Occasionally, dog breeding can take place without the owners ever realizing it. The problem is that most canines don’t show signs until mid-pregnancy. A swollen belly is among the common indicators of pregnancy. Still, it can simply mean your pet is just eating too much. So, is your dog pregnant, or are they just overweight?
Is My Dog Getting Fat or Is She Pregnant?
Typically, a pregnant dog’s body will show physiological changes in the nipples and belly region. Additionally, you’ll notice some behavioral changes in your female canine friend.
Your dog is most likely just gaining weight if she doesn’t show any signs other than an increased waist.
Here’s how to detect when your dog is pregnant:
Your Dog Was in Heat
Detecting your dog’s heat cycle can be easy if you’ve had her since her puppy days. That’s because you’ll know if she was spayed.
However, that’s not the case with rescued adult dogs, between six and 24 months old. That’s because it’s hard to determine if they had their womb removed at an old age since the abdomen incision usually heals and becomes tiny. That makes it even harder to detect their heating cycle.
Typically, an unneutered dog gets her heating cycles every six or seven months. The duration can vary according to the breed. However, your pet is likely spayed if she doesn’t display signs of heat for over nine months.
For those who don’t know, heat is the reproductive cycle of female dogs that starts once they reach sexual maturity. It consists of four stages, including estrus, the second stage when your dog can become pregnant.
During that period, your dog’s bleeding discharge may reduce or stop. That’s usually after 7-10 days. Estrus lasts around 5 to 10 days, during which dogs ovulate. Your canine friend is most likely pregnant if she has mated in that period.
You might like to read our post, Dog in Heat: Problems and Help (Veterinarian)
Changes in Your Dog’s Behavior
Most pregnant dogs typically show outward signs during the early stages of pregnancy. For starters, you might notice your dog is more affectionate and clingy than usual. She might start seeking your attention and approval for regular activities.
Additionally, pregnant dogs might have an increased appetite and display weight gain.
However, loss of appetite and lethargy are also common in the early stages of gestation due to hormonal changes. Some dogs even get morning sickness in the third or fourth week. Luckily, the vomiting only lasts for a few days.
As labor approaches, your dog will show nesting behavior. She might also be more sensitive and irritable.
Vet’s Examination
Aside from the late signs, most behavioral changes during the early stages of pregnancy are also associated with false pregnancy (pseudopregnancy) in dogs.
The former occurs naturally in unspayed female canines, usually around 6 to 8 weeks after the heating cycle ends.
Hormonal fluctuations are the primary cause of pseudopregnancy. That usually involves a rapid decrease in progesterone, a hormone secreted before ovulation in dogs, and an increase in prolactin, the lactation hormone.
For that reason, nothing can ensure your pet is carrying puppies better than a vet’s examination. Here are the diagnostic tests used to determine a dog’s pregnancy:
Palpation
Palpation is a physical examination method that involves using the fingers and hands. For pregnant dogs, a vet can perform abdominal palpation around 28-30 days after fertilization.
The vet will gently press the surface of the abdomen to detect grape-like structures in the uterus. The former are fluid-filled sacs that surround fetuses.
Timing is the most crucial factor in a successful palpation test. After around five weeks, the sacs lose their distinctive shape, making them hard to detect using this physical examination test. Other factors that play a role in palpation accuracy include the dog’s size, body condition, and breed.
It’s worth mentioning that you shouldn’t attempt this diagnostic test unless under the supervision of an experienced vet. That’s because excess pressure can damage the developing puppies.
Aside from its risks, palpation isn’t reliable for determining a fetus’s viability. Consequently, the vet might perform other diagnostic tests to ensure your dog’s pregnancy.
Relaxin Hormone Test
As mentioned earlier, dogs experience hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy, which can cause mood swings. That’s why blood tests that screen for pregnancy hormones, such as relaxin, ensure accurate results.
For those who don’t know, relaxin is a hormone produced by the placenta. Consequently, it can distinguish between true and false pregnancy.
As the name implies, it’s responsible for relaxing the cervix, muscles, and joints to help the body stretch during pregnancy and labor.
The vet can conduct that test after about 25-30 days of conception to detect the increased levels of the hormone. Relaxin’s high concentration remains throughout the pregnancy and decreases drastically following delivery.
Ultrasound
Like humans, a vet can use ultrasounds to tell if a dog is pregnant. After around 25 to 35 days of conception, the diagnostic test easily detects the heartbeat of developing puppies. Generally, puppies’ heartbeats are faster than the mother’s by around 2 to 3 folds,
Not only does ultrasound confirm pregnancy, but it also detects the fetus’s viability. Plus, it can help estimate the number of puppies your dog is carrying.
Radiographs
Radiography involves using X-rays to view the internal form of objects or organs. The former diagnostic test is accurate in confirming pregnancy because it visualizes the puppies’ skeletal system inside the uterus.
The only problem is that the test is only effective in the last trimester, after 55 days. That’s when the bone structure of puppies shows up on an X-ray. So, radiography might not help detect pregnancy during the early stages.
What Does a Pregnant Dog’s Belly Feel Like?
A pregnant dog’s belly usually feels firm due to the uterus’ expansion as the babies grow inside. Additionally, the stomach also becomes rounder and more pronounced than usual.
In the case of obesity, the stomach will feel soft. Your dog will also have more fat deposits in that area. Aside from the waist, overweight dogs show excess fat in other body parts, like their legs.
Are you interested in reading our post, Do Dogs Have Periods? And What You Do When Your Dog Bleeds
How Can You Tell if a Dog’s Stomach Is Pregnant?
You can try feeling the dog’s stomach to tell whether she is pregnant. As mentioned earlier, a pregnant dog’s stomach will have grape-sized sacs. You can gently feel around the uterus. If you detect small lumps, like rosary beads, chances are your dog is pregnant.
Additionally, you’ll notice an increase in the stomach’s size. However, believe it or not, female canines don’t show an enlarged belly until the third trimester, during the seventh week.
When a Dog Is Pregnant Is Its Stomach Hard?
Generally, a pregnant dog will have a slightly firm stomach, among other physical and behavioral changes. As delivery approaches, your dog’s abdomen can periodically become more hard due to contractions.
However, that rock-solid belly is only normal when labor is imminent. Otherwise, a hard stomach might indicate pregnancy complications, such as canine maternal hydrops. It can also indicate other health problems, such as gastric dilatation volvulus, peritonitis, or Cushing’s disease.
We also have this post you might like to read, Dog Period Questions Answered (By Veterinarian)
How Do You Tell if a Dog Is Pregnant Without a Vet?
Diagnostic tests are the most accurate way to determine a dog’s pregnancy. Still, you can look for other pregnancy signs to help detect whether your dog is pregnant without a vet’s help.
Those include:
- Weight gain
- Increase in appetite
- Swollen belly and increased nipple size
- Lethargy
- Increased affection and attention seeking
- Nesting behavior
- Irritability
- Vomiting and a decrease in appetite, but only for a few days
What Does a Pregnant Dog’s Nipples Look Like?
During pregnancy, a dog’s nipples become larger, more pronounced, and rosier. As delivery approaches, the nipples become darker, and the dog might develop a milky discharge.
Nipple changes are one of the most reliable signs to detect a dog’s pregnancy, and they can start showing as early as two to three weeks into gestation.
Conclusion
So, is my dog pregnant or fat? This is a question many pet owners ask when their precious pets gain weight.
Generally, pregnant dogs show physical signs such as swollen bellies and enlarged nipples. Your canine friend will also exhibit changes like increased affection, a lack of energy, and nesting.
Regardless of the symptoms your dog shows, it’s best to seek a vet’s help to identify pregnancy. That way, you can ensure she is pregnant and doesn’t suffer from a medical condition that causes a swollen belly.
