How Do I Know My Pitbull is Pregnant?
A pregnant Pitbull will exhibit specific signs. For example, you may observe the following physical and behavioral changes in your pet:
Are you wondering why your canine buddy is unusually quiet? A Pitbull is a friendly and social animal, so this is a crucial pregnancy indicator. Your dog has no way to communicate with you directly, but this passive behavior speaks volumes. Physical weakness is another tell-tale sign of pregnancy. Before, your pet can effortlessly sprint while fetching the ball. Now, it seems to get tired quickly and has low energy. It walks more slowly and seems hesitant about running to you.
Usually, your dog would love to be the center of attention. They would seek your approval and presence the entire time. However, a pregnant Pitbull may prefer to be left alone. Your dog could also get irritated when bothered. There is a chance that your dog would enjoy some time in isolation. It’s best not to disturb them while they are getting accustomed to this new change. Ideally, keep your pregnant Pitbull away from your children or any possible disturbance.
Motherhood brings a wave of change in every creature. It may surprise you that the Pitbull starts to get more affectionate towards their toys. Your pet starts to guard its sleeping space and food bowl ferociously. In the last leg of your Pitbull’s pregnancy, you will witness the mother gear up for the new puppies through nesting. The dog will prepare a nest with available shreds and materials around.
A pregnant Pitbull would have visible appetite fluctuations. They would be averse to food in the initial days. But suddenly, their appetite will shoot up, indicating that there is something different. Since a pregnant Pitbull requires more calories for growing its puppies, it consumes between 35% and 40% more food. Pregnancy hormones trigger all these appetite changes.
Your Pitbull may have persistent feelings of nausea and dizziness. Unfortunately, morning sickness here is a misnomer as your dog may throw up any time of the day and night.
During pregnancy, your dog will have increased vaginal discharge and enlarged nipples. This change is easy to spot as Pitbulls have tiny body hair on their bellies. An increase in nipple size is an important hormonal change as the expectant mother prepares for milk production.
A pregnant dog will experience rapid weight gain. This change is visible as early as a couple of weeks. If your pet’s belly is increasing in size, there is a high chance of them being pregnant. Your dog may gain 15% to 25% more weight during pregnancy, depending on the number of puppies they carry.
How Does Your Vet Tell Whether Your Pitbull is Pregnant or Not?
The surest way to know whether your Pitbull is pregnant is to consult your veterinarian. Expect the following diagnostic procedures to be done to your pet.
Like other dogs, a Pitbull is usually pregnant for about nine weeks. Here are the changes you can expect at each stage of gestation.
In the first week, your Pitbull may experience morning sickness. Some dogs also have pinkish secretion from their vaginas. The second week will witness cell development. Finally, the little puppy embryos will start to move in the mother’s uterus.
Instead of looking like blobs, the tiny fetuses now appear more like puppies on a scan. Your expectant Pitbull will be hungrier this week and may require more calories. It will also continue to have pink discharge and swollen nipples. Both are completely normal. At this stage, you can prevent a miscarriage by reducing your dog’s activity.
An ultrasound scan will show that the puppies start growing cure paws, claws, and whiskers. The mother Pitbull will increase in size. This implies that the food requirements will shoot up as the dog has to foster the babies inside. The sixth week will display apparent changes in body size. The nipples get darker. The puppies will also start to show distinctive markings. Your Pitbull’s nesting behavior will also become more pronounced. Finally, it will find a safe space where it can comfortably give birth and nurse the puppies.
At 42 days of pregnancy, the mother Pitbull will show some loss of fur. This is a natural way to prepare the belly for feeding the puppies after birth. However, you have to take special care of Pitbull’s diet. Remember to give your pet calcium-rich food or supplements to ensure the little puppies come out healthy and strong. In the eighth week, some Pitbulls undergo premature birthing. Hence, you have to be all geared up by this time. You can see the puppies move in the Pitbull’s belly, and the mother Pitbull will show even more nesting activity. At the end of this stage, your pet may start to leak milk enriched with colostrum.
Usually, a Pitbull pregnancy lasts for around 63 days so that the moment can happen anytime. After that, your Pitbull will finally go into labor. You should be ready with all the gear for birthing and welcoming the newborn puppies by this time.
Immediately after my female dog has been mated, is there anything I should do?
Make sure that she does not have the opportunity to mate with any other dogs. Remember that estrus or heat will continue for several more days and she could theoretically become pregnant from another dog during this period. After a planned mating, it is a good idea to allow her to rest quietly for a few hours.
Trixie’s pregnancy week by week
Pitbulls are a tenacious breed that were traditionally bred as catch dog. In more recent time they are being kept by people who just love them for their other characteristics. They have become one of the most popular domestic breeds in the country.
This means there’s big demand for Pitbull puppies, and many owners looking to breed them. One of the first questions those new to this will want to understand better is what a Pitbull pregnancy, week by week, is like. Here’s all you need to know, starting with how many days the Pitbull pregnancy will be.
How long is a Pitbull pregnant for? Pitbulls have the same gestation period as other dog breeds. Your Pitbull will be pregnant for 58 to 68 days, with the average pregnancy length usually being around day 63 from the point of conceiving to the delivery.
If you do have a pregnant Pitbull and don’t know to expect, please check out the following Pitbull pregnancy calendar. It’s a step by step guide through the days of your Pitbull’s pregnancy.