5 Things You Need to Know When Your Dog is Pregnant for the First Time

If you don’t know what to do when your dog is pregnant for the first time, it can put you under stress. Ease your anxieties by preparing for the pregnancy with these 5 things you need to know when you first discover your dog is pregnant. Then consult with your Veterinarian; doing so will give you confidence in caring for your pregnant dog which will also ease any anxieties she may have. 

Knowing how to care for your dog’s health during pregnancy, preparing for whelping and caring for her puppies will greatly assist you in providing optimal animal care. This knowledge is essential whether you are breeding, fostering, or caring for your own dog. As always, stay in touch with your animal care clinic for more specific needs of individual breeds.

1. How to Identify Your Dog Is Pregnant and What to Expect

Gestation for puppies can be from 57-71 days but is generally around 63 days. Recording when your dog mated will help you to determine the due date so you can take care of her through all of the pregnant dog stages. 

If you do not know when your dog mated, it could take about 3 weeks for you to see the signs. Signs your dog may be pregnant are: 

• Lack of energy 
  
• Morning sickness (just like humans) 
  
• Changes in behavior 
  
• Physical changes 

In the early stages of pregnancy, your dog will become exhausted easier. A lack of normal energy is easily discovered in energetic dogs. If your dog likes to snooze often, you may need to pay close attention while on walks for decreased energy. 

In the early to mid-pregnancy dog stages, your dog can get morning sickness and lose her appetite. You may find fluctuations in her eating patterns. Some days she may eat more and some days she may be dissatisfied with her food. 

A pregnant dog will often have behavior that is unusual for her. In the early stages, she may seek more attention from you. She may seek comfort from you by spending more time at your side than normal. Then again, she may prefer not to be bothered and can be irritated with attention. Just like us humans, pregnancy can be an emotional roller coaster for your dog too. Seek veterinary care if your dog is not acting like she normally does and exhibiting worrying symptoms. In the late stages of her pregnancy, she will display nesting behaviors like shredding materials for bedding. She may not want attention while “nesting” and can become snappy if bothered. 

Certainly a pregnant dog will have physical changes. In the early stages, her nipples will become discolored or enlarged. In the latter pregnant dog stages, her nipples may leak milk occasionally. Sudden weight gain and an enlarged abdomen is a definite clue your dog is pregnant. This happens later into your dog's pregnancy, so if this is your first clue, it’s time to contact your Veterinarian soon.

2. How to Care for Your Pregnant Dog

Provide general animal care for the expecting dog making sure she is fed well and dewormed during pregnancy. Consult your Veterinarian for deworming your pregnant dog. 

It would be wise to get advice from your Veterinarian about how much and what to feed a pregnant dog and if additional supplements are recommended for your specific dog; this will give you confidence when you have questions about how to care for my pregnant dog.

After your momma dog has given birth, remove all the soiled towels from her whelping box and replace them with clean towels often to keep her nest clean. The birthing process takes a lot of energy out of mom as well as her pups so she needs a quiet, warm place for her and the new puppies to sleep after giving birth. Gently clean her up with a warm damp cloth when she is awake and refreshed from a good rest after the birthing process. Make sure any soap residue is wiped off, especially around her nipples to keep it away from the puppies. A regular bath will have to wait for a few weeks. 

After the puppies are born, you should feed your momma dog small meals more often in place of one large one. She will need more calories and may eat up to 4 times as much as normal. She will especially need more calcium, protein, and water. Her regular dog food is likely fine but again, check with your Veterinarian if you aren’t sure.

3. When to Take Your Pregnant Dog to the Vet

Your dog will probably do just fine on her own while delivering her puppies, but just in case a problem should arise, contact your Veterinarian for advice. For example, some dogs that are pregnant for the first time may have a problem removing the birth sac after the puppies are born. First allow your dog time to remove it herself. If she does not remove it fairly quickly, the puppy will not be able to breathe. You may need to tear a hole for her so the puppy can take its first breath. Discuss this possibility with your Veterinarian for the best procedure to tear the hole prior to the birthing process so that you are prepared if this happens. Other times, it will be necessary to take your dog to the Veterinarian.

Take your pregnant dog into the animal clinic when:

• Your dog is sick or does not seem like herself, before, during, or after whelping
• She is exhausted with a long labor time
• She has been straining for 20-30 minutes without successfully delivering a pup. A blockage could be the cause requiring emergency pet surgery.
• She is bleeding – It is normal for your dog to have bloody fluid during the birthing process, but more than a few drops of blood is not normal and you will need to contact the Veterinarian immediately. 
• A puppy is stuck – A puppy can become stuck for several reasons. It could be because the puppy is too large, deformed, or is in the wrong position but whatever the reason - call the vet immediately. Do not help the puppy out yourself – this could cause a veterinary scare.
  

4. How to Prepare for the Whelping and Puppies

Pregnant dogs usually do not need your help during labor and delivery. Some dogs will like their owner to be with them while others prefer seclusion when whelping. It is best to avoid interfering as much as possible when your dog prefers to be left alone. You should however, make preparations for the puppies and your whelping dog.

Find a warm, comfortable, and secluded room and provide a whelping box. The whelping box should be large enough for your dog to stretch out and turn around in. Also, the whelping box should be high enough to keep the puppies corralled, yet low enough for your dog to easily step over. Line the whelping box with old towels that are clean and absorbent. 

As always, reach out to your Veterinarian for their advice for whelping preparations and how to care for the puppies when they arrive. Keep the phone number to the animal care clinic handy in case you need help during or after birth.

Tips for the newborn Pups:

• Newborn puppies need a warm environment. The temperature of a puppy should be between 94-99 degrees Fahrenheit. Taking their temperature will confirm they are staying warm.
• With clean hands, guide each pup to a nipple to nurse. They should naturally latch on after smelling the milk. Use a postal scale to weigh the puppies every day for three weeks to make sure they are growing and gaining weight. At four weeks old, the pups are not considered newborn anymore and will explore their surroundings. They should be weaned at 7 weeks and are ready for their forever homes at 8 weeks. 
  

5. How to Know Your Dog is about to Give Birth and What to Do