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Gestation Calendar
1st week
In case your bitch must take medicine please go to the veterinarian and discuss the medication before you give the animal a medicine. The bitch should be fed normally and moved normally. Please, don't use insecticides or give vaccinations to substances livingly.
First cover day.
Sperm moves outside the uterus muscous membrane. To increase the chances of a fertilization the deck act should t be repeated within 48 hours after the first ones.
1st day
Sperm moves to the oviducts. The spermia remain fertilization capable in the female sexual organs for a while. With the mammals this time is generally quite short (approx. 24 hour).
2nd - 3rd day
Sperm reaches the oviducts in which are mature eggcells.
3rd - 4th day
Fertilization of the eggcells (in the oviducts).
4th - 6th day
The stimulated eggcells move into the cervix.
2nd week
Care of the bitch like in week 1.
8th - 12th day
The eggcells develop into blastula.
12th - 14th day
The embryos reach the uterus.
3rd week
The bitch possibly suffers from a morning nausea due to the hormone ulnae rearrangement or tensions in the uterus. Feed little meals repeatedly on the day to help against the morning nausea. If the morning nausea stops, the veterinarian can prescribe a medicine to calm the uterus. Some bitches eat nothing at all or at least very few as of the 20th day for some days. After that its eating behavior normalizes. Many bitches are particularly devoted now.
15th - 22nd day
On the 19th day blastula settle in the uterus membrane. These form embryonic little bubbles. As of the 21st day many bitches secrete thick, clear slime. This is the clearest sign that the deck act has succeded.
4th week
On the 22nd day the embryos are visible. The heartbeat can be consulted for the diagnosis of the gestation. Exhausting activities have to be avoided now. The protein supply in the food can be increased. Feeding of pup food is suited for it very well. The condition of the gestation can be diagnosted with an ultrasound scan at this time. Discuss possible risks of such an examination with the veterinarian.
21st - 28th day
The eyes and the nerve fibers in the spinal cord are formed. The organ formation starts. The embryos are very strongly defect endangered in the present condition. The development of the teats starts.
26st - 30st day
This is the best time to diagnose the gestation using the heartbeat.
The children are approx. in the size of a walnut and are evenly spread in the uterus.
5th week
The bitch stops attracting the legs because the weight rises and the pups turn round. The swelling up of the female shame gets more noticeable. Please, pay attention to the weight of the bitch and don't overfeed. The heartbeat is no longer to be utilized for diagnosis due to the rising liquid in the uterus.
29th day
The development of the organs is completed. The fetuses look like dogs now. Head and trunk are differentiable. The sex is determinable. The fur color starts to develop. The heartbeat of the fetuses is audible by stethoscope. The teats of the bitch get darker and swell up.
6th week
Familiarize the bitch with the pup box. Let her sleep there. Increase the number of meals and observe its weight.
7th week
The bitch shouldn't now play rough games or jump with other dogs any more. By x-ray number and size of little dogs can be determined. The bitch should be X-rayed only if pregnancy problems appear or if it still unsure this time that she actually gets pups. (i.e. if there is only one pup and becuase of this it is too big)
Otherwise x-raying is an unnecessary burden.
Measure the temperature for the bitch rectally once a day and note these values as of the 7th week.
45th day
The bones increase. The pups can easily be fumbled under the abdominal wall but badly they can be counted. The bitch loses its
hair at the belly.
8th week
The bitch is less hungry what is caused by lack of space in the belly. Inform your veterinarian about the expected date of birth and discuss possible problems with it. Arrange the utensils for the birth and prepare everything.
48th - 56th day
The bitch spends much more time with the personal hygiene. The teats further swell up. The bitch gets more restless and looks for a suitable place for litter. Take care that she finds the place as pleasantly as possible for litter. You can put small towels or washcloth on the pad of the throw box depending on race to give the bitch material for their "nest-building".
50th day
Feed several smaller meals a day since the belly is cramped. The movement of the pups in the womb is easily recognizable if you put your flat hand on the belly of the bitch carefully. For this the bitch must be fully relaxed.
50th - 65th day
Clean belly and shame area warm water. Shorten the hair around the teats to make the access easier for the pups.
9th week
The bitch possibly has no more appetite if the time of the delivery approaches.
60th - 63th day
The bitch gets restless and nest-building activities start.
60th day
Measure the temperature of the bitch now and in the morning and in the evening. The normal temperature fluctuates between 37.5 and 39.4 degrees centigrade depending on race and age of the bitch. Just because of the great fluctuation margin is important to know the normal body temperature (measuring 7th week). If the temperature around approx. 1.5 to 2 degrees falls, the pups were born within the next 6-24 hours.
62th day
The bitch gets possibly sad, restless, always runs to and fro and obviously feels unwell. It can be that white sheath liquid secretes.
63th day
The counted day of the birth. Many bitches litter between the 58th and 63rd day. Some take their time until the 66th day. Watch your bitch especiallya t delays very exactly. Foul-smelling dark defluxion is an alarm signal. Immediately consult the veterinarian!
At the latest on the 66th day a veterinarian must anyway be consulted. There might be birth problems because of too big or dead pups. Only fast behavior then can save the life of mother and pups.
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