Do you have a pregnant dog? How to take care of pregnant dog? It is important to give her the special attention needed during pregnancy. You can prepare for her delivery in many ways.It’s great to have a new puppy in the world, but a dog’s pregnancy can be complex, energetic and costly. Keep reading to find out the best way to take care of pregnant dog!
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How to take care of pregnant dog?
A dog’s pregnancy is a very emotional time for both the animal and the owner. You will see his body change and you will feel the emotion building inside you; it is also a very delicate phase for which it is important to arrive prepared: to understand if a dog is pregnant , to know the nutrition of a pregnant dog and possibly to know how to cure hysterical pregnancy in dogs . In this guide we will explain how long a dog’s pregnancy lasts and how to calculate it to get you as prepared as possible.
Meanwhile, a piece of advice to start from: you will have to monitor the entire growth and gestation phase, the results of the analyzes that will be carried out and the tests to be performed. The simple and intuitive application will also be useful for weaning puppies. So it is important to take care of pregnant dog with medical precautions.
How to determine if your dog is pregnant?
Dogs don’t get a pregnancy test kit from a chemist, so they have to resort to another way to tell if they are pregnant. Diagnostic tests are the most efficient way to determine if a dog is pregnant.
Palpation
If you know when your dog was bred, your vet can start palpating the belly around the 28-30 day mark. Depending on the size of the dog, the puppy feels like a miniature golf ball or grape at this stage of pregnancy. These “balls” are liquid-filled bags that enclose the developing fetus. Palpation of the abdomen should not be done without veterinary supervision as it can harm the puppy. After a month, the timing of this test is important because the bag loses its normal structure.
Ultrasound
Alternatively, between the 25th and 35th days of pregnancy, the veterinarian can do an ultrasound. In most cases, ultrasound can identify the heartbeat of the fetus, which can predict the number of puppies the dog is carrying. The puppy’s heartbeat is 2-3 times faster than the mother’s.
Hormone test
Your veterinarian can do a blood test to check your dog’s hormone levels around 25-30 days of gestation to see if they are releasing relaxin hormone. The test is relatively accurate because relaxin is produced only during pregnancy.
X-ray
X-rays are one of the most reliable ways to determine if a dog is pregnant. Still, the puppy’s skeletal system is not visible on x-rays until 55 days or more, so this is best done after 55 days or more. By looking at the X-ray at this time, you can accurately count the number of puppies and know when the dog’s birth has ended.
Pregnancy symptoms in dogs
Diagnostic tests are the most accurate way to determine if a dog is pregnant, but it’s not the only one. You can look for indicators of dog pregnancy such as:
- Appetite promotion
- Weight gain
- The size of the nipple will increase
- Tires easier
- A bloated belly.
- More affectionate nesting behavior
- Hypersensitivity
In addition, some dogs may vomit and lose their appetite during the first few days of the week due to hormonal fluctuations. Some dogs sigh. However, they may be experiencing a fake pregnancy. Appetite, weight changes, and swelling of the abdomen can also be caused by other illnesses. Take your dog to a vet for screening to rule out more serious problems.
Take care of pregnant dog
A dog’s pregnancy lasts about 63 days (about 9 weeks). You have to take care of your pregnant dog while you wait for the big day. There are a few things to remember to take care of pregnant dog.
Nutrition take care of pregnant dog
If your dog has a proper diet, she does not need additional vitamins or supplements during pregnancy. Supplements are recommended by the veterinarian according to the specific needs of your dog.Pregnant dogs need more calories and nutrients than non-pregnant dogs. For example, puppy food is designed to stimulate growth and should be provided to them. By the end of the first semester, your dog needs about twice as many calories. She needs to stick to this diet while she is breastfeeding her puppy.
Veterinary service take care of pregnant dog
During her pregnancy, your dog will probably need to see a veterinarian several times. Ultrasonography and / or blood tests can be done within 21 days of conception to confirm pregnancy.
Your vet can take x-rays about 45 days after pregnancy to determine the number and size of puppies. It is important to note that pregnant dogs should not be vaccinated.If your dog has vaginal bleeding or secretions during pregnancy, you should see a veterinarian. If you see any signs of illness during pregnancy, take your dog to the vet immediately. What can usually be postponed for a few days can be more serious in pregnant dogs.
It is believed that if pregnant dogs are dewormed with an appropriate anthelmintic (fenbendazole) and continued for about 14 days from late pregnancy (around the 40th day of pregnancy), the number of roundworms and hookworms in newborn puppies will be significantly reduced. increase. , Allowing them to grow and reach their full potential.Contact your veterinarian about what to do in the event of an emergency near your scheduled working hours and plan with your family and dog caregivers. Regular visits to your veterinarian may help keep your dog healthy during pregnancy.
When the vet confirms your dog’s pregnancy, they assess her for physical or physiological problems that would prevent her from having a regular lullaby. This is a great opportunity to discuss whether natural childbirth or caesarean section should be discussed and booked in advance. If the veterinarian discovers that the dog is already pregnant during the test, and if the pregnancy was an accident, a good opportunity to consider future precautions such as castration to avoid further surprise garbage. is.
Take care of pregnant dog with proper exercise
Your dog can still exercise for most of the pregnancy, but she should avoid intense or stressful activities after 4 to 6 weeks. A gentle walk is the best exercise for a pregnant dog. Always contact your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns regarding your dog’s health.
Puppy preparation
As your dog’s pregnancy climax approaches, you will notice an increase in her breast and nipple size, and the presence of a milky liquid as the mammary glands mature and swell. The abdomen may swell and shake slightly while walking. You may even be able to see and feel the puppy moving around at the end of pregnancy.
There’s not much you can do for the dog you’re expecting in the months leading up to childbirth, except to make sure she keeps eating a nutritious diet. Encourage her to exercise. That way she will be in good shape for her long-prolonged childbirth.
Your dog can be restless and scratched on the ground or in bed for several days before giving birth. She plans to build a nest for the arrival of the puppy. You should give her a place where she can come and go, preferably with her puppy trapped.A paddling pool for small children or a cardboard box of a size suitable for dogs will suffice. You can fill the “nest” with a towel, blanket, or old sheet. However, giving birth is a hassle, so don’t use what you want.
If you know the date of conception, your veterinarian should be able to calculate the due date. Another option is to monitor your dog’s temperature if you think your dog is about to give birth.
The average temperature for dogs is 38.4 degrees. Just before she gives birth, her temperature drops below 37.8 degrees.If this is your first time giving birth to a dog, talk to your veterinarian about your responsibilities during childbirth and read as much as you can. Unless you have a professional breeder, you need to be ready to intervene during the support process, if necessary. It’s often a good idea to have a second person around to help keep your puppy warm and to help you if you need help.
Help
Abdominal contractions begin slowly and may gradually increase in severity and frequency. The contraction of the abdomen is sharpest during the first delivery and then pushes and cries. If you have a puppy in the canal, a water sac may come out and the first puppy should give birth within an hour.If your new mother doesn’t seem to know what to do, is tired, or is in the process of giving birth to another puppy, there are a few things you can do. If the puppy hasn’t come out yet, remove it from the membrane containing the puppy.
Each puppy is born with a placental membrane. In either case, the mother licks the puppy violently, pulls the membrane apart, and eats from time to time. The puppy can only survive for a few minutes before the oxygen supply runs out, so if she doesn’t, she needs to get rid of it.If you need to cut the umbilical cord, take a strong thread and wrap it tightly around a string about an inch away from the puppy’s body. Tie another tight loop that is a little lower than the first loop and cut the cord with clean scissors.
Try pinching the skin behind the puppy’s neck to make it cry. Moisture in the puppy’s airways can be cleaned by crying. With a small eye drop pipette, you can gently squeeze the water out of your puppy’s nose.Encourage your dog to go out after giving birth, stretch his muscles and relax. Don’t forget to give your mother some water to drink. She will have to urinate frequently. Bring her extra towels and don’t leave her alone as you may overtake her puppy while you’re outside her!
The puppy should be covered with a small towel and kept warm in the delivery box to avoid getting chilly at this point. Remove dirty towels and blankets and replace with new ones. Then feed the new mother alone to the puppy.
Complications that can occur during childbirth in dogs
- Things may go wrong during delivery. Contact your veterinarian if you have any of these symptoms.
- Your dog’s rectal temperature has dropped for almost 24 hours, but labor hasn’t started yet.
- She has serious problems if her mother feels intolerable pain or does not give birth to her first puppy two hours after the onset of contraction, especially if she passes through green secretions.
- If the dog contracts violently for an hour without giving birth, or if the mother appears exhausted, then more than two hours have passed since the puppy was born.
- Tremor and tremor are symptoms of serious complications that can endanger both mothers and puppies.
- It is common for dogs to produce a dark green or bloody liquid after the birth of the first puppy, but if this occurs before the birth of the first puppy, contact your veterinarian.