Dogs Worldwide

Dog breeding and conception do not always occur at the same time. This is because the sperm remains viable up to five days following sexual intercourse (coitus). The typical period of gestation is anywhere between 57 to 65 days following conception, and not a breeding.

When they are first pregnant, female dogs may not show any external signs of being pregnant until late in the term. And amazingly enough, you may not even notice that the dog is pregnant until days before she is due. All of a sudden her abdominal muscles will seem to distend and sag, which causes that overweight and bloated look. The dog’s vulva will also be significantly enlarged during her last week and within two days before whelping, it will become noticeably softer.

Some pregnant dogs will also produce an enormous amount of colostrum and milk by this time. This causes her nipples to be easily expressed. However, just because your dog is expressing milk from it’s nipples it does not necessarily mean that she is going to whelp soon. It could simply be the result of abdominal pressure from the pregnancy.

Using Temperature As A Reading Of Impending Whelping

Many dog breeders prefer to depend on a matron’s temperature to determine whether they are soon to whelp. It is a method that has been used for many years. However it is somewhat controversial due to many veterinarians who are adamant that temperature readings may not be accurate.

A dog’s temperature is normally ranged between 100° and 102°. When dog breeders want to use temperature as a way to notify them that pups may be on the way, they look for a sudden drop in temperature of about 2° to 3°. The reason why many veterinarians and dog breeders do not agree with this method is because the pregnant dog is prone to erratic temperature changes during the last week of carrying.

If you insist on using temperature as a way to notify you of impending whelping then be sure to keep accurate records of your dogs temperature as her due date approaches. By keeping meticulous records of the history of your dog’s temperature, you can better determine of whether the sudden drop in temperature is a real sign that she is going to give birth or if it is a false alarm. And as always, if there is a sudden increase or decrease of temperature that is out of the normal range, call your veterinarian immediately for further investigation.

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 16th, 2009 at 08:00 and is filed under Resources. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.