How long is a dog pregnant? Nine weeks of course, however, it’s usually hard to find this out up to about the last few weeks when the belly protrudes eventually from the growing pups insides. However, you can know early in advance so that you can give your dog the best of treatment it needs for this to go on perfectly. You can do this by taking it for regular checkups so that you can be aware of its condition every time. On the other hand you can know how long a dog is pregnant by simply noticing the obvious physical signs. These include the following:
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· One of the physical manifestations of the pregnancy is the change in nipple color. In case you dog is pregnant, then you need to ensure that you observe to see if the nipples turn pink. The nipples also become slightly swollen and even more prominent. This is usually when the dog is about 2-3 weeks pregnant.
· Another change that accompanies the pregnancy is the change in the waist shape. The waist in all the cases begins to thicken as the tummy fills up as well. Although this changes aren’t really visible until the second half of the pregnancy. This is between 4 to 5 weeks into the pregnancy.
· Another change that usually comes with the pregnancy is the increase in the diet demand. This is of course the dog is no longer eating for its own. However, before you go ahead to pump up the amount of food you give your dog, you need to ensure that you are totally sure that the dog is pregnant. This is due to the fact that some of owners usually add up the amount of food. This is usually the wrong way to go as most of the time you might increase the diet and end up fattening up the belly when the dog is not actually pregnant. Therefore, only increase the diet when the dog is in the final third of their pregnancy.
· The 6 to 9 weeks also come with changes of their own. At this stage the dog is close to delivery so the belly is usually fully pronounced. The other thing that you will observe is that the dog’s mammary glands also get swollen as well. This is usually due to the fact that the mammary glands are preparing for the task ahead after the soon to be delivery.
· The last physical observation you can make is totally a matter of chance in most cases. As the dog nears the delivery date, the puppy can sometime be observed to be moving within the womb. In case you notice this, you can definitely go ahead to feel the movement of the puppies in the womb with your hands. Just a gentle grasp on the belly while flattening your hand will totally do the trick. In some case, you might feel the movement at all. This should not worry you as the little one are usually deep within the belly.