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please this differs from bitch to bitch as they are all different as are us humans but is a guide to help you along
Signs of Pregnancy
My dogs give me signs, shortly after breeding to let me know that they are pregnant.
Yours may show some or all of these signs too.
1. Her vulva will stay slightly swollen after their heat ends.
2. Her teats ( nipples will be more pronounced and hard.
3. You will notice a big change in her temperament. She may get quieter or lazy or more loving
>4. 2 weeks after breeding they may experience morning sickness. It can last a week or so. Give her saltene crackers before she gets out of bed and a few throughout the day
By now I know they are pregnant.
Your vet has to wait until day 28-32 of her pregnancy, to palpate the abdomen.
To do this lay your dog on her side, slide one palm beneath her and your other palm over her other side, just below her ribs. Gently squeeze your palms together and feel for little golf balls, these are puppies. If you become good at this, you will be able to count the puppies.
5. In the 4th week you may notice thickening of her sides, between her ribs and hip bone.
6. She may start to show any time after 5 weeks. Larger breeds may carry the pups up in her rib cage so it might not be so easy to notice.
7. Most dogs show at 6-7 weeks. You may notice a normal discharge somewhere in the last couple of weeks. The discharge is clear and has the consistency of thick vaseline and is oderless.
If you notice a discharge that is green or bloody and fowl smelling seek a vet.
8. In the 8th week you can fell the puppies kick and turn around. I just love this part. 9. If you own a stethoscope you can hear heartbeats in the 8th week. It sounds like short quick tic,tic,tic,tic,tic. I have learned to tell a sex of pup this way. Males tic faster. Like in Morris code, males are the dot, females are the dash.
You can count pups too.
>10. Its safe to get an x-ray in the 8th week, but not just to count pups. Do it only if you suspect she may have a small birth canal which may present a problem. 11. In the 9th week her belly will start to change shape. It appears to lay lower to the ground. This is caused from the pups lining up in the uterine horns. In a human is called when the belly drops.
The 9th week lasts forever, by now you should have started recording her temperature, and have all your whelping supplies on hand. Her bed needs to be ready for the big day.
day of mating
* First day of mating.
* 48 hours after the first mating the bitch should be mated again. Subsequent matings occurring over a period of time enhance the chances of fertilaziton taking place.
* The spermatozoa migrate up through the cervix.
day 2 after mating
* Sperm travel searching for a mature ripened eggs.
day 2/3 after mating
* Spermatozoa reach the eggs in the oviducts.
day 3/4 after mating
* Fertilisation occurs in the oviducts which lead from the ovaries to the uterus.
day 4/6 after mating
* Fertilised eggs migrate down the oviducts and into the uterine horns.
* The migration continue to enable even spacing of the embryos.
* During this migration the eggs will grow into a blastocystes.
day12 /14 after mating
* The blastocystes implant in the wall of the uterus.
day 12/26 after mating
* The blastocystes will grow into an embryos.
* During the next two weeks the important organs will develop.
day 15/22 after mating
* Dams nipples begin to pink enlarge.
* The fur on the dams belly and around the nipples may become thinner.
day 21/28 after mating
* Morning sickness might occur due to hormonal changes or stretching and distension of the uterus. Dam may appear a bit apathetic. She may be off her feed for a while and vomit from time to time.
* Feeding the dam several meals spaced throughout the day might help.
* Your veterinarian may want to prescribe a drug to relax the uterus.
day26/30 after mating
* An experienced person (a breeder or a veterinarian) can tell by careful palpation whether the dam is pregnant.
* It's now the best time to do this because the embryos are walnut-sized now and easy to count.
day 29 after mating
* Start to increase the dams food ration.
* Don't overfeed, excessive weight gain should be avoided.
* The foetuses are now and are fully developed miniature dogs.
day 35 after mating
* The Dams abdomen starts to get larger.
day 45 after mating
* It's very easy now to feel the puppies, counting them might be a bit more difficult.
day 48/56 after mating
* Dam begins to spend a lot more time in self-grooming.
* Her breasts become even more swollen.
* She may become a bit restlessness and begin to search for a suitable place to have her puppies.
day 50 after mating
* The dam might lose her appetite during this period. Her abdomen can be crowded with puppies.
* It is better to feed several smaller meals spaced throughout the day.
* You can easily detect abdominal movement now.
day 50/65 after mating
* Nipples and vulva should be gently cleaned with warm water, you might want to trim the hairs surrounding the nipples, to allow easier access for the puppies to suck.
day 60/63 after maing
* Milky fluid may be expressed from the nipples.
day 61 after mating
* You might want to start taking the dams rectal temperature each morning and evening.
day 64 after mating
* Twelve to 24 hours before she is due to deliver, the dams rectal temperature may drop from 101 to 98 degrees.
* Clear discharge from the vulva might occur.
day 65 after mating
* Expected date of whelp. Of course this is just an average. Whelping may take place from the 59th to the 65th day. Puppies born before the 58th day will probably be too young to survive.
