My dog has milk after mating. Are puppies close or false pregnancy?

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Dog have a gestation period (pregnancy) of around 60 days. If Blue is at or around day 40, then she's got just a little more time to go! I hope this helps and best of luck!

Hi there and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Intact female dogs will come into heat twice a year- once in the spring/summer and once in the fall/winter. Estrus in dogs causes swelling of the vulva and vaginal discharge which may be straw to pink/red in color. A cycle in dogs can last for about 3-4 weeks. If she had her last litter in June, then it is possible she came into heat (estrus) this fall and if she was mated with a male during her estrus, then it is possible she may be pregnant. Pregnancy lasts for about 60 days in dogs. If you suspect Daisy may be pregnancy, I would recommend taking Daisy to her veterinarian for an exam and an abdominal ultrasound to confirm presence of pups. False pregnancy are not very common but can happen approximately 1-3 months after an intact female's lat heat. Symptoms will mimic true pregnancy but should subside in a few weeks. Pregnancy in dogs do not vary much, except for the number of pups and the length of the pregnancy to some extent. Typically 60 days is the gestation period, but may be a few days less or a few days more. I hope this helps and thank you again for posting!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There are not many obvious changes in the first 3 weeks of pregnancy. Abdominal enlargement and mammary gland development isn't obvious until towards the end of pregnancy 45ish to 55 days. Some subtle signs this early would be a decreased appetite or nausea. Some dogs become clingy while others are distant. If you didn't see her mating then she could be experiencing a false pregnancy. This occurs after they are in heat due to a hormonal imbalance. This imbalance causes the dogs body to think they are pregnant when they are not. They can act clingy, carry stiffed animals around like babies, nest, develop enlarged mammary glands and even start producing milk. The symptoms last the length of a normal pregnancy. I hope this helps!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. To determine pregnancy in dogs, sometimes the sacs can be palpated as small tennis ball like objects, starting at about 28 days - however this is variable. Ultrasound starting at day 28, and x-rays at day 45. Human pregnancy tests are NOT reliable. Best of luck with Daisy!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Dogs are pregnant an average of 62 days, so Skye is getting close. It is possible that this is a false pregnancy, but the only way to really tell is with an x-ray or ultrasound exam. At this point of her pregnancy it may be difficult to feel individual puppies, especially due to size of the puppies & if this is a rather large litter. An increased respiratory rate could be a direct result of her pregnancy putting increased pressure on her diaphragm. I think it is well worth an x-ray to know how many puppies are there. Hope this helps. Thank you.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, if Princess tied 3 times she is very likely pregnant. Based on your pictures her belly and mammary glands are enlarged. Milk can show up as early as 1 week before labor to right before. Dogs are pregnant 60-63 days so if 12/25 was when you saw them tied then I would expect her to be due 2/22. You can schedule an appointment with your Vet soon to have an X-rays taken to confirm pregnancy and the number of puppies. I would get the whelping box together and start puppy food. I hope this helps and I wish you and Princess the best!

In a [pregnant dog](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/pregnancy/), milk can be produced a week or so before delivery. A dog’s gestational period is about 63 days. You can also [take her temperature](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-take-your-pet-s-temperature) twice daily at the same time each day to determine when she will go into labor A dog’s normal temperature is between 100 to 102.5F degrees. Her temperature may fluctuate during this time, but once her temperature falls below 99 degrees, she should go into labor in the next 24 hours.