Is your dog pregnant? Symptoms from heat to birth

Narrated from: Dog Health

If you are the proud owner of an affectionate female dog, you might want to avoid all the risks and pain associated with spaying. However, if the dog is not spayed, then there will be some serious risks – not least among them the possibility that once you drop your guard, you will be surprised with a litter of puppies!

There are some symptoms that will indicate if your dog has weaseled out of the house to go on a romantic date with the top mutt of the neighborhood.

Watch the appetite!

Changes in the dog’s appetite are the first indicator that the dog might be pregnant. The first indications will come immediately after the dog’s heat cycle. The dog will lose appetite. You heard correctly – the first sign is not an increase, but a decrease in appetite! A pregnant dog will eventually develop the famous female appetite, but this comes at a later stage.

When pregnant, female dogs lose appetite because doggy pregnancy is similar to a woman’s in many aspects – and morning sickness is one of them! If your dog refuses to touch her food altogether, then there might be a litter on the way. Don’t worry though, as, towards the latter stages of the pregnancy, the dog will be hungry and will compensate for all the food missed in the first few days!

Behavior changes

Pregnant dogs get lazy. Lethargy can be a symptom of many sicknesses, and for depression as well, so a trip to the vet is necessary even if you are certain that the dog is not pregnant.

There will also be additional changes in the dog’s behavior – and sometimes they can be rather unpleasant. A pregnant dog is likely to be moody, but it is impossible to tell what the dog’s mood actually is! Some dogs become highly affectionate, while others want to be left alone and might even snap at you!

Physical changes

The first indicator will be the dog’s nipples – pregnant dogs’ nipples start to grow and become easy to notice. They will also have a plumper shape.

When the dog’s appetite increases, the dog’s abdomen will also grow; this increase will be noticeable when the puppies start to form – so, when you touch your dog’s tummy, you will be able to feel the puppies moving!

When the physical changes start to occur it will be quite easy to determine that the dog is pregnant; especially when the birth is at hand – a few days before the delivery, milk will start to come out of the dog’s nipples.

Go to the vet

The only one that can concur in whether or not your dog is pregnant is the vet. He or she will also be able to tell you how to treat the mother-to-be.

Some of the earlier signs of pregnancy can actually turn out to be indicators of certain types of sicknesses, so a trip to the vet is a must!

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