Confirming Your Dog Is Pregnant
Suspecting your dog is pregnant is one thing — confirming it is another. There are three main methods vets use across Europe to establish pregnancy, each with its own optimal timing.
- Abdominal palpation: An experienced vet can gently feel distinct fluid-filled swellings in the uterus from around 28 days after mating. This window is brief — by 35 days the swellings become harder to distinguish — so timing matters.
- Ultrasound: The most reliable early confirmation method. Foetal heartbeats can be detected from around 25–28 days. Ultrasound also gives a rough litter count, though it is not as precise as X-ray for final numbers.
- Relaxin blood test: Relaxin is a hormone produced only during pregnancy. A blood test from around 25–30 days post-mating gives a clear positive or negative result and is widely available at veterinary clinics across the EU.
If you plan to breed your dog in Europe, your vet may also recommend a brucellosis test before mating takes place. Brucella canis is a bacterial infection that causes reproductive failure and is transmissible between dogs. Several EU member states have active surveillance programmes, and responsible breeders routinely screen both dogs before breeding.
Gestation Period and What to Expect
The average canine gestation period is 63 days from ovulation, though whelping between day 58 and day 68 is considered normal. Counting from the mating date can be misleading because dogs can store sperm for several days, so always confirm timing with your vet using progesterone testing if precision matters.
Trimester-by-Trimester Care
First Trimester (Days 1–21)
During the first three weeks, the embryos are implanting and the most critical developmental processes are under way. Your dog may show little outward change. Some bitches experience mild nausea or reduced appetite around weeks 3–4, similar to morning sickness. Avoid unnecessary medications, vaccinations, or chemical flea treatments during this period unless specifically approved by your vet. Continue regular, moderate exercise.
Second Trimester (Days 22–45)
The foetuses grow rapidly during this phase. Your dog's abdomen will begin to enlarge noticeably. She may seem hungrier, and her nipples will become more prominent and pinker in colour. Stick to her normal, high-quality adult diet at this stage — overfeeding early in pregnancy contributes to excessively large foetuses, which can complicate whelping. Exercise can continue but avoid strenuous activity, jumping, or rough play.
Third Trimester (Days 46–63)
This is when nutritional demands increase significantly. Switch your dog to a high-quality puppy food or a food specifically formulated for reproduction — these are calorie-dense and nutrient-rich, supporting both the growing puppies and your dog's own body condition. Feed smaller, more frequent meals as the growing uterus compresses the stomach. Many EU pet owners source quality pregnancy-support diets through retailers such as Zooplus, which stock a wide range of veterinary and premium brands across Europe.
Reduce exercise to gentle, short walks. Avoid any activity that puts pressure on the abdomen.
Preparing the Whelping Box
Set up the whelping area at least two weeks before the due date so your dog has time to become comfortable with it. Choose a quiet, warm, draught-free room. The whelping box should be large enough for your dog to stretch out fully but have low enough sides for her to step in and out easily. Line it with clean, absorbent bedding — vetbed or similar washable fleece is ideal.
Maintain the ambient temperature in the whelping room at around 25–28°C for the first week after birth, as newborn puppies cannot regulate their own body temperature. A heat lamp positioned safely to one side — so puppies can move away from it if too warm — is recommended.
Warning Signs Requiring Veterinary Attention
Contact your vet promptly if you observe any of the following during pregnancy:
- Vaginal discharge that is green, dark, or foul-smelling before whelping begins
- Sudden weight loss or failure to gain weight in the final trimester
- Lethargy, collapse, or loss of appetite lasting more than 24 hours
- Signs of eclampsia (milk fever) such as trembling, stiffness, or muscle spasms — more common in small breeds after whelping begins
What to Expect During Whelping
Around 12–24 hours before labour begins, your dog's rectal temperature will drop from a normal 38.5°C to below 37°C. This is a reliable sign that whelping is imminent. She will become restless, pant heavily, and spend time nesting in her whelping box.
Labour occurs in three stages. Stage one involves uterine contractions beginning but no puppies yet — this can last 6–12 hours. Stage two is active delivery of puppies, each born in a fluid-filled sac that the mother will break open and lick away. Stage three involves expulsion of placentas. Count the placentas — there should be one per puppy. A retained placenta can cause serious infection.
Puppies are typically born 20–60 minutes apart, though short rests between deliveries are normal. Have clean towels, sterile scissors (in case you need to break a sac), and your vet's emergency number close at hand.
When to Call the Emergency Vet
- More than 2 hours of strong contractions with no puppy delivered
- More than 4 hours between puppies when you know more remain
- A puppy visibly stuck in the birth canal
- Your dog becomes unresponsive, collapses, or stops contracting entirely
- Green discharge before any puppy has been born (after delivery it is normal)
Dystocia — difficult birth — is a veterinary emergency. Do not attempt to manually assist delivery without professional guidance. Emergency caesarean sections are performed routinely across EU veterinary clinics and can save both the mother and her puppies when required.
Post-Whelping Care
After all puppies are delivered, your dog will need quiet, warmth, and access to fresh water at all times. Lactation significantly increases her caloric needs — continue feeding the puppy or reproduction formula in increased quantities throughout nursing. Puppies should nurse within the first two hours to receive colostrum, which provides vital passive immunity. Monitor the litter closely for the first 48 hours, ensuring all puppies are feeding and maintaining warmth.
Schedule a post-whelping veterinary check within 24 hours to confirm all placentas have passed and that your dog is recovering well.