| Care and Management of Bitch during Pregnancy and Whelping |
Ravi Kant Gupta*, R.S. Wakchaure, J.P.Sehgal and Nazam Khan
National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal -132001
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Bitch needs extra care during her pregnancy whether an accident or a planned mating. Many bitches are accidentally bred on their first heat when they are not much more than puppies themselves. So we must breed our dog on its second or third heat period as by this time bitch is over one year of age. The normal length of pregnancy in dogs is 63-65 days from the last mating date. Most bitches will begun mammary enlargement at about 35 days, however this and tummy swelling is most rapid in the last 2 to 3 weeks of pregnancy.
False pregnancy are very common in bitches with some bitches putting on weight, having mammary enlargement and even producing milk though she is not pregnant. To ensure whether she is pregnant or not, a gentle palpation of the tummy by a veterinarian after 3 weeks can confirm the presences of the pups. If it is a false pregnancy it will usually resolve itself naturally between 60-70 days or one can give hormone tablets to stop this behaviour of her.
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