Gestation refers to the time when a female dog is pregnant with this period normally lasting for 60 to 64 days which is about nine weeks. The number of days, however, differs from breed to breed. A surprising fact about female dogs is that they have menstrual cycles that continue all their lives because of which they can reproduce their entire lives. Every female dog undergoes the Estrus heat cycle twice in a year where each cycle lasts for 6 months and it is during this period that the dog mates. This cycle consists of four stages, the first one being proestrus cycle which is a period before the onset of the heat cycle which lasts for about 7 to 9 days. The next stage is the estrus stage in which the dogs mate and the stage after this is known as the diestrus stage where the male dog is not interested and the female dog may show signs of getting pregnant. The last stage is the anestrus stage where this situation is consistent until the female dog goes into the stage of heating again.

You might not be able to find out if your dog is pregnant even upto five weeks of gestation as there is no concrete blood test that determines it but you can find out by getting her examined by your veterinarian where their abdomen is felt. Also, an x-ray can be done to determine the same and is very accurate to know the exact number of puppies. Dogs undergo a great deal of physical changes during gestation period and the most common is weight gain where the mammary glands swell up between 35 and 45 days after conceiving.

A pregnant dog diet must be healthy and nutritious so that both the mother and baby are in the best of their health. The diet of your dog should be increased but make sure that it is increased steadily and is not forced upon. For the first few weeks, give your dog protein rich food like eggs, lean muscle meats or liver. However, avoid feeding them pork. Serve them with small quantities throughout the day and these need to be followed especially in the last few weeks. Water intake increases considerably during dog pregnancy period therefore, make sure that you keep fresh water available all the time and that is easily accessible. Also during this period, you can make your dog have small walks and moderate exercises making sure that you do not indulge them in strenuous activities.

Symptoms of Pregnant Dog:

The breeding season for a pet owner who hasn’t got the dog spayed can be extremely difficult to handle. Dog owners who breed their dogs have to be careful to prevent pregnancy and detect it. Unlike humans, pregnancies in dogs are not that easy to detect. In fact, in a lot of cases, the dog may be pregnant without the dog owner even realizing it.

There are different symptoms of pregnancies at different stages. If the pregnancy is unwanted, identifying the symptoms will help you detect it and get it terminated. In dogs, pregnancy lasts for about sixty days. The real duration can be shorter or longer depending on several factors. During the initial phase, the dog starts to eat less, and there are clear signs of a decreasing appetite. The dog gets easily exhausted even though its activity levels are low. For an active dog, there may be a discernible decline in the levels of activity.

One of the most prominent signs of pregnancy in dog is the growth of the mammary glands. The nipples become large and puffy. The breasts begin to swell because of milk production. The behavior of the female dog will change too. Due to the hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy, there is a noticeable change in the personality and the behavior of the dog. The dog becomes listless and may not enjoy the company of other pets or its owner.

As the pregnancy progresses, the dog will begin to regain some of its lost appetite. The dog will begin to gain weight which will be especially evident around the abdomen. The abdomen area becomes thick and firm during this period. The abdomen continues to grow, till in the last stage when it becomes extremely hard. The size of the abdomen depends largely on the number of puppies in the litter that the dog is carrying.

In the last week of pregnancy, you may even feel the movements of the puppies if you feel the dog’s abdomen. During this last stage, the teats of the female dog may begin to leak, with a thick milky fluid oozing out; this the first milk of the dog. It is an indication that the puppies are soon going to be born.
If you are able to identify the initial symptoms of pregnancy in your dog, take your pet to the veterinarian so that an exact diagnosis can be made. An ultrasound test should be able to put your doubts to rest.