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.