Judy Taylor
We have a lot in common with our canine companions – we enjoy many of the same foods, we experience some of the same emotions, and we are both very social creatures. However, one area in which dogs differ from humans is pregnancy.
For one thing, dogs almost always give birth to more than one offspring at a time, the so-called litter of puppies. Also, dogs don’t stay pregnant nearly as long as human mothers.
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So How Long are Dogs Pregnant?
If your dog is spayed, she will not be able to breed and you don’t have to worry about your dog’s gestation cycle or gestation length. But if your dog isn’t spayed or you’re just curious, you might want to learn more about pregnancy in dogs.
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about dog pregnancy and finally get an answer to the most important question of all: how long do dogs stay pregnant? In this article, you will learn how pregnancy occurs in dogs, how to care for pregnant dogs, and how to prepare for your dog’s pregnancy.
How Long are Dogs Pregnant?
Dog gestation lasts an average of 63 days for most dogs, which is around nine weeks. The entire pregnancy can be divided into three phases, which correspond to the three months of gestation. The first month of a dog’s pregnancy
During the first stage of pregnancy, the male sperm migrate to the bitch’s uterine horns and implant themselves in the lining of the uterus around the 16th day. A few days later, around the 22nd.
As previously mentioned, in the first few weeks of this stage there are probably no major signs that your dog is pregnant. However, by the fourth week, you may experience symptoms such as morning sickness, vaginal discharge, loss of appetite, and lethargy.
The Third Month of Pregnancy
Puppies are almost fully formed by day 58 of gestation and begin to position themselves in the mother’s birth canal in the last days of gestation. At this stage, the mother is likely to become restless, pant and walk around, and lose her appetite. Body temperature also drops about 12 to 24 hours before labor begins.
It’s a good idea to prepare a whelping box for your dog to give birth to her puppies. Line a comfortable whelping box or bed with blankets or towels so your pregnant dog has a place to snuggle. If labor is imminent, she will head to this area to prepare for labor.
Once labor begins, your pregnant dog will continue to be restless and refuse to eat. She may continue to vomit and have clear vaginal discharge. Then the puppies begin to give birth. The labor itself can last anywhere from a few hours to a full day. However, they should not last longer than 24 hours. The puppies come one at a time, about every half hour, but shouldn’t take more than two hours.
Signs Your Dog is Pregnant
It is often difficult to tell when a bitch is pregnant, especially at first. You may notice a slight increase in weight, but this is not necessarily uncommon in dogs. Your dog might gain a few pounds if she’s been fed a lot of treats or if she’s been less active lately. But over time, it becomes more and more obvious that your dog is pregnant.
What Should You Feed Your Pregnant Dog?
Just like us, your pregnant dog needs quality nutrition when she is pregnant. Often the food we feed our dogs doesn’t do them justice, and this is especially the case when your dog doesn’t just eat for herself. Many conventional croquettes contain artificial flavors, inferior protein sources, and too little fiber.
The First Signs That a Dog is Pregnant
It won’t be long before you notice the first signs of pregnancy. The first is often swollen, red nipples as your dog’s body prepare to produce milk for the litter she is about to give birth to. This also happens to your dog’s nipples during the heat cycle.
The Next Signs of Pregnancy
Around the third or fourth week of pregnancy, you can start noticing the first obvious signs of pregnancy. These include lethargy, loss of appetite, and possibly vomiting — similar to the morning sickness we see in human mothers.
