How do I know if my dog is pregnant and what should I do now?

Congratulations! Here is a website link with tons of suggestions on how to care for Nova during her pregnancy. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1459 She should be on puppy food from now until the puppies are completely weaned as well. The normal gestation period is 58-72 days but 65 days on average. Signs of trouble include black or green discharge or respiratory distress. I would also recommend having an ER vet on hand in case she does need to have a C- section or if any complications arise. Best wishes with Nova and I hope that her pregnancy goes smoothly. Take care.

A check up at your local veterinarian could easily confirm the pregnancy. Depending on which stage of the pregnancy she is, different type of diagnostic techniques can be used (mainly radiographs vs ultrasound). The other way would be to wait and see her completing the pregnancy (about 60 days). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

If Bonnie recently mated with the male dog, it may be too soon to determine if she is pregnant. Some pet owners elect to have their female dogs spayed shortly after an unintended mating rather than waiting to determine if their dog is pregnant. Understand that this is an option (vets do not judge at all if you choose to go this route!), but it is completely up to you. Dogs are pregnant for an average of 63 days, and around 45 days into pregnancy, x-rays can determine how many puppies are present. Depending upon Bonnie's size and body condition, a vet may be able to feel puppies in her uterus during abdominal palpation around 25-30 days into pregnancy. Calorie requirements increase during both pregnancy and nursing for female dogs, so at this point, consider switching Bonnie from an adult dog food to a puppy dog food (higher in calories and calcium) until she has weaned any puppies. Gradually transition to the puppy food by mixing the old and new diets together over 5-7 days. These links have some great information regarding the birthing process and prenatal care: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=678 & http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1459. I hope this helps and that all goes well for Bonnie!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Millie. If you know when she may have been bred, I would schedule an appointment with her veterinarian for 45-50 days after that date. At this stage of gestation, if she is pregnant, puppies will be visible on an x-ray. This will confirm the pregnancy as well as give you an idea of how many puppies she is expecting. This will be extremely helpful knowledge while she is in labor. You will know when she is done or if she is struggling, you know more puppies are coming and to seek help. In the meantime, feed her a high quality puppy food to supply her with extra calories and nutrition. I hope this information helps!

Unfortunately you can't tell if this is a real pregnancy or a false pregnancy without an ultrasound at this stage. At 22 days, the fetal heart beats can be detected on an ultrasound. At 45 days, the fetal skeletons can be seen on an x-ray. Depending on the size of the mother and the amount of puppies, the fetuses may be palpated in the final weeks of pregnancy. Here are a couple links with additional information: https://www.petcoach.co/article/false-pregnancy-in-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/pregnancy-diagnosis-caring-for-the-pregnant-dog/ I strongly recommend to have your dog spayed. Otherwise she will have up to two litters of puppies a year. Not only is this a lot of strain on her body, but it contributes to pet over population. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hello, I do see that her nipples and mammary glands are more developed in some of her pictures. Pregnancy in canines can range between 55-65 days and development of mammary glands is most noticeable towards the end of pregnancy. Based on what I’m seeing there is a chance she could be pregnant, however you’d be able to confirm this with an X-ray or an ultrasound. I would recommend having her evaluated by your veterinarian when possible to confirm she is pregnant and ensure she is in good health to undergo a pregnancy. Hope this helps and best of luck.

It does sound like from your description that Shiloh could be pregnant again. The best way to confirm this is to take her into the vet for an exam. If you have an idea of when she was mated, then the vet can run tests to get a closer approximation of how far along she is in the pregnancy. For example, a blood test looking for the hormone relaxin can be done starting at 22 days gestation. If she is further along in the pregnancy, then x-rays and an ultrasound can be done. Given her age, I would start saving now for the chance she may need a c-section. That's because older dogs can have more difficulties giving birth due to age, and it's best to be prepared for that now both financially and emotionally. I would also recommend getting her spayed after this litter. It's never recommended to breed dogs older than 6-7 years of age, and spaying her would prevent future litters from happening, as well as eliminating the possibility of a pyometra (a life threatening infection of the uterus). I would take Shiloh into the vet tomorrow for an exam :-)