German Shepherd Pregnancy is an event, usually planned and expected. In order to wait for the puppies and keep the dog healthy, the breeder carefully looks after her, showing maximum attention. About all the intricacies of this interesting period and about how to behave to the owner of the animal, - further.
How long does a German shepherd pregnancy last?
Dogs do not have an exact term for carrying puppies. The duration of these periods may be different depending on the individual and on the number of fruits. On average, the gestation period of a German shepherd is 60-65 days. There are some regularities:
- the first pregnancy is usually longer than subsequent;
- the more fruits, the faster the birth.
The last week of pregnancy of a German shepherd is considered important for the viability of puppies. Babies born before the 53rd day do not survive. However, a prolonged pregnancy is also not the norm. If it lasts longer than 70 days, a cesarean section may be required.
The owner should record how many days after mating the birth of the dog occurs. This will help to understand how long the German Shepherd's pregnancy lasts, and to avoid unnecessary veterinary intervention. If the pet is always whelping after 70 days without harming the health of the babies, it makes no sense to carry out a cesarean on the 65th day.
The duration of a German shepherd's pregnancy is sometimes counted from the day of mating, but this is not always true. Fertilization occurs 1-6 days after the female contacts the “groom”. Experienced breeders try to knit a dog during ovulation.
At what age does it come?
Pregnancy in German shepherds is possible during puberty. This age in representatives of large breeds comes quite late. Up to 15 months, the female develops, early pregnancy will harm both the mother and the puppies.
Cynologists recommend the first mating in the third estrus at the age of 1.5-2 years. The reproductive period lasts up to 4-6 years of the German Shepherd. No matter how many pregnancies a female suffers, this is a heavy burden on her body, so breeders try not to bind a pet more than once a year, so that her health can be restored. But even with such a periodicity, internal reserves are depleted, so it is not recommended to knit females over the age of 8 years.
How many German shepherd dogs can have puppies during pregnancy? In each litter, 6-7 babies are born, in some females there are 10-12 and even 15. In primiparous litters, usually not numerous.
German Shepherd Pregnancy by Day
Until the fifth week, it is impossible to notice that the dog is waiting for puppies. In the first days of pregnancy, sperm move to the gamete for fertilization. Around the fourth day, they meet. At the end of the first week, the zygote moves into the uterus.
Embryos are attached to the walls of the uterus by the end of the second week, but their size is still very small. From the 15th day the organs of future puppies are formed. On the 16-17th day, their size is one millimeter. The trunk, spine, head, central nervous system develops.
In the third week, the placenta forms, but the embryo at this time is no more than 0.5 cm, the heart appears in it. By the end of the first month, the embryo grows to 2 cm.
Starting from the 22nd day, you should change the diet of the dog. At this time, she may have morning vomiting. Until the 32nd day, the fruit grows the size of a nut, its teeth are formed, calcium is supplied to all parts of the body.
From the 32nd day comes the second half of pregnancy. Embryos at this time reach a length of 3 cm, their weight is 20% of the weight of the newborn puppy. From the 5th week, the dog has a noticeable stomach, increased appetite.
At the sixth week, all organs and bones are formed in the puppies. By the 40th day, their size is about 6.5 cm. The uterus occupies almost the entire abdominal cavity. On the 41-44th day of puppies can be felt.
From the seventh week, the female has been preparing a “den” for babies. On the 45-49th day, the fruits reached a length of 9 cm.
From day 51, milk may be released. At the eighth week, the female’s stomach increased significantly, and the dog moves with difficulty, trying to rest more.
Starting on day 58, the owner needs to be ready to accept delivery at any time. By the 60th day, the kids are completely covered with wool and are ready to be born.
A day and a half before the birth, the female's behavior changes. She hides in a secluded corner, arranges a nest, seeks the attention of the owner. On the genital loop folds disappear, mucous discharge is observed.
Immediately before birth, the temperature of the females decreases. If the owner measured it daily, then its decrease to 36.6-37.1 ° C will tell that in 18-24 hours the cherished moment of the appearance of the babies will come.
The weight of newborn puppies is 300-500 grams, length - 18-22 cm.
What changes in the appearance of a pregnant shepherd?
As mentioned earlier, from the fifth week, signs of pregnancy of the German shepherd are visible even to an inexperienced breeder. Among them:
- Rounded belly. A female may look like a fat dog. But if the pregnancy is multiple, the stomach becomes pear-shaped and lowers.
- The mammary glands change color and enlarge. Their skin darkens, by the fifth week they swell, by the seventh - the hair falls near them. The dog itself can lick the stomach at the same time. A few days before birth, milk is formed in the glands, sometimes undermining.
False fraud
It happens that in the fifth week after estrus, the dog's behavior changes. This can happen in two months. If there was no mating, then this is a hormonal failure.
If the mating was carried out, then the death of fruits for up to 4 weeks may become the reason for such behavior.
Some females have a predisposition to the occurrence of such a condition, and they are able to feed foreign cubs.
Signs of False Pregnancy
- The dog sets up a nest and nurses soft toys (or other objects), like puppies, protecting them.
- Expresses concern, refuses to walk, hides, whines.
- Its mammary glands are enlarged, milk may be released from them.
- To help the dog, you should hide all the “puppies” when the dog is on a walk, and show the pet to the veterinarian.
The condition itself is not dangerous, but can cause mastitis.
Pregnancy diagnosis
If the dog is truly pregnant, the breeder should contact the veterinary clinic as soon as possible. Usually pregnancy is determined by ultrasound from the 4th week, but some veterinarians can do this on the 21st day.
The number of puppies can be found on the 48-50th day.
Ultrasound should be performed if the dog's condition worsened, vomiting appeared, the female refuses food, is in a depressed state. The examination will help to understand whether the puppies are alive. If the pregnancy has stopped or the fetus has died from hypoxia, urgent medical attention will be required.
How to care for a dog?
A pregnant shepherd needs proper care. Usually a similar condition is planned long before it occurs. If the female carries babies, it is undesirable to use any medications. All chronic diseases need to be treated in advance. In addition, you must:
- get all vaccinations in less than a month;
- deworming a week before mating;
- in the warm season, pick up antiparasitic drugs approved for pregnant females.
After mating, the dog is considered to be pregnant, and although the food and load do not change in the first month, nevertheless, it must be handled with care, giving more rest.
What to feed?
The weight of a pregnant dog increases by 10-25%. In addition to the fruits, nutrients are deposited for the mother herself during lactation. Therefore, her diet starting in the second half of pregnancy should be 1.5-2 times more caloric than usual.
It is also important to comply with a number of recommendations:
- Do not feed the dog expired and low-quality products.
- Thoroughly cook the meat.
- Do not give food that provokes bloating - brown bread, legumes, potatoes.
The diet of a pregnant dog includes foods high in protein - lean meat, cottage cheese, as well as cereals (buckwheat, rice), boiled vegetables (carrots, pumpkin, zucchini). Be sure to add vitamin and mineral dressings.
If the pet is kept on finished industrial food, then from the second half of pregnancy and throughout lactation, puppy food for up to two months is used.
From the fourth week of pregnancy, the female is transferred to 3 meals a day, from the seventh - to 4 meals a day, in small portions. A week before giving birth, the dog is not given meat, replacing it with fish and cottage cheese. This is necessary for the prevention of eclampsia - a special form of toxicosis in the form of seizures.
Caring for a pregnant female
Pregnancy of a German shepherd, a dog active and mobile, is not a reason to refuse to walk. The first month may well pass as usual. Then walks should be long, but calm. The pet is not allowed to jump, play with other tetrapods. Dangerous meeting with sick animals. It is dangerous to overheat in the summer, so walks are done early in the morning or in the evening.
Activity during pregnancy is needed to maintain muscle mass and not gain excess weight. Obesity can significantly complicate the process of childbirth: contractions will be weak, the introduction of oxytocin will be required.
A pregnant female may have mucus from the birth canal. If the dog does not lick it on its own, the owner should help her by using a napkin.
It may happen that the female will relieve the need for an apartment, this often happens during pregnancy, you should not scold her, because the dog at this time is difficult to control this process.
Closer to delivery, the owner needs to arrange a place for the puppies and their mother. It should be a convenient corner without drafts and unnecessary noise. Do not let the pet change this place.
Also, everything necessary for the birth process is worth buying in advance. Which drugs to purchase, the veterinarian will tell you.
What else to look for?
In addition to food and walks, the owner should be attentive to any details:
- If the dog is injured, the site of injury should be washed with an antiseptic solution and the procedure should be repeated until complete healing. The use of antibiotics is extremely undesirable during pregnancy, so you should not bring to purulent complications.
- If you have signs of any ailment (diarrhea, vomiting), you should contact your veterinarian to stop the disease in the early stages.
Young healthy dogs usually tolerate pregnancy without any problems and give birth without complications.
Conclusion
Healthy young shepherds with good care tolerate pregnancy and give birth easily. The breeder decides in advance whether he will knit a female. If you decide to get puppies, you should pay maximum attention to the pet. Good nutrition and quality care for the dog during this period will allow you to get excellent offspring from it.