start gaining some weight about a month in.

Dramatic changes in pregnant dog symptoms occur during the last couple of weeks of the term. You should definitely notice a sizeable increase in the abdomen of your dog a sure sign of puppies inside. The size of this bump can vary depending on the breed and size of the dog however a good indicator is that it will be firmer to the touch then previously. You may even feel and see movement within the bump! It’s a very exciting time as the due date gets nearer but if your dog is requesting solitude during pregnancy respect her wishes and try not to disturb her too much.

You may notice a little milk excretion in the last few days of pregnancy as milk production is in full swing, awaiting the arrival of the thirsty pups.

It’s a good idea to prepare an area for delivering the pups before hand as otherwise your dog will have to find the best available spot at the time. This can mean your bed or couch and this will be a messy business. About two days prior to labour your dog will prepare her ‘nesting ground’ by rearranging blankets and pieces of newspaper accordingly.

If you think your dog is pregnant you should consult your vet first before jumping to conclusions. Your vet will be able to help you ascertain if it’s pregnant dog symptoms or something else and will give you advice on how to prepare, help and support your dog for the duration of the pregnancy.