Pregnancy in dogs is very different from pregnancy in humans. the human fertility cycle occurs once every month whereas dogs experience heat only twice a year. Female dogs become capable of getting puppies when they are 4 to 6 months old for the smaller sized breeds and 12 to 24 months for the larger-sized breeds. Their fertility period lasts for only 7 to 10 days. Issues concerning menopause do not occur in dogs and a very old female dog is still capable of getting pregnant.
Dogs do not experience the kind of hormonal changes that humans do when they are pregnant. Due to this, it is impossible to test for pregnancy in dogs using a pregnancy test. Their hormonal cycle stays the same whether they are pregnant or not. This is why you need to know the signs indicating pregnancy in dogs, so that you can provide your dog with the appropriate care.
Knowing whether the dog mated is a good starting point. if you saw the dog mating, then any behavioral changes may indicate that it is pregnant. the first symptoms indicating pregnancy in dogs manifest about 10 to 14 days after the eggs have been fertilized. By this time the egg has already implanted into the uterine wall. A close look at the dog’s nipples will indicate a change in the size of the nipples. Their color will also change to a deep shade of pink. after about 20 days the fur around the nipples thins out in preparation for allowing the pups to breastfeed without any obstruction from the fur.
Another sign of pregnancy in dogs are those of morning sickness and a poor appetite. Dogs go through morning sickness just like humans. However, the frequency is lower. Due to this sickness, the dog will refuse to eat properly. after about 25 days, another sign of pregnancy in dogs is that of hearing the tiny heartbeats of the pups in the uterus. You can hear these through the use of a stethoscope.
Conspicuous signs of pregnancy in dogs can be seen a month after mating has occurred. It is now possible for you to feel the pup embryos by touching the belly of the dog. You can now tell how many pups the dog is going to have through this kind of examination.
Other signs showing pregnancy in dogs include swollen nipples, restlessness and the most obvious, a distended belly. the dog at this time also exhibits cleanliness through constant grooming of itself and sniffing around looking for a suitable place to give birth to the litter of pups. after one and a half months the pups begin moving around and their tiny kicks can be felt through the belly of the dog.
When the dog is about to give birth it will exhibit signs such as the leaking of milk from the breasts when gently squeezed. Due to the size of the pups, the dog may also lose its appetite entirely. Delivery occurs 54 to 72 days after fertilization.