Do you know the signs of a pregnancy dog? If you do, it will help you preparing your dog before she is having puppies. Here are important tips to take care of your dog before having puppies. And hopefully it will get you more prepared and give better treatment for your dog. And for you to get more insight regarding dog’s related to this article, then this link 7 Ways you need to know of how to Take Care a Pregnant dog can be useful.
1. Signs of Pregnancy
When you are breeding dogs, you might know when your dogs start pregnant. Otherwise, they can be very discreet about their mating and you wouldn’t know about their condition until and unless their belly starting to have a bump.
Here are some pregnancy signs you can learn. First of all, there will be discharge from her vulva which happens around one month after mating. Depending on the breed and size of the dog, the belly may also show the signs of pregnancy but it’s not noticeable until a few weeks before her delivery. The dog will start to gain weight after about 5 weeks pregnant. Depending on the number of puppies she is carrying, she might gain 15-25% of her normal body weight.
For your information, the pregnancy period varies between 59 – 65 days. The time of mating may not exactly the same as ovulation. Therefore, the time between mating and delivery can vary between 56 – 72 days.
Then, during the second half of pregnancy, the bitch will have increased appetite. And after 40 days, her mammary glands will enlarge as they fill with milk.
Some dogs are having morning sickness too and there are some changes in their behavior. It happens due to hormonal change and the mothering nature all mammals experience. They might become more passive and don’t want to eat their regular food. If they lose their appetite, please beware that it might also showing complications during their pregnancy. Not only complication, it can also become the sign of depression, so it is better to consult with the vet regarding their changes.
2. Caring during Pregnancy
During the pregnancy, it is very important that you make sure that your dog is fed with health and nutritious food. Give her dog premium adult food which is complex and high in protein, fat and minerals. Pregnant dog will eat more than usual. It is around one and a half times more than her regular meal, so it is necessary to order more food for her. If you are not sure what to give her, you can get recommendation from your vet or from your pet store. Remember to feed your dog frequently but in smaller amount. This is better especially if she is experiencing morning sickness.
In her 5 – 6 weeks of pregnancy, there will be food increase around 30-50% more than her regular meas. If you feed her with high protein and good quality food, supplement won’t be needed. When caring for your pregnant dog, bear in mind the problems that might occur during the period, which are obesity and blood sugar. Both illnesses are dangerous for your dog and the unborn puppies. It is recommended to always consult with your vet.
3. Exercise for the pregnant dog
Though she is pregnant, she still need her routine exercise. However, do not do it intensely. Make this session as the time for her to relax and to enjoy. Do not stress her by forcing her doing hard train. Just like pregnant human moms, a pregnancy in dogs should be in calmness state. During her pregnancy period, do not over-stimulate your dog, but don’t let her become lethargic either. Play with her and shower her with your attention. This will make her more relax.
And there are another tips on doing some exercise with your dog. Please click on the link : popular tips to keep your dog happy playing indoors
For the last three weeks of pregnancy, separate the pregnant dogs from other dogs and animals. It is important to prevent her from contracting any parasite and illnesses which can cause her and her puppies’ health. And change her outdoor walks into indoor exercise.
4. Treatment for the pregnant dog
Some treatments for your pregnant dog cannot be done at home without consulting your vet. There are including a vaccination such as flea, worm and parasite. Not only that, there are some medications need to be avoided to protect the unborn puppies.
To prevent your newborn puppies exposed to parasites at birth, there are several roundworm and hookworm treatments which are very important to take. However, not all treatments are safe. Recently, only Capstar and Revolution flea treatments which can be applied during pregnancy in dogs. For heartworm treatments, these treatments are safe for your dog. And other treatments which are fine to have are continuing heartworm prevention medication.
To have vaccinations before her pregnancy will be a better option so she will have high level of antibodies to pass onto her puppies during lactation.
5. Preparing for her delivery
In her last weeks of pregnancy, she may become very closed to you. Some of pregnant dogs do not want to whelp until they are with their owner. So be cautious about going out for long time like holiday. Your dog might be seeking a quiet and safe place to whelp her puppies. Having a sturdy whelping box is very good to welcome your new members of the family. A big box where your dog and her pups comfortable to move around is a perfect for them. Place the box in secluded are. Don’t forget to spread newspaper at the bottom to absorb the fluids during the birth.
Before her birth, your dog will become a bit restless. She may rustle through newspaper. She might also have caught carrying your clothes to her whelping box. This is very natural as her instinct prepares her for nesting or whelping. Keep her in secluded are and make sure the place is secure and peaceful for her. Keep the lights low and prevent visitors from her area. Don’t do unnecessary things which might upset her. Make everything as normal as usual. It’s not the time to make changes in her surroundings.
To help you preparing her delivery, make sure you have the list of needed goods. For example, you will need newspaper to line the whelping box for easy clean up during the delivery. You will also need clean and soft towel for her comfortable bedding after delivery done. Once the puppies are all delivered, you will need to clean the puppies with dry and clean towels. You might also need paper towel for cleaning up the area. Unwaxed dental floss and clean scissors might be needed to tie off and to cut puppies’ umbilical cords. After cutting the umbilical cords, dab Iodine at the end of it. And clean pup’s belly with iodine too.
Here is a good link to learn how to take care of your puppy 6 Easiest ways of caring puppy at home for beginners
6. Labor Complications
Sometimes there are complications happen. Most dogs are having smooth deliveries, but if things go wrong, you should know the signs to seek help. If your dog is having a severe discomfort; more than 2 hours pass between deliveries; strong contractions more than 45 minutes without birth; shivering, collapsing, and trembling; and if there are dark green or bloody fluid before first puppy you might call your vet to ask his assistance.
So, with the help of Important tips to take care of your dog before having puppies, it is not hard to understand what your dog need during her pregnancy, isn’t it? Well, your hard work will be paid off with the coming healthy and cute puppies. And this joyful experience worth celebration.
I would suggest you to open this link which can be related to the topic in this article. I believe it is very helpful to gain more knowledge about your dog. Here it is, 7 Ways you need to know of how to Take Care a Pregnant dog