There are several details in the physiognomy and behavior of our dog that can give us clues about whether or not she is pregnant. Although obviously the easiest way to know if your dog is pregnant is through a simple blood test and ultrasound at the vet.
However, if we are not sure and we prefer to save ourselves the veterinary consultation for the moment, we can know when a dog is pregnant by the physical changes that take place in her body, as well as the behavioral changes.
We will explain in a very simple way how to know if our dog is pregnant and what we should do in such a case. Remember that the gestation of a little dog lasts only a couple of months, so it is important to be fully prepared for the arrival of the puppies.
How to tell if my dog is pregnant: Physical changes
Like any mammal in pregnancy, if our dog were pregnant she would experience a lot of hormonal changes and notable physiological changes. It can be said that a dog is pregnant with a simple visual examination.
The main physical changes that we can find in a pregnant bitch are:
- Increased breast size, inflammation of the breasts.
- Increase in the size of the nipples and change of color in them.
- Increase in the size of the gut or belly of our dog, due to the gestation of the puppies themselves.
- Changes in flow, both in density and in periodicity.
The changes in the breasts and nipples are due to the fact that our dog is beginning to prepare to breastfeed the future puppies, which will exclusively feed on breast milk until weaning. Something that usually happens from two months or two and a half months of life, until three or three and a half that already begin to eat on their own.
The change in the size of our dog’s gut is also a perfect indication that something is growing in there. Some bitches have litters of three or four puppies and others of eight or ten…. Imagine how big your tripita can grow to house so many puppies.
Changes in flow are totally normal, indicative that the dog is pregnant. They have nothing to do with zealous flow, where the bitch usually stains a bit before being submissive for riding.
How to tell if my dog is pregnant: Behavioral changes
Pregnant bitches often show very significant changes in their behavior, both inside and outside the home. At general levels and always with exceptions, the females become a bit more gruff in the presence of other bitches, that is, a bit more grumpy.
At home, however, they tend to be somewhat more submissive and scary. Normally, they look for a comfortable place where they feel protected, a place where they can give birth to their puppies and feed them later.
It goes without saying that if our dog is pregnant we must adapt a place at home for her, especially comfortable and with blankets and towels where she can lie down to rest, a fluffy and cozy place.
It is very possible that as our dog’s pregnancy progresses, her appetite increases. As we all know, bitches who are pregnant or have just given birth and are breastfeeding, should be fed in a special way. A special feed for lactating bitches is the most indicated, if we can not use the BARF diet for example.