How Long Does it Take Female Dogs to Show Signs of Pregnancy – Bhola Shola

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In order to answer the question, “how long are dogs pregnant,” you first need to understand the dog reproductive cycle. Intact female dogs go into heat approximately every six months, although this can vary depending on the dog and the breed. The heat cycle lasts 18-to-21 days and is broken into four distinct stages. Breeders use these stages to determine the best time to breed their dogs.

The four stages of the female dog’s reproductive cycle are:

Proestrus
Estrus
Diestrus
Anestrus

Proestrus lasts for about 9 days and is the first stage of the reproductive cycle. This is when females start to attract males, although they will reject their advances until stage two. The signs of proestrus are:

Swelling of the vulva
Bloody discharge
Estrus lasts anywhere from 3-to-4 days to 7-to-11 days. This is when the bitch is receptive to the male. Many breeders have a veterinarian take vaginal smears and blood tests during proestrus and estrus to make sure they breed their dogs at the optimal time. The signs of proestrus are:

A soft and enlarged vulva
Discharge lightens in color and decreases

Diestrus is the final stage of the cycle. It typically occurs around day 14. During diestrus, the bitch’s discharge becomes redder and tapers off, the vulva returns to normal, and she will no longer permit mating. The heat is complete when all signs of swelling and discharge are gone. The time frame between one heat cycle and the next is called anestrus and usually lasts around six months.

Understanding the heat cycle plays an important role in determining the length of pregnancy. Breeders can calculate conception dates by keeping track of their bitch’s heat cycle and breeding period, which makes it easier for veterinarians to accurately test for pregnancy.

Humans have developed instantaneous pregnancy tests that make it easy to determine whether or not we are pregnant. It is not as simple for our dogs. You will most likely need to visit your veterinarian to find out if your dog is pregnant. If possible, be sure to tell your vet exactly when your dog was bred, or your best estimate of the time frame, as all of the pregnancy testing methods for dogs are time sensitive.

There are four methods veterinarians can use to determine if a dog is pregnant:

Hormone tests
Palpation
X-ray
Ultrasound
Hormone Tests
Veterinarians can test for the hormone relaxin to determine if a bitch is pregnant. Relaxin is released from placental tissue only during pregnancy, which makes it a fairly accurate diagnostic test. However, the bitch must be at least 30 days into her gestation for the test to be accurate. Tests taken before that can have a false negative.

Palpation
Palpation is the cheapest and most convenient way to diagnose pregnancy. As each fetus develops, the membranes around them grow to form fluid-filled sacs. These sacs can be felt between days 21 and 35 of gestation (approximately three-to-four weeks), and grow to about the size of a table tennis ball in a 45-pound dog. After one month, the sacs lose their distinctive shape, and the uterus develops a floppy feel that can be mistaken for fat or a pyometra.

X-ray
An x-ray is a great way for breeders to determine how many puppies to expect from their bitch. X-rays are most effective later in pregnancy, as the fetal skull and spine doesn’t become visible on an x-ray until days 42 through 45. Waiting until after day 55 allows veterinarians to give an accurate count of the number of expected puppies and and to determine the best timing for an elective cesarean.

Ultrasound
An ultrasound is the best way to find out if a dog is pregnant early on in gestation. Veterinarians recommend ultrasounds between days 25 and 35 of gestation. Ultrasounds not only detect pregnancy,

Pet Care is a pet awareness initiative by Harwinder Grewal. Who is a director of Bhola Shola Pet Services and Farm Private Limited. In his videos, you can get deep knowledge about pets in the Hindi Language. He also tells most of the hidden aspects of Dog Business and Pets Business.

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