Is your dog pregnant? Here’s how you can test them at home:
Order a Dog-Specific Home Pregnancy Test Kit: With the advancement of medicine, there are a lot of simple, safe and super cheap pregnancy kits available to test our dogs. These kits are easily found on every pet store and delivers accurate results, as they work by detecting the level of relaxin, pregnancy hormones in the blood.
Pet parents should always wait at least three weeks until your dog completes its heat cycle before conducting a home pregnancy test — this will ensure that your tests are accurate and that you don’t waste your money.
How to Use a Dog Pregnancy Test?
You must read the label and instructions carefully that come with the kit to get the best results. The directions will provide you with the following details:
- Extract blood.
- Using a centrifuge, separate plasma from blood.
- Test plasma.
- View results.
You must obey all of the test instructions to get an accurate result. Most home tests require specific timing, materials, and quantity of samples. Before performing a test, you should also check the expiry dates and storage conditions to ensure that the components are still working correctly.
If in doubt, contact your doctor: some tests can give you false results (the test may indicate that your dog is pregnant when she may not be pregnant, or the test may indicate that she is not pregnant when she could be pregnant). You can consult with your doctor if you think your test results are incorrect or if you want to validate the result.
Check With Your Veterinarian
The dog may need to see the vet a few times during pregnancy. Your vet may perform ultrasound or blood test after 21 days of confirmed pregnancy. Also, approximately 45 days after birth, your vet may take x-rays to determine the number and size of the pups.
If your dog has vaginal bleeding or discharge during pregnancy, you should immediately call your vet for advice or visit the clinic. Also, don’t wait to consult your vet if you find any symptoms of sickness in your dog. Severe complications may lead to mis-carriage or in some cases, cause death of your dog.
Note: The dog should not be vaccinated during pregnancy.
Summing Up:
The period of pregnancy in dogs is a very stressful period for both the owner and their pregnant companion. Especially during this period, you should be more sensitive about the health, care, nutrition and the psychology of your pregnant dog. You must also contact your veterinarian frequently to keep yourself updated.
