Golden Retriever
I. Knowledge of dog pregnancy
1. Pregnancy in dogs
The period from conception to delivery of the fetus is known as pregnancy. Pregnancy in dogs is usually 58-68 days, varying by dog breed, age, and environmental factors. Dogs with clinical 68-day and 75-day pregnancies typically have only one fetus; most are delivered by cesarean section.
2. Pregnancy diagnosis
- 1. Visual examination. Generally speaking, about 20 days after mating, if the bitch’s appetite changes, her behavior is quiet, she likes to pick up the ground, her nipples are red and hard, and her breasts are plump:30 days later, her abdomen gradually increases, proving that she is pregnant.
- 2. Palpation. An egg-sized embryo can be palpated by touching the uterus of an empty bitch. However, this must be done by an experienced breeder or veterinarian.
- 3. Blood test. After 20 days of mating, take blood serum for examination. If the white blood cells increase and the red blood cells decrease, the bitch is proven to be pregnant.
2. Fake dog pregnancy
1 Main symptom: anorexia, gradual accumulation of abdominal fat, gradual expansion of the abdomen, increased udder, milk flow when squeezed, nesting behavior around 55 days, severe cases showing maternal instincts, lactation lasting several weeks, but unable to form colostrum.
2 Causes: Pseudopregnancy is caused by endocrine disorders, such as luteinizing progesterone secretion and prolactin promoting breast development. Pseudopregnancy is a common phenomenon in female dogs and can occur after mating and the duration of pseudopregnancy is the same as the normal reproductive cycle, after two months of pseudopregnancy and one month of lactation process into the normal estrus phase.
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Pregnant women should exercise appropriately, about 2 hours a day in the early stages of pregnancy around the first month of gestation and in the later stages by free movement. Pay attention to heat prevention and strictly prohibit pumping or forcing them to cross or climb obstacles. To prevent mutual crushing and biting, pregnant women should be kept in a single pen, and attention should be paid to maintaining the physical and environmental hygiene of the dog. Feeding management during pregnancy is to strengthen the body of the bitch, ensure the sound development of the fetus and prevent miscarriage. Each nest can produce strong, vigorous and newborn-weight doglets. Therefore, for the feeding management of pregnant women and dogs, in addition to providing a full-price diet, the feed should be hygienic to ensure quality.
II. Exercise management for dogs during pregnancy
II. Exercise management for dogs during pregnancy
Stage 1: From the day of mating to day 10
It mainly creates the conditions for sperm to implant in the fallopian tube. Therefore, do not come into contact with other dogs and stroll on a leash. Scatter five times a day for about 20 minutes each time. Strenuous exercises such as climbing and jumping are prohibited. Intimidation, beating, scolding, bathing or swimming are not permitted.
Stage 2: From the tenth day of mating to thirty days
Let your dog get more exercise. Walk your dog for no less than 4 hours a day to enhance physical fitness, promote embryonic development, and give him a bath when the weather is sunny.
Stage 3: From mating day 30 to 40
During this stage, the fetus develops rapidly, and the dog’s abdomen increases. Therefore, dispersal should be done individually to avoid climbing, ditch jumping, and another strenuous exercise. During this stage, it is essential to prevent abdominal collisions and sudden fear in pregnant dogs.
Stage 4: From day 40 to 55 after mating
At this stage, the dog is prone to abortion. To prevent miscarriage, stroll and on light traction when spreading out. It is best not to exceed 30 minutes at a time. Especially to prevent sudden earning and jumping caused by external stimuli. If the enclosure of the dog bed is high, make adjustments to avoid touching the abdomen.
Stage 5: From day 56 of pregnancy to dog delivery
At this stage, the udder and vulva of the knotted dog should be cleaned and any hair around the udder should be removed. Also, the dog should be prepared before delivery.
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Gestation management and rearing are critical and are related to the success or failure of the entire breeding effort. Gestation management and rearing are generally divided into five stages. The first and second stages of pregnancy can be carried out according to the breeder’s feeding standards. In the third, fourth and fifth stages, the fetus in the dog develops rapidly and needs a lot of nutrition. Therefore, feed three meals a day with one egg, one bone broth or fish soup, and milk and vegetables as appropriate. At the same time, the dog should be given a phosphorus supplement, calcium and other minerals. Pregnant bitches do not need to be fed special diets in the early stages of pregnancy, about 35 days, but attention should be paid to feeding them on time.
III. Knowledge of feeding a pregnant dog
1. Three stages
Days 1-30 are the first stage: Bitches newly pregnant within 1-2 weeks should avoid strenuous exercise and are prone to miscarriage! Make sure the bitch is fed at her usual level, don’t add too much meat, eggs, nutrition, and food. Because the fetus grows slowly and is small in stature, if too much food is fed, the nutrients will be absorbed by the bitch, which equals obesity for the bitch. Bitches are fat and unexercised and are prone to difficult deliveries.
Days 31-45 are the second stage: the fetus in the bitch’s abdomen starts to grow! The most immediate change you can feel is the frequency of the bitch’s urination. If you are slipping your dog once in the morning and once in the evening, you should add one or two more times a day, with the proper amount of exercise, to keep the bitch practicing her body! Properly increased nutrition, meat, eggs, yogurt, etc. must be in small amounts. If the fetus absorbs more nutrients and grows too fast, it will be challenging to deliver!
Days 46-60 are stage 3: You can see the bitch’s belly bulging! You can feel the fetus rolling around in her stomach in the last few days! Make sure the bitch gets some exercise. If the bitch can’t run, take him for more walks. At this time of the year, the bitch is like a hungry wolf who never gets enough to eat! Control the amount of food you feed 20-50% more than usual is enough! If you are soft, providing too much will hurt her!
2. Food requirements of the mother dog
The bitch’s food should be fresh and uncontaminated, never moldy or spoiled.
Try to give the mother dog professional maternity dog food, or you can feed her puppy food, which is higher in energy.
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Dogs have different requirements and consumption of food at other times. As the fetus grows, the need for food increases significantly. A swollen abdomen can compress the stomach and reduce each feeding of the bitch or even loss of appetite, all of which are normal and you should not worry about. To ensure that the bitch and the fetus can take in enough nutrition, you can increase the number of feedings per day. If you feed professional dog food, do not supplement calcium, zinc and vitamin D, otherwise, it will easily cause maternal soft tissue calcium deposition and litter deformity.
IV. Care guidelines for pregnant dogs
1. Prevent biting buckets
The main purpose of identifying a pregnant bitch is to prevent her from contracting diseases and to avoid fighting with her dog. Proper daily exercise is the best way to prevent difficult births, but do not engage in strenuous exercise. Around 30 days into the pregnancy, roundworms and tapeworms are removed medically to avoid infecting the fetus and puppy.
2. Nutrition
The nutrition of the bitch during pregnancy is important and plays a decisive role in the health of the bitch, ensuring the normal development of the fetus, preventing miscarriage, and the secretion of the bitch’s milk. Pregnant women should be fed foods with high nutritional value and increase the amount of protein, calories, calcium and phosphorus in their diets. In the early period, about 35 days, pregnant women can be fed according to the original feeding method. 35-42 days, 42-49 days and 49-60 days, the feed should be increased by 10%, 20% and 30%, respectively, based on the original feed. Especially in the later period, attention should be paid to adding feeds that are easy to digest, high in protein, and rich in calcium, phosphorus and vitamins. At 35-45 days of pregnancy, dinner 3 times and 4 times a day for 44-60 days.
3. Notes
- 1 Dog should not be bathed for the first two weeks after mating; after that, they can, but be careful not to let them get cold.
- 2 Enhance the dog’s nutrition and increase the amount of food appropriately.
- 3 You will also need to continue to walk him, but the activity should not be too strenuous, and it is essential to maintain the right amount of exercise in the second trimester so that the pregnant dog does not get too fat.
- 4 Other things are to keep an eye on the dog. If there is anything abnormal, please take the dog to the doctor in time. Please take good care of the dog during its pregnancy, and the dog will give birth to a cute and healthy baby dog.
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During pregnancy, bitches tend to become sluggish and lazy. At this time, the dog owner must give the bitch proper outdoor activity and allow her to get plenty of sunlight. Forbid the bitch from running fast, jumping, running up and down stairs, or fighting with other dogs to avoid miscarriage. Be sure to deworm early in pregnancy, but do not feed too much deworming medicine to avoid miscarriage. In early pregnancy, appetite increases and protein feed should be gradually increased. One month later, meat, bone meal, and fish meal should be added appropriately. Add lunch once a day, after 45 days. Before parturition, i.e., after 50 days of pregnancy, pay attention to reducing the feed by 1/4.
