Uh oh...I'm afraid Gracie is pregnant! - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Gracie'sMommy · 03-21-2006, 06:09 AM

OK Gracie is 16 months old, and Griffin is 5 1/2 months old. My vet told me I had to wait until Griffin was about 6-7 months to get him fixed, and I was going to get Gracie done at the same time.

A little background here...originally I got Griffin to breed with Gracie one time, then on his first vet visit (which Gracie was also there to get shots) I found out that she was only 3 1/2 lbs (my scales at home had her at 4) and that he recommended I do not breed her because she's too small. Plus, Griffin is bigger than she is, he was 4 1/2 lbs. at his last vet appointment and is estimated to top out at around 5-6.

SOOOOOOO...I've been watching them closely in the evenings when they play together, and keeping them apart during the day "just in case". Today, I happened to take a good look at Gracie and she looks fat! Now keep in mind she is pretty thin usually, and when I looked down on her I thought her back looked filled out more. I picked her up and I swear she feels pregnant!!!!

Is there any way to tell other than taking her to the vet? I'm very concerned because I have no idea when it could have happened, how far along she could be, and my main concern is that she is too small to handle puppies of Griffin's (or any puppies, period).

HELP!

yougetthesmiles · 03-21-2006, 06:17 AM

Uh Oh! I wish I knew, but I have no clue, can you call the vet and ask them if there is anyway of telling?

nifer · 03-21-2006, 06:19 AM

found this by doing a simple google search:

Pregnant dog - pregnancy signs in dogs - dog article on Pets.ca

A doggie biscuit in the oven

The next logical question is, "How can you tell if your dog is in the family way?" Confirming pregnancy necessitates a trip to the veterinary office. The earliest method of pregnancy detection is ultrasound—a nice test because it is noninvasive and very reliable. Fetal heartbeats can be detected at around the 25th day from first breeding. This is not, however, considered a reliable way to determine fetal number.

One interesting fact about the canine reproductive cycle is that the dog goes through roughly the same hormonal changes whether or not she is pregnant. For this reason, there is no progesterone blood or urine test to diagnose pregnancy in dogs. There is, however, a blood test that will detect relaxin, a hormone that is produced in pregnant dogs but is not found in non-pregnant dogs. This test may be performed mid gestation, which occurs at around the same time that your veterinarian can palpate the fetuses.

Most experienced veterinarians can determine pregnancy by simply feeling the dog’s abdomen during a certain a window of time—about 20-30 days after conception. During this time period, there is uterine swelling around the placental sites that feels like firm and discrete lumps. After 30 days, the uterine swelling is more diffuse and it is difficult to distinguish the gravid uterus from the feel of the intestinal tract. Dogs that are very large or obese may be difficult to examine in any stage, however.

A third way to detect pregnancy is by taking x-rays. Fetal skeletons can be visualized at about 45 days of pregnancy. This test cannot be done until late in gestation, but it is nice to know about how many of the little creatures you can expect once the actual birthing occurs.

Get out the clean towels

Although it takes an average of 62 days for puppies to gestate, normal variation is from 54-72 days depending on the breeding dates. During this time there is really not a lot for you do—just feed the dog her regular diet for the first month. It is absolutely crucial that you do NOT supplement your dog with vitamins during her pregnancy. Although this seems to be against normal thinking, dogs that are supplemented are unable to efficiently extract calcium from their bones after they give birth, and this predisposes them to suffer from hypocalcemia, which can result in muscular weakness and even seizures. Starting in the second month of pregnancy, you will want to switch her diet over to a good quality puppy food. This will provide her with the extra calories that she needs without providing excess supplementation.

Speaking of the blessed event, here is your reward for reading this far. If your dog is pregnant, you will want to start taking her temperature (yeah, you know where) about a week prior to her due date. The normal rectal temperature for dogs ranges from 100 to 102.5F. About 24 hours prior to giving birth the dam’s rectal temperature will drop a few degrees. If you record the temperature daily you will know when it is okay to go out to dinner and when you will have a long night ahead of you.

One to two weeks prior to the delivery, get your whelping box and supplies together. Your whelping box should have sides that are high enough so that four to six week-old puppies cannot get out, but when mom needs a Calgon moment she can leave without doing damage to the milking apparatus. It is also important to have a ledge of some kind all around the inside edge so that no puppies are inadvertently smothered by the mother—the pups should be able to slide under the ledge so that mom cannot squish them. Place the box in a familiar but private area and line it with towels.

Get as many clean towels on hand as possible. It is amazing how many you will use trying to keep the canine family clean. You will also want to have sharp scissors (to cut the cords), dental floss (for tying off cords), and povidone iodine (for disinfecting the cord ends) on hand for the delivery.

full article:
http://www.pets.ca/articles/article-dogpregnant.htm

parker'smom · 03-21-2006, 06:26 AM

You can actually use a home ept test for humans. All mammals produce the same hcg hormone that the test detects. Now getting her to pee on the stick may be a totally different story! But I would definately take her to the vet to be absolutely sure!

cribal · 03-21-2006, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parker'smom

You can actually use a home ept test for humans. All mammals produce the same hcg hormone that the test detects. Now getting her to pee on the stick may be a totally different story! But I would definately take her to the vet to be absolutely sure!

WOW... you learn something new every day..

Crystal

nifer · 03-21-2006, 06:37 AM

tests that detect elevated levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hcg) are ineffective to determine whether or not a dog is pregnant, according to vets. you can inquire about a relaxin test though.

Pregnancy Care
Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.

Pregnancy in the dog lasts approximately 63 days. Just because a bitch was bred, however, does not necessarily mean she has become pregnant.

Determining if a bitch is pregnant

For the first three weeks or so of pregnancy, you may not notice any changes in the bitch. Some females will become more demanding for attention, their nipples may enlarge slightly, and some may become hungrier. These are not a guarantee of a pregnancy, but are good signs. Bitches can show the same signs during 'false pregnancy,' a hormonal abnormality, which may occur after a bitch has been in heat.

Several methods are available to determine pregnancy. A clear mucoid vaginal discharge may be seen. It is a reasonably reliable sign of pregnancy and is noticed about 4-5 weeks into pregnancy and continues until parturition. Ultrasound is able to pick up fetal heartbeats at about 28 days into gestation. This will not be able to determine the number of puppies but can give an estimate and can confirm a pregnancy. At about the same time, a veterinarian may be able to palpate the uterus and feel the fetuses. This may not be possible on a large dog or one that has the puppies under the rib cage. A blood test to check for pregnancy is available. It checks for the hormone, relaxin, which is produced when the fertilized egg implants. The test can be done about 28-30 days into the pregnancy. Small litter sizes (less than 3 puppies) may result in a false negative result. X-rays can be taken around the 60th day of pregnancy to confirm a pregnancy, count the number of fetuses, and determine size-wise if the puppies will fit through the birth canal.

full article:
http://www.peteducation.com/article....&articleid=900

livingdustmops · 03-21-2006, 06:37 AM

Julie - you need to take her to the vet as you have some serious decisions to make if in fact she is pregnant. I certainly hope she is not but I would not waste $$$ or second guessing this issue. Don't mean to sound harsh but I don't want anything to happen to your little girl and I would definitely get your little boy in for the big chop chop.

Gracie'sMommy · 03-21-2006, 06:44 AM

I have an appointment with the vet on Thursday to take her in. Yes, I know I have to get Griffin fixed, it has been planned all along to take him in sometime in April. I'm afraid somehow he's an "early bloomer" and got her before I could get him!!!

Dawn125 · 03-21-2006, 06:59 AM

When was Gracie in heat? My female, Brandy, was in heat a couple weeks ago (it was her first heat and she's 19 months old). Now she is feeling fatter and her nipples are very swollen. I was very careful to keep my male away from her. If I didn't know better I would think she was pregnant also but I actually think it's just from being in heat around a male. Like a false pregnancy.

Gracie'sMommy · 03-21-2006, 07:01 AM

I have never seen anything (ie: blood) indicating she's been in heat. I've watched her and she's never bled.

Dawn125 · 03-21-2006, 07:17 AM

It's doubtful that she's pregnant than. I kept wondering about Brandy since she had never gone into heat. My vet told me that she probably had and I just didn't notice. Well when she finally did go into heat it was pretty hard to miss. There wasn't really much blood but she was so swollen it would have been impossible to miss.

At 3.5 lbs I would assume you would never breed Gracie anyway so why don't you just schedule her spaying and get it done now before she goes into heat. I hear there are health benefits to spaying them before the first heat anyway.

red98vett · 03-21-2006, 07:20 AM

IF I were in your shoes ...I'd go to the vet asap and find out for SURE...then decide to spay her right away....Good luck.

Gracie'sMommy · 03-21-2006, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawn125

At 3.5 lbs I would assume you would never breed Gracie anyway so why don't you just schedule her spaying and get it done now before she goes into heat. I hear there are health benefits to spaying them before the first heat anyway.

When I first got Griffin and realized that breeding him and Gracie wasn't a good idea because of her size (again, remember that my scales at home were off) I decided to fix them both so that it would not be an issue. My vet recommended waiting until Griffin was old enough and then doing them both at the same time so that I wouldn't have one recuperating while the other was wanting to play.

So I was planning on getting them both fixed in April sometime (Griffin will be 6 months old on April 1st). Hopefully, Gracie is just getting ready to go into, or is already in her first heat and that's why she's swollen. If that's the case, then yes...they will both get scheduled ASAP to fix this!

If it's not the case, and she is pregnant, what are my options? From what I've read today, she's potentially about 5 weeks along based on her "shape" and the thickening/widening of her body between her ribs and hips. If there is just one puppy, could she potentially carry it?

rnnw62 · 03-21-2006, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by red98vett

IF I were in your shoes ...I'd go to the vet asap and find out for SURE...then decide to spay her right away....Good luck.

This is exactly the same thing I would do. I wouldn't chance risking
her life. Please keep us updated!

Tashasmom · 03-21-2006, 08:34 AM

This is a hard choice and not one I would want to make. I would take her to vet to see for sure. IF she is then you would have two choices. 1. you could let her have the puppies and take a chance on losing the mom. 2. You could have him remove her uterus but that would mean aborting the pups.
And to be honest with you I would have a hard time doing that but their are alot of people that have chosen that. It's up to you of course. So I would suggest discuss all of your options with your vet and decide from there.
If she is 5 weeks along then she is too far along to palpate yet not far enough along to feel puppies moving.

03-21-2006, 06:09 AM	#1
Gracie'sMommy Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 191	Uh oh...I'm afraid Gracie is pregnant! OK Gracie is 16 months old, and Griffin is 5 1/2 months old. My vet told me I had to wait until Griffin was about 6-7 months to get him fixed, and I was going to get Gracie done at the same time. A little background here...originally I got Griffin to breed with Gracie one time, then on his first vet visit (which Gracie was also there to get shots) I found out that she was only 3 1/2 lbs (my scales at home had her at 4) and that he recommended I do not breed her because she's too small. Plus, Griffin is bigger than she is, he was 4 1/2 lbs. at his last vet appointment and is estimated to top out at around 5-6. SOOOOOOO...I've been watching them closely in the evenings when they play together, and keeping them apart during the day "just in case". Today, I happened to take a good look at Gracie and she looks fat! Now keep in mind she is pretty thin usually, and when I looked down on her I thought her back looked filled out more. I picked her up and I swear she feels pregnant!!!! Is there any way to tell other than taking her to the vet? I'm very concerned because I have no idea when it could have happened, how far along she could be, and my main concern is that she is too small to handle puppies of Griffin's (or any puppies, period). HELP! __________________ Julie

03-21-2006, 06:19 AM	#3
nifer YT Addict Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 257	found this by doing a simple google search: Pregnant dog - pregnancy signs in dogs - dog article on Pets.ca A doggie biscuit in the oven The next logical question is, "How can you tell if your dog is in the family way?" Confirming pregnancy necessitates a trip to the veterinary office. The earliest method of pregnancy detection is ultrasound—a nice test because it is noninvasive and very reliable. Fetal heartbeats can be detected at around the 25th day from first breeding. This is not, however, considered a reliable way to determine fetal number. One interesting fact about the canine reproductive cycle is that the dog goes through roughly the same hormonal changes whether or not she is pregnant. For this reason, there is no progesterone blood or urine test to diagnose pregnancy in dogs. There is, however, a blood test that will detect relaxin, a hormone that is produced in pregnant dogs but is not found in non-pregnant dogs. This test may be performed mid gestation, which occurs at around the same time that your veterinarian can palpate the fetuses. Most experienced veterinarians can determine pregnancy by simply feeling the dog’s abdomen during a certain a window of time—about 20-30 days after conception. During this time period, there is uterine swelling around the placental sites that feels like firm and discrete lumps. After 30 days, the uterine swelling is more diffuse and it is difficult to distinguish the gravid uterus from the feel of the intestinal tract. Dogs that are very large or obese may be difficult to examine in any stage, however. A third way to detect pregnancy is by taking x-rays. Fetal skeletons can be visualized at about 45 days of pregnancy. This test cannot be done until late in gestation, but it is nice to know about how many of the little creatures you can expect once the actual birthing occurs. Get out the clean towels Although it takes an average of 62 days for puppies to gestate, normal variation is from 54-72 days depending on the breeding dates. During this time there is really not a lot for you do—just feed the dog her regular diet for the first month. It is absolutely crucial that you do NOT supplement your dog with vitamins during her pregnancy. Although this seems to be against normal thinking, dogs that are supplemented are unable to efficiently extract calcium from their bones after they give birth, and this predisposes them to suffer from hypocalcemia, which can result in muscular weakness and even seizures. Starting in the second month of pregnancy, you will want to switch her diet over to a good quality puppy food. This will provide her with the extra calories that she needs without providing excess supplementation. Speaking of the blessed event, here is your reward for reading this far. If your dog is pregnant, you will want to start taking her temperature (yeah, you know where) about a week prior to her due date. The normal rectal temperature for dogs ranges from 100 to 102.5F. About 24 hours prior to giving birth the dam’s rectal temperature will drop a few degrees. If you record the temperature daily you will know when it is okay to go out to dinner and when you will have a long night ahead of you. One to two weeks prior to the delivery, get your whelping box and supplies together. Your whelping box should have sides that are high enough so that four to six week-old puppies cannot get out, but when mom needs a Calgon moment she can leave without doing damage to the milking apparatus. It is also important to have a ledge of some kind all around the inside edge so that no puppies are inadvertently smothered by the mother—the pups should be able to slide under the ledge so that mom cannot squish them. Place the box in a familiar but private area and line it with towels. Get as many clean towels on hand as possible. It is amazing how many you will use trying to keep the canine family clean. You will also want to have sharp scissors (to cut the cords), dental floss (for tying off cords), and povidone iodine (for disinfecting the cord ends) on hand for the delivery. full article: http://www.pets.ca/articles/article-dogpregnant.htm __________________ Daisy's Dogster: http://www.dogster.com/?252921

03-21-2006, 06:26 AM	#4
parker'smom Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 84	You can actually use a home ept test for humans. All mammals produce the same hcg hormone that the test detects. Now getting her to pee on the stick may be a totally different story! But I would definately take her to the vet to be absolutely sure! __________________ Lindsey & Parker!!! Nothing is better than warm puppy kisses in the morning!!!!

03-21-2006, 06:37 AM	#6
nifer YT Addict Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Philadelphia Posts: 257	tests that detect elevated levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hcg) are ineffective to determine whether or not a dog is pregnant, according to vets. you can inquire about a relaxin test though. Pregnancy Care Veterinary & Aquatic Services Department, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. Pregnancy in the dog lasts approximately 63 days. Just because a bitch was bred, however, does not necessarily mean she has become pregnant. Determining if a bitch is pregnant For the first three weeks or so of pregnancy, you may not notice any changes in the bitch. Some females will become more demanding for attention, their nipples may enlarge slightly, and some may become hungrier. These are not a guarantee of a pregnancy, but are good signs. Bitches can show the same signs during 'false pregnancy,' a hormonal abnormality, which may occur after a bitch has been in heat. Several methods are available to determine pregnancy. A clear mucoid vaginal discharge may be seen. It is a reasonably reliable sign of pregnancy and is noticed about 4-5 weeks into pregnancy and continues until parturition. Ultrasound is able to pick up fetal heartbeats at about 28 days into gestation. This will not be able to determine the number of puppies but can give an estimate and can confirm a pregnancy. At about the same time, a veterinarian may be able to palpate the uterus and feel the fetuses. This may not be possible on a large dog or one that has the puppies under the rib cage. A blood test to check for pregnancy is available. It checks for the hormone, relaxin, which is produced when the fertilized egg implants. The test can be done about 28-30 days into the pregnancy. Small litter sizes (less than 3 puppies) may result in a false negative result. X-rays can be taken around the 60th day of pregnancy to confirm a pregnancy, count the number of fetuses, and determine size-wise if the puppies will fit through the birth canal. full article: http://www.peteducation.com/article....&articleid=900 __________________ Daisy's Dogster: http://www.dogster.com/?252921

03-21-2006, 06:37 AM	#7
livingdustmops Princess Poop A Lot Donating Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 6,728	Julie - you need to take her to the vet as you have some serious decisions to make if in fact she is pregnant. I certainly hope she is not but I would not waste $$$ or second guessing this issue. Don't mean to sound harsh but I don't want anything to happen to your little girl and I would definitely get your little boy in for the big chop chop. __________________ Cindy & The Rescued Gang Puppies Are Not Products!

03-21-2006, 06:17 AM	#2
yougetthesmiles BANNED FOR NOT MAILING PRODUCTS PURCHASED Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 9,295 Blog Entries: 3	Uh Oh! I wish I knew, but I have no clue, can you call the vet and ask them if there is anyway of telling?

03-21-2006, 06:44 AM	#8
Gracie'sMommy Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 191	I have an appointment with the vet on Thursday to take her in. Yes, I know I have to get Griffin fixed, it has been planned all along to take him in sometime in April. I'm afraid somehow he's an "early bloomer" and got her before I could get him!!! __________________ Julie

03-21-2006, 06:59 AM	#9
Dawn125 YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 445	When was Gracie in heat? My female, Brandy, was in heat a couple weeks ago (it was her first heat and she's 19 months old). Now she is feeling fatter and her nipples are very swollen. I was very careful to keep my male away from her. If I didn't know better I would think she was pregnant also but I actually think it's just from being in heat around a male. Like a false pregnancy. __________________ Dawn (Brandy & Titan's mom)

03-21-2006, 07:01 AM	#10
Gracie'sMommy Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 191	I have never seen anything (ie: blood) indicating she's been in heat. I've watched her and she's never bled. __________________ Julie

03-21-2006, 07:17 AM	#11
Dawn125 YT Addict Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Central California Posts: 445	It's doubtful that she's pregnant than. I kept wondering about Brandy since she had never gone into heat. My vet told me that she probably had and I just didn't notice. Well when she finally did go into heat it was pretty hard to miss. There wasn't really much blood but she was so swollen it would have been impossible to miss. At 3.5 lbs I would assume you would never breed Gracie anyway so why don't you just schedule her spaying and get it done now before she goes into heat. I hear there are health benefits to spaying them before the first heat anyway. __________________ Dawn (Brandy & Titan's mom)

03-21-2006, 07:20 AM	#12
red98vett Yorkie Kisses are the Best! Donating Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Houston TX Posts: 33,590 Blog Entries: 1	IF I were in your shoes ...I'd go to the vet asap and find out for SURE...then decide to spay her right away....Good luck. __________________ Villette, Chanel & Cheri www.DesignsByVillette.net Custom Address Labels and Note Cards using YOUR Photos! Just Click HERE!

03-21-2006, 08:34 AM	#15
Tashasmom YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Indiana Posts: 950	This is a hard choice and not one I would want to make. I would take her to vet to see for sure. IF she is then you would have two choices. 1. you could let her have the puppies and take a chance on losing the mom. 2. You could have him remove her uterus but that would mean aborting the pups. And to be honest with you I would have a hard time doing that but their are alot of people that have chosen that. It's up to you of course. So I would suggest discuss all of your options with your vet and decide from there. If she is 5 weeks along then she is too far along to palpate yet not far enough along to feel puppies moving. __________________ LOVE MEANS MORE THAN JUST HUGS & KISSES!!