How to care for a pregnant dog

Pregnancy in a dog is a crucial period for both the animal and the owner. For two months, your pet should be surrounded by increased attention and care. The owner of the dog, even without being a veterinarian who knows everything, should get acquainted with all the subtleties of the physiological process of his pet. Compliance with the rules for caring for a future woman in labor is a guarantee of obtaining healthy offspring.

Pleasant chores for a pregnant dog

And the chores are really nice. After all, you are warmed up by the thought that the once chosen baby will thank its owner for the patience and affection shown to him for a long time. And as a gift - puppies of your favorite breed, on which, by the way, the exact duration of gestation and its features depends. It’s a paradox, but their size also affects the litter of dogs. Big bitches bring fewer puppies, and little mothers can generously give up to fifteen cubs. The owner must be ready for the birth process in advance, since the offspring can be quite large. Under adverse conditions of keeping the dog and the lack of proper care, there is a possibility of loss of offspring and mother.

Dog Pregnancy Features

The period from the first knit to the day of birth is 56-72 days. It is advisable not to miss this deadline. The duration of pregnancy may be reduced due to the small number of offspring. Cases when childbirth occurs much sooner or later lead to the death of all offspring. In addition, a small number of puppies is usually found in young dogs, and their number increases by the age of three to four.

Determining whether a dog is pregnant is not easy, because the duration of this process is short. The first month does not affect the behavior of the dog. Changes are observed later:

• the animal eats, drinks, sleeps more, becomes calm;
• the future mother is gaining weight, her stomach is growing;
• body temperature decreases;
• external genitalia increase, and less than 20 days before birth, discharge appears;
• the last day before giving birth, the appetite disappears completely.

Dog Feeding During Pregnancy

At the initial stage of pregnancy, additional measures are not required, the usual lifestyle and the usual menu are supported. Starting from the third week, the daily schedule should be reviewed. It is during this period that it is necessary to provide good nutrition and balance it depending on the available weight at the moment. If you have extra pounds, limit your daily diet. Being overweight makes it difficult to get healthy. For thin dogs, supplement daily servings. Mandatory are milk porridge, cottage cheese, raw meat and boiled liver, as well as grated vegetables with the addition of vegetable oil. Fresh cabbage is prohibited, as it is a product that promotes the release of gases. During the first month of pregnancy, the diet is normal - twice a day and regularly change the water to clean. From the second month, three meals a day are recommended, and after seven weeks, transfer the pregnant woman to a four-time meal regimen.

Associated Care Activities

Physical activity will also have to be reviewed. In the first half of pregnancy, it is allowed to continue training or regular work, if any. Closer to a significant event, it is recommended to reduce the load, long walks and active games, give the bitch an opportunity to relax more.Protect from contact with other people's dogs, especially males.

Prepare a place in advance (in about 10 days) with a new litter, comfortable for sleeping, and subsequently for childbirth. Choose a secluded corner so that the animal feels protected even after receiving offspring. In winter, you can not leave a pregnant dog on the street, as well as in hot weather. The optimum temperature for her and the puppies should be approximately + 24.5 degrees.

Try to protect the expectant mother from all kinds of stresses. Subsequently, this will affect the puppies, even their mental abilities.

If possible, use the services of a veterinarian so that a specialist can monitor how the pregnancy proceeds throughout the term. It is advisable to have a veterinary station nearby in case of unforeseen complications.

The manifestation of toxicosis is possible in the middle of the term. She, like a person, can feel sick. Then the dog eats very little or refuses to eat at all. In such cases, do not force. Exclude foods that, based on your observations, can cause negative changes in the canine body. Better just show a few days of patience, and your appetite will return with the disappearance of toxicosis. If the condition of the dog does not change, veterinary care is needed.

The physiological features of this period are characterized by increased urination. You are required to take care of more frequent walks, protecting the animal from communicating with other brothers.

There are cases when the pregnancy turned out to be false. Starting its development, the fetus engages some functions of the body, and its work continues while the embryos disappeared at an early stage. That is, all the signs of pregnancy, which are actually non-existent, are manifested. The correct way out in this situation is to consult a veterinarian. A specialist needs to be consulted about anthelmintic drugs, since after a three-week gestation period, deworming is mandatory. For this, special preparations are sold that do not harm the future offspring.

Do not let the process of the physiological change in the state of one of the members of the family to drift; even this animal is empty. A few weeks of increased attention to a pregnant dog and proper care for it will reward newborn puppies - an exact copy of your favorite in childhood.

Video: caring for a pregnant dog