Can dogs a pregnancy: Does your dog expect babies? Pregnancy in dogs is a great responsibility for the owners; Now you have to take care of your dog as usual and even more because there are some puppies that are on the way and that need to develop safe in the belly. What problems may arise during canine pregnancy or what risks are there? We tell you, in addition to teaching you to avoid them.
Risks of pregnancy in dogs that you should avoid
A pregnant dog and her future babies need protection and special care. Certain factors, both internal and external, can endanger the health of the mother and/or the life of the puppies that are being gestated. So that everything goes properly and the dog can safely give birth to a strong and healthy litter, it is better to avoid the following risk factors that compromise canine pregnancy:
Extreme temperatures
Too cold or too hot is bad for all dogs, but even more so for a pregnant dog. If you get cold or if you are too hot, you may lose your appetite and weaken, which would undoubtedly affect the development of the puppies inside.
The ideal is to provide the dog with an environment with a comfortable and pleasant temperature. If it’s summer, don’t let excessive heat go by, or let it spend a lot of time outdoors with cold or rain. Likewise, sudden temperature changes are inadvisable, since they usually end up with a cold.
Dehydration
Always, but now more than ever, it is important that your dog stays well hydrated. Dehydration can have devastating consequences for her and her puppies.
Make sure your dog always has fresh water available and consumes it, especially if it’s summer! If you get sick or any other reason you do not want to drink, opting for chicken broth without salt can help get your attention and so hydrate a little more.
Obesity
Did you know that rates of overweight and obesity in domestic dogs are currently worrisome? This is because they eat too much fat and are more sedentary than they should. This is a problem you should always avoid, but especially during pregnancy in dogs.
Obesity makes movement difficult, causes muscle and joint pain and can complicate births. In addition, of course, the risk of diseases such as diabetes or heart problems or cholesterol increases. Always give your dog a healthy and balanced diet!
It is very important that a dog is at her ideal weight when she becomes pregnant to avoid problems during pregnancy and childbirth.
Sedentary
A pregnant dog is not a sick or invalid dog, so you don’t have to cancel the physical activity. Of course, you will have to adapt the intensity of the exercise to your new condition, especially when your belly begins to grow and feels heavier, but at all, you have to have a completely sedentary life. Exercise is healthy and necessary at all times in the dog’s life, always adapted to its conditions and abilities.
Accidents and dangerous activities
As we said, it is not about becoming sedentary, but about adapting the activity to the capabilities of the pregnant dog. Avoid excessively intense exercise or sudden movements, such as the jumping of obstacles, which could cause blows to the belly.
The best for a pregnant dog is the walks, which you can lengthen or shorten according to their characteristics. Walking helps you stay fit. Arriving at birth with an adequate physical form will facilitate the birth of babies.
Remember that pregnancy in dogs is a great responsibility. If you don’t want your dog to have offspring, castrate before regretting it! The abandonment and murder of unwanted litters is NOT an option.
