How to confirm cat/dog pregnancy?
Written and discussed by Dr. Ramiz Mondal ( MVSc.)
Two or three weeks after the mating happened, you should bring your pet to the Vet for a check-up and receive valuable advice on what to expect for the next weeks.
Your vet will inform you of the diet your dog should follow from now on and she will be cleared and treated for any parasites.
Even for an experienced veterinarian, it will be difficult to tell if your pet is pregnant on the third week but you will be given details on the different pregnancy testing methods available.
Pregnancy Test for Dogs/ Cats
If you really want to confirm your dog’s pregnancy, the most certain way is to run pregnancy tests.
Veterinarians usually use four kinds of tests: ultrasound, hormone testing, palpation, and x-ray. These tests are safe and will give you accurate results regarding your dog’s pregnancy.
- Ultrasound
The best technique to detect the pregnancy from around three weeks in, the ultrasound examination is totally safe for dogs and cats. It uses sound waves to create pictures of your pets womb.
Dog ultrasound for pregnancy won’t tell you how many puppies are in her womb as it is extremely difficult to count them with what is resulting from that type of scanning imagery.
2. Hormone Testing & Canine/Feline Pregnancy Testing Kits
Once your vet knows the pregnancy is here, there usually is a blood test used to check the hormone levels and reconfirm that your dog is definitely having puppies within her.
Relaxin is the hormone that rises in your dog’s blood during pregnancy.
3. Palpation
Between the 28th and 35th days only, your vet can feel your pregnant Dog’s belly and also confirm that lovely puppies are on their way.
4. X-Ray
From the third tier of the pregnancy, from day 55, you are recommended to visit your vet for an X-ray examination serving two purposes:
- Count how many puppies are in your bitch’s womb,
- Check their bone structure.
X-ray is the most effective way to know if your pet is pregnant but it should take place during the 7th week of your pets pregnancy to have an accurate result of the numbers of puppies in the womb.
During the last 10-15 days, your vet may want to see her one last time to perform the last checks and give you important recommendations on what to expect when she will give birth (called whelping.)