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Figuring out whether your dog is pregnant can be difficult because they don’t show for an extended period of time and there is no at home pregnancy test for pets. However, there are a number of signs and symptoms to look for that can help you determine whether your pooch as a bun in the oven.

First, it is important to know whether or not your dog has reached the age of sexual maturity. All breeds are different so do some research to find out whether your dog is old enough to be pregnant. There are a few behavioral changes you can look for as well to determine if your dog is pregnant. Usually during pregnancy dogs become very loving and will want to spend a lot of time with you, snuggling, relaxing or even sitting on your lap. They might also be very protective of their toys - even to the point that they may become upset if you try to take their toys away. These sign might be as clues, but to be sure your dog is pregnant you’ll need to take her to the vet.

The earliest method of pregnancy detection is ultrasound. This is preferable for many pet owners because it is easy, noninvasive and very reliable. Fetal heartbeats can be detected before the first full month of pregnancy. However, this method is not a reliable way to determine how many babies the mother is carrying.

Another method of detecting pregnancy in your dog is via a blood test performed at your veterinarian’s office. The canine reproductive cycle causes dogs to go through roughly the same hormonal changes regardless of whether or not she is pregnant. This is why tradition progesterone blood and urine tests can not be used in diagnosing pregnancy in dogs. However, your vet can perform a blood test that will detect relaxin, a hormone that is produced only in dogs that are pregnant. This test can be accurately performed roughly one month after gestation, or at about the same time an heartbeat can be detected via ultrasound.
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