Is my Pit bull pregnant? How do I know if my Pit bull is pregnant? These are common questions that come up in the minds of pit bull owners and today we will be showing you how to tell if your Pit bull is pregnant.
Usually, pregnancy in dogs lasts between 60 to 63 days, this is about nine weeks. The heat cycles however differ from breed to breed. For a Pit bull, you have to be sensitive to observe its behavior and monitor its body to help you determine whether it is pregnant or not.
Guidelines To Help Determine If Your Pit Bull Is Pregnant
Look out for the following signs to confirm that your Pit bull is pregnant.
1. Increased Appetite
This is one of the notable signs of pregnancy in a dog. However, the thing with Pit bulls is that they naturally eat a lot. So, it’s not easy to decipher if a pit bull is pregnant this way because pit bulls are naturally ferocious eaters that need more calories to maintain their energy levels. So, in case you notice that your pit bull’s appetite has increased within a short period, don’t just jump into conclusion that she is pregnant, visit a vet to be sure.
2. Abdominal Enlargement
A pit bull’s belly begins to swell as the puppies grow inside her but it may take time to notice this because pit bulls are usually big and muscular. If you are not really observant, a pit bull’s build may give you the wrong impression of pregnancy. However, you can check for any movement of puppies in her belly.
3. Behavioral Changes
A pit bull is normally active but when she is pregnant, you might notice that the opposite is true. It is always timid and less active. These behavioral changes may also depend on the dog’s temper. Interestingly, the pregnancy might make your dog naturally care for things around like objects because she is getting ready for the nurturing stage.
4. Changes In Nipples
The pit bull’s nipples start to enlarge as she prepares to create more room for milk. You can easily spot this growth from the hair on the dog’s belly. The nipples begin to grow wider, longer and start to swell outwards.
Check out the video below for signs of pregnancy in dogs to look out:
Pit Bulls Pregnancy Cycle
After you have known the signs and confirmed that your pit bull is pregnant, you need to understand the cycle of the pregnancy so you can help your pit bull till the birth of her puppy. Follow these stages to help you guide your dog through the conception phase.
Pit Bulls In Heat
There is no difference between a female pit bull and any other female dog’s pregnancy. The first thing your pit bull will experience is being in heat. When your dog is about 6 months of age, she will experience her first period. This will last for about two to three weeks and it involves bleeding as well as the swelling of the vulva. This is when your dog will attract male dogs so you have to keep them indoors to avoid accidental and unwanted pregnancy.
However, if you want your pit bull to get pregnant, you should have a known male dog breed with her. During this heat cycle, the ovulation happens either early or towards the end of the heat cycle. Make sure the male dog is at least six months before you allow it to breed with your female pit bull.
Pit Bull Pregnancy
We have extensively discussed the signs of a pit bull’s pregnancy earlier on. Just like humans, you can confirm if your pit bull is pregnant after a month. If you suspect that your dog is pregnant, then, visit a veterinarian to confirm to make sure it is not a fake pregnancy. A dog may go to the extent of vomiting just like a human being when displaying the symptoms of pregnancy. Just pay attention.
Puppy Development In Womb
When the puppies are growing inside your pit bull, she may begin to nest. When this happens, she starts to shred bedding to create a home for her puppies and herself to live in for the first few weeks after child birth. So, your pregnant pit bull already starts acting like a mother even before childbirth.
The gestation period of the dog is about 63days. For the first month, when it is already 22 days, the fetuses begin to form and you will hear the heartbeats from day 28 to 30. By the second month of the pregnancy, the fetuses start to grow body parts like the eyelids, claws, and toes and towards the end of the second month, the dog will begin the nesting process. By the third month, the puppies take a whelping posture in the pit bull’s belly.
Before the dog gives birth, you would notice that the temperature will begin to decrease, probably a day or half-a-day before. Your pit bull will begin to show signs of restlessness like panting, pacing around, and digging.
Labor
When it is time for this, your dog will start to have contractions alongside the restlessness. She will also discharge a large and clear fluid from her vagina. Your dog will deliver her puppies one after the other and she can take about 24hours before she’s done delivering all of them.
It takes about 30 to 60 minutes to deliver a puppy. So, you need to know how many puppies your dog will give birth to prior to the labor period so you’d know how to prepare properly and determine when labor will finish.
How To Care For Your Pit Bull
During the pregnancy period of your pit bull, you will need to take extra care of the dog to make sure she and the puppies are in a healthy condition. You might have to start feeding the dam higher-quality foods in the pregnancy so she can feed her puppies quality milk when given birth to.
Also, during the pregnancy, take it upon yourself to help your dog exercise every day. No matter how heavy she gets, ensure she takes a walk for a few minutes every day. Inform your vet if there are any vaginal discharges to get enough information about caring for your pregnant pit bull.
Before the dog gives birth, set up the whelping box where she can do the delivery. Allow her to stay there for the first few weeks after giving birth to the puppies. Prior to this, make sure you keep the area warm, use a heat lamp. Also, ensure to keep any other dogs or puppies around away from the new mother dog and her puppies because she is usually very protective and aggressive during this period, you don’t want her to be a threat to other dogs or injure them.
If you have never raised puppies before, then you would need to do some research to learn the ropes. Especially because puppies come as a litter, raising newborn pups can be a real challenge if it is your first time. Even old-timers find it a little challenging too. However, with some preparation beforehand, you shouldn’t have any issues and all your puppies will grow up healthy and strong.
