My pregnant dog has signs of labor but a small belly. False pregnancy?

Homegirl definitely has fairly prominent abdominal distension! Dogs' gestation typically lasts 62-65 days, so I suppose it is still possible that she may be nearing the end of a pregnancy. However, if she has not had any changes to her mammary glands (I did not see any noticeable change in the photo from March), it is unlikely that she is approaching the end of a pregnancy. Abdominal distension this prominent in the absence of pregnancy could be due to fluid (a sign of liver failure, right sided heart failure, infection, etc.) or a benign or malignant mass, all of which can be quite severe. At this point, Homegirl should be examined by a vet urgently to evaluate her overall health and may need to take x-rays or perform an ultrasound of her abdomen to get to the bottom of this issue. I hope that all goes well!

She may not be pregnant, the date may be incorrect or she may not have a large litter. Ideally, she should be physically examined by your veterinarian. Pregnancy can be confirmed via palpation, blood test or abdominal x-ray or ultrasound. The imaging may diagnose any other underlying condition as well.

If she became pregnant on June 18, then Brownie is 57 days along. It is possible that she is starting to create milk. Dogs do not always "look" pregnant, especially if she is having a small litter. She is far enough along to have your vet do an x-ray to check for puppies. I recommend this also so that you will know how many puppies to expect while she is labor. It is possible that she is not pregnant and is exhibiting signs associated with false pregnancy. Most dogs will clear a false pregnancy on their own without treatment. Here is some more helpful information: Birthing puppies: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=678 False pregnancy: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1896

She appears pregnant from the photos but there is no way for me to diagnose pregnancy via the internet. Dogs are pregnant for 62-65 days so if it’s been that long without her delivering I suggest you get her to a vet for an exam. I doubt this is false pregnancy. Here are some articles for you to read about the subject: ( https://mobile.petcoach.co/amp/article/false-pregnancy-in-dogs ) ( https://mobile.petcoach.co/amp/article/pregnancy-diagnosis-caring-for-the-pregnant-dog )

As long as she is healthy, she should have a normal pregnancy. It's important throughout the pregnancy that she sees the vet regularly for health checks, and your vet can discuss with you signs of labor, and what to look out for in case she is having trouble giving birth. A dog's pregnancy lasts around 63 days. You should put her on a puppy food around 6 weeks of pregnancy. Moving to a high energy formula should be done on a gradual basis. Progressively substitute a little more of the new dog food for the old over a period of about a week, until she is only eating the new food.

Gestation in dogs is around 60 days. If the tie was successful, Ava will be due around St. Patty’s day. Generally around 45 days of gestation x-rays of the mom’s belly can be taken to determine how many pup skeletons/pups there are which is useful information to know when she is giving birth (as in if you know there are 6 pups and she is in labor for more than 2 hours after the first pup, she may need to be brought to the ER for a C-section/monitoring). She will need plenty of high quality food during pregnancy and nursing. Supplementing her usual diet with extra canned food may be helpful. Good luck!

It is possible. the only way to know for sure is to have her x-rayed by your veterinarian. This would be recommended anyway so you know how many pups to expect. Since she is so close, start monitoring her body temperature. Use a rectal thermometer with sterile lube. Normal temp ranges from 100 F to 102.5 F. In most cases, labor will begin within 24 hours of a drop below 100 F.