First Symptoms Of Pregnancy In Dogs
Dogs have higher levels of a hormone called relaxin when they re pregnant.
First symptoms of pregnancy in dogs. Because the pregnancy term is so short it can be easy for owners to miss some of the early signs of pregnancy. If you are hoping for a litter of puppies you need to be aware of how long a dog pregnancy takes. A dog may not show any signs of pregnancy in the first 2 3 weeks which is the first third of the pregnancy. Usually a dog pregnancy will last around 63 days.
Like humans future mother dogs can experience some morning sickness during early pregnancy. When this happens it s known as a false pregnancy and it s been known to fool even very experienced breeders into thinking a litter of pups is on the way. Week 2 days 8 14. Early signs and symptoms of pregnancy in the early weeks of your dog s pregnancy she will likely have a reduced appetite and may experience some morning sickness.
It usually lasts 1 2 weeks. And that can cause other symptoms that include. Pregnant female dogs absolutely do suffer from morning sickness like people do however not until approximately day 21 after being mated. Early signs symptoms of dog pregnancy.
Continued other early symptoms of pregnancy. Before we dive into the signs of pregnancy it is important to bear in mind that a female dog s gestation period is only about two months and most dogs are pregnant from between 58 and 66 days. Ultrasound is safe during pregnancy. She will start to gain weight from around day 35 of her pregnancy which will gradually increase by up to 50 above normal.
It uses sound waves to create an image of your dog s womb. Similar to our morning sickness your dog may vomit a little in the early stages of pregnancy. Her appetite should remain normal. Pregnancy brings changes in your hormonal balance.
The vet may give your dog a blood test to check her hormone levels. During the first week of of your dog s pregnancy you are unlikely to observe any obvious symptoms of pregnancy as gestation has only just begun in the dog s uterus. At this stage the female sex cells continue to divide and as in the previous week you will not observe any physical changes. During your visit your vet can use ultrasound to see the growing puppies as early as 3 weeks in.
They may be subject to appetite loss during the first weeks for this reason and eat very little until the 3rd or 4th week of term up to the point where they will get over nausea and start to eat increasingly until the puppies are born. If this continues or you have any concerns speak to your vet.