The following is some general information on the female dog’s reproductive system. If you are considering breeding from your bitch, then we would highly recommend the following book – Let’s have healthy dogs.
Canine heat cycle – 18 – 21 days
Intact female dogs go into heat cycle approx. every 6 months.
The four stages of the female dog’s reproductive cycle are:
- Proestrus
- Estrus
- Diestrus
- Anestrus
Proestrus lasts for about 9 days and is the first stage of the reproductive cycle. This is when females start to attract males, although they will reject their advances until stage two.
The signs of proestrus are:
- Swelling of the vulva
- Bloody discharge
Estrus lasts anywhere from 3-to-4 days to 7-to-11 days. This is when the bitch is receptive to the male.
Diestrus is the final stage of the cycle. It typically occurs around day 14. During diestrus, the bitch’s discharge becomes redder and tapers off, the vulva returns to normal, and she will no longer permit mating. The heat is complete when all signs of swelling and discharge are gone.
The time frame between one heat cycle and the next is called anestrus and usually lasts around six months.
Normal gestation for dogs is 63 days from conception.
This can vary for individual dogs from 58 – 68 days
Like people, dogs are pregnant for three trimesters, each about 21 days long.
There are 3 stages of labour
Stage One
The first lasts 12-to-24 hours and is often not outwardly noticeable. Contractions in the muscular wall of the uterus increase throughout stage one, both in strength and frequency, but no visible contractions are evident.
Instead, look out for the following symptoms of labour in dogs:
- Change in disposition and behaviour
- Restlessness
- Reclusive behaviour
- Intermittent nesting
- Refusing to eat
- Vomiting
- Panting
- Clear vaginal discharge
Stage Two
Puppies are delivered during stage two. This stage can take anywhere from 1-to-24 hours, and bitches deliver one puppy at a time. Each delivery should not last more than 1-to-2 hours and normally occurs every 30-to-60 minutes.
Stage Three
The placenta is delivered in stage three. Stage two and stage three actually occur at around the same time, and stage three is complete when all of the placentas have been delivered. This usually occurs shortly after stage two is finished.
You should contact your veterinarian if your dog’s labor takes more than 24 hours, or if more than 2 hours pass in between puppies. This could be a sign of a serious complication, and both the bitch and unborn puppies’ lives could be at risk.
Canine Pregnancy Diet
Provide your pregnant dog with a nutritious, fresh food diet abundant in protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. Although there may be days when her appetite wanes, pregnant dogs typically consume approximately 1.5 times more food than non-pregnant dogs. Hence, be ready to increase her food intake accordingly. Additionally, she may prefer smaller, more frequent meals.
Ensuring she receives adequate nourishment is crucial, as it supports the development of healthy puppies. Extra supplements can be introduced to boost the bitch’s mineral and vitamin requirements, such as: Greenpet Essentials or NAS Organic Calcium.
Please see Dog Diet- Feeding Naturally article for more information.
The following natural remedies may be helpful:
Raspberry leaf brewed into a tea and given both before, during and after whelping, commencing from the time they are on heat until they have weaned their litter.
Herbal supplements may be used in last trimester of pregnancy, please contact the clinic for recommendations.
Marshmallow root may be brewed into a tea as a natural way to increase milk production.
Greenpet Essentials – Natural nutritional and mineral supplement
To help support puppies we have the following natural remedies:
Pro-Vita Lac or Goat Milk Powder may be used if milk supply is low or the bitch is unable to feed puppies as a natural milk formula. Can also be used during weaning if necessary.
Colostrum powder – For puppies that are in poor health to support immune system.
Natural Puppy & Kitten Starter Bundle – Natural alternatives to raise puppies naturally.
We highly recommend the book; Let’s have healthy dogs which contains chapters on good breeding, diet, mating and care of the brood bitch, new born puppies and general care of the adult dog.
