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This article was co-written by Kateryna Zabashta. Kateryna Zabashta is an expert breeder and owner of Emma’s Frenchies in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over five years of experience, Kateryna specializes in dog nutrition, general care and French Bulldog breeding.
There are 8 references cited in this article that you can see at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 3,019 times.
If your female dog mates with a male dog and both have not been neutered, there is a high chance that she will become pregnant. However, not every mating dog will get pregnant, especially if the mating time does not coincide with ovulation. So, if your bitch has mated, how do you determine if she is pregnant or not? Here are ways to determine if a dog is in heat or pregnant.
Steps
Determine when the bitch is in heat
- The duration of estrus varies for each individual, with an average of about 18 days. Dogs are usually in heat at 6-24 months of age. [2] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source
- Read the following steps to identify signs of heat.
- Vaginal enlargement, swelling: The outside of the dog’s vagina will swell for about 4 weeks, from a short time before estrus until the end of the period.
- Vaginal discharge: In the first 7-10 days of heat, bitches may bleed. You should spread a white towel over the dog’s bed and check for blood spots. If your dog is careful, it will lick the blood off on its own and the spot will not be obvious. The discharge will decrease around 7 days between estrus (this is the time when the dog is ovulating and likely to become pregnant) and will increase again in the last 7-10 days. [4] X Research Source <i>Reproduction in the Dog and Cat.</i> IJ Christiansen. Publisher: Bailliere Tindall.
- In addition to these changes, your dog must stay healthy. If she is sluggish, anorexic, vomiting or drinking a lot of water, you must contact the veterinarian immediately. Uterine problems (such as a purulent uterus) also cause estrus-like symptoms in rare cases and can be life-threatening if left untreated. [5] X Research Source <i>Reproduction in the Dog and Cat.</i> IJ Christiansen. Publisher: Bailliere Tindall.
Consider the possibility that the dog is pregnant
- The exception is a dog that has just been spayed – less than 4 weeks into the mating act. In theory, during this time sperm remains in the duct and will be released during mating. Although this risk is small, it cannot be ruled out. [6] X Research Source <i>Small Animal Surgery.</i> Fossum. Publisher: Mosby. 4th edition.
- If a bitch has mated and hasn’t finished her heat, it’s still too early to tell if she’s pregnant. [8] X Research Source <i>Reproduction in the Dog and Cat.</i> IJ Christiansen. Publisher: Bailliere Tindall.
Conspicuous signs of pregnancy
- Pregnant dogs will not produce milk until near the end of the pregnancy (or sometimes after birth).
- Note that you still need to bring your dog in for a antenatal check-up to confirm. Pink nipples during 4 or several weeks after mating are a suspicious (but inconclusive) sign of pregnancy. [12] X Research Source <i>Reproduction in the Dog and Cat.</i> IJ Christiansen. Publisher: Bailliere Tindall.
- Your dog doesn’t need any extra calories until the third trimester (after 40 days). If you suspect the dog is pregnant and increase the meal calories, the dog may gain weight, but it’s likely just fat, not necessarily a puppy. [13] X Research Source <i>Reproduction in the Dog and Cat.</i> IJ Christiansen. Publisher: Bailliere Tindall.
- Symptoms of uterine effusion can be similar to those of pregnancy because the dog’s belly will enlarge and the dog will become lethargic. However, uterine pus also causes anorexia and frequent thirst. If your dog has these symptoms, call your doctor right away. [15] X Research Resources <i>Small Animal Internal Medicine. Nelson and Couto.</i> Publisher: Mosby.
Pregnancy check-up at the veterinary clinic
- The best time to have a manual exam is on the 28th day of pregnancy. This is when the puppy is old enough to “step” on the uterus, feeling like touching a necklace.
- On day 35, each puppy will be wrapped in its own amniotic sac and the doctor will feel the long, sausage-like sacs of fluid in the uterus. [16] X Research Source <i>Reproduction in the Dog and Cat.</i> IJ Christiansen. Publisher: Bailliere Tindall.
- Don’t be disheartened if your doctor recommends another option when a physical exam is inconclusive. [17] X Research Source <i>Reproduction in the Dog and Cat.</i> IJ Christiansen. Publisher: Bailliere Tindall.
- Fetals can be seen from day 18, and by day 28, fetal heartbeat can be heard. [19] X Research Source “The Use of Ultrasonography for Pregnancy Diagnosis in the Female dog.” Shille & Gontarek. JAVMA 187, p 1021-1025.
- Note that ultrasound is a non-invasive procedure performed while the dog is awake. The ultrasound device directs a beam of high-frequency sound to the dog’s uterus, and the sound waves create “echoes” that are reflected into an image. This is considered a safe procedure. The hair on the dog’s belly will need to be trimmed so that the probe can come into contact with the skin. [17] X Research Source
- Sedation in pregnant dogs is strongly avoided because of the risk of hypotension in puppies in utero. For these reasons, the use of X-rays in the diagnosis of pregnancy is no longer common. [21] X Research Source <i>Reproduction in the Dog and Cat.</i> IJ Christiansen. Publisher: Bailliere Tindall.
Advice
- This article is not intended to replace advice from a veterinary professional!
This article was co-written by Kateryna Zabashta. Kateryna Zabashta is an expert breeder and owner of Emma’s Frenchies in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over five years of experience, Kateryna specializes in dog nutrition, general care and French Bulldog breeding.
There are 8 references cited in this article that you can see at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 3,019 times.
If your female dog mates with a male dog and both have not been neutered, there is a high chance that she will become pregnant. However, not every mating dog will get pregnant, especially if the mating time does not coincide with ovulation. So, if your bitch has mated, how do you determine if she is pregnant or not? Here are ways to determine if a dog is in heat or pregnant.
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