How To Know If Your Dog Is Pregnant Or Fat
Forty days into a pregnancy your dog may have 20 to 55 percent more body weight than before she was pregnant.
How to know if your dog is pregnant or fat. As puppies grow inside a pregnant dog her abdomen will become enlarged. Dogs are generally pregnant for only about nine weeks or 63 days. If you suspect your dog is pregnant take her to the vet 28 30 days after the date you think she was impregnated to be sure. If you think your dog is pregnant take her to your vet.
Some dogs however give birth after 58 days others go to 68 days. The additional calories lead to fat being laid down in the abdomen which is often mistaken for a sign of pregnancy. But around the four week mark your vet may be able to palpate fancy word for using hands to feel her abdomen to try to feel for pups who at that point can range from the size of a grape to a golf ball depending. Weight gain and enlarged abdomen.
However if she has look for signs of pregnancy like her nipples becoming elongated and her belly growing. A female dog can get pregnant during her heat cycle. If your pet needs any tests your vet will let you know. This usually occurs about the time that the embryos implant themselves in the uterine wall and may be associated with a change in hormones.
Neither you nor your dog will be able to tell that she s pregnant at first. A pregnant dog should be given increased food in the final third of pregnancy but many owners tend to increase their dog s food ration too early. It s a good idea to take her for a prenatal checkup 2 or 3 weeks after she has mated. As the puppies grow your dog s abdomen will expand in size.
If you think your female dog is pregnant one sign may be that she will lose her appetite around the second and third week of pregnancy. If the dog gets fertilized by an adult male during her heat cycle she will get pregnant. Later into the pregnancy her nipples may occasionally leak milk as well. This can be one of the clearest indicators of a dog s pregnancy especially if your dog has no other reason for sudden weight gain.
At the beginning of the pregnancy during the first 2 to 3 weeks the dog may vomit and be uneasy. The heat cycle will stop so you may notice that your dog will have a shorter heat cycle than usual. If you want to confirm your pet s pregnancy take her to the veterinarian promptly. In the middle and late stages of pregnancy an enlarged abdomen is one of the most obvious signs that a dog is expecting puppies.
Your vet can answer any questions you may have such as the type of food pregnant dogs should eat and what changes you should expect.