At McLaren Vale Veterinary Surgery, we understand that caring for a pregnant bitch is a significant responsibility. This guide provides essential information to ensure your dog's pregnancy is as healthy and comfortable as possible. Whether you're an experienced breeder or new to the process, our comprehensive guide covers everything from gestation length to nutritional requirements, ensuring you have all the knowledge you need.
The average length of a dog's gestation period is approximately 63 days, but it can range from 56 to 72 days from the first mating. The most accurate method to determine the whelping date is by knowing the date of ovulation, which can be determined by progesterone testing. If this has not been performed, an estimate of the due date can be calculated by ultrasound assessment of the puppies. If ovulation timing is known, whelping typically occurs 63 +/- 1 day post-ovulation. Slight variation may be seen from this due to breed (e.g. Greyhounds have a longer gestation length) or size of the litter (larger litters are often whelp earlier than small litters).
Detecting pregnancy early allows for better care and preparation. At McLaren Vale Veterinary Surgery, we recommend and perform the following testing for pregnancy.
Proper nutrition is crucial for the health of both the pregnant bitch and her puppies. During the first 5-6 weeks the bitch should be fed a high-quality adult maintenance food. During the last 3 weeks, it is important to change the bitch to a high-quality puppy food. Approximately 70% of the foetus growth occurs during these last few weeks, so high-quality nutrition is important. Increasing nutritional intake too early can result in overly larger puppies and difficulty birthing (dystocia). As the puppies grow, the stomach size of the bitch will reduce, so multiple feeds throughout the day will be necessary. It is important NOT to add any other supplements to the diet without consulting your veterinarian first.
Keeping your pregnant bitch up-to-date on vaccinations and worming is vital for her health and the health of her puppies.
Medications should be avoided unless absolutely necessary. If your bitch requires medications for pre-existing conditions, please discuss this with us at McLaren Vale Veterinary Surgery.
Providing a safe, comfortable, and stress-free environment is essential for a pregnant bitch:
If the whelping date was not predicted by the ovulation date or ultrasounds of the puppies, other methods can be used to detect the timing of whelping:
Please enter your search...
Please enter a search term.