Mary Allen
We have a lot in common with our canine companions: we like many of the same foods, have comparable emotions, and are both very social animals. However, there is one area where dogs and humans differ significantly: pregnancy. For one thing, dogs usually have multiple puppies at a time, which is referred to as a litter of puppies. Also, dogs don’t stay pregnant nearly as long as human mothers.
SO HOW LONG DO DOGS STAY PREGNANT?
Your bitch will not be able to breed once she is spayed and you do not have to worry about her gestation cycle or gestation length. However, if your pooch isn’t spayed yet, or you’re just curious about it, you should learn more about canine pregnancy. Give your dog the best possible food. Learn more about Wild Earth’s plant-based dog food that’s packed with superfoods.
Here’s everything you need to know about dog pregnancy, and then we’ll tackle the most important question of all: how long do dogs stay pregnant?
When dogs get pregnant, how long do they stay pregnant?
For most dogs, the gestation period is 63 days, which is around nine weeks. The entire pregnancy can be divided into three phases, each corresponding to one of the three months.
THE FIRST MONTH OF A BITCH’S PREGNANCY
During the first phase of pregnancy, male sperm migrate to the bitch’s uterine horns, where they implant in the lining of the uterus around the 16th day. nest in the lining of the uterus. The fetuses themselves take a few days later, around day 22.
As mentioned earlier, for the first few weeks of this stage there will most likely be no obvious signs that your dog is pregnant. However, by the fourth week, you may experience morning sickness, vaginal discharge, loss of appetite, and sluggish behavior.
THE SECOND MONTH OF PREGNANCY IS A BITCH
In the second month, the fetuses are developing rapidly. Between the 45th and 50th days of pregnancy, the puppies have a skeleton, claws, and a coat. The pregnant bitch starts looking for a nesting place to give birth to her puppies a few days later.
During this month you will notice signs of pregnancy in your bitch, e.g. e.g.:
- weight gain and increased appetite
- More frequent urination.
- A bloated stomach
- Discharge from the cervix
- behavioral changes, such as B. an increase in attachment or a withdrawal from touch
THE THIRD MONTH OF A BITCH’S PREGNANCY
By day 58 of gestation, the puppies are almost fully developed and are beginning to move into the birthing position in the mother’s birth canal. At this point, the mother is likely to become restless, pant, be restless, and lose her appetite. Body temperature drops 12-24 hours before birth.
Prepare a whelping box for your bitch’s puppies. Fill a cozy box or bed with quilts, blankets, or towels for your pregnant dog. This is where she will prepare for the birth when the time comes.
During labor, your pregnant dog will be restless and refuse to eat. Vomiting and clear vaginal discharge may occur. Then the puppies start to come. Labor can last anywhere from a few hours to a day. However, they should not last longer than 24 hours. The puppies come one after the other, about every half hour, but no longer than two hours.
SIGNS THAT YOUR DOG IS PREGNANT
There are many signs that your dog is pregnant, some of which are easier to spot than others. Since the usual gestation period for dogs is 63 days, if you don’t see the early signs of pregnancy, you won’t have much time to prepare.
We want to make sure you are as prepared as possible. That’s why we’ve outlined the four simplest techniques for detecting early signs of pregnancy in dogs.
An unexpected change in appetite
A sudden change in your dog’s appetite is one of the first and most typical signs that he is pregnant. Morning sickness affects dogs the same way it affects humans and can prevent them from eating during the first few weeks of pregnancy. In some dogs, the opposite is true: their appetites increase almost immediately after pregnancy.
Lack of energy
It is typical for dogs that their energy levels drop drastically during pregnancy. Pregnancy is stressful and hormones can change drastically as a result, causing your dog to show signs of lethargy.
Personality
One of the first signs of pregnancy to expect is behavioral changes. Your dog’s body is going through significant changes that will affect her behavior as well. Some dogs will become overly clingy and friendly and will stay by your side and be sad when you leave, while others behave very differently, becoming irritable and trying to avoid close contact. Such abrupt changes in behavior may indicate that your dog is pregnant.
Changes in the nipples
Changes in your dog’s nipples, becoming more swollen is one of the most visible signs that she is pregnant. Another telltale sign is a color change, in which the nipples darken, especially those closest to the hind legs.