Being a responsible owner you would want to be prepared for your rottweiler’s pregnancy. But to be pre-prepare it is essential to find out about the pregnancy as soon as possible. So how to find out if your Rottweiler is Pregnant?
Decreased activity and sudden weight gain with an enlarged abdomen are clear signs that your rottweiler is pregnant. Your vet can confirm the rottweiler’s pregnancy by ultra sound or pregnancy test.
A pregnant Rottweiler needs extra love and the proper care during her pregnancy, so it’s essential to see the early signs so you can prepare. Further in this article, we will look into 5 early signs of rottweiler’s pregnancy and her pregnancy care.
5 Ways to Find Out if Your Rottweiler is Pregnant
Rottweiler pregnancy usually takes about 63 days and may give birth a week earlier or after that. Here are some physical and behavioral changes you need to observe if you suspect your beloved Rottweiler is pregnant:
1. Check the Nipples
After successful mating, a female Rottweiler’s nipples will be prominent. It has a slight growth that tends to protrude from the dog’s belly. There will also be a change in color to a brighter pink. If your normally active Rottweiler suddenly becomes lazy and lethargic, their pregnancy hormones might be affecting their energy.
2. Take Note of Her Appetite
Rottweilers, by their nature, have a healthy appetite. Pregnant momma dogs will usually have a decreased appetite and may even stop eating certain foods. This usually happens around the 3rd week of pregnancy and may go on for the rest of the maternity.
3. Look for Any Vaginal Discharges
You should also check for vaginal discharges, which are generally colorless and have a faint odor. This can happen a week after a successful mating and even in the later term of the pregnancy. A strong odor may indicate vaginal infection, while a reddish color might indicate vaginitis.
4. Monitor Her Weight
Check for weight increase since pregnant dogs tend to gain 15-25% of their weight because of their puppies. Check their belly size as well if it is increasing.
5. Conduct Some Tests
Has your dog tested to confirm if it’s a pregnancy or an underlying condition? These are some of the tests that veterinarians may do:
- Abdominal Palpitation – This is gentle massaging of the dog’s tummy to feel the puppies growing in her uterus.
- Ultrasound Scan – An ultrasound scan can detect fetal heartbeats and see the number of puppies your Rottweiler may be carrying.
- X-rays – This can detect puppies inside her belly and know how many she’s carrying. Some argue this might be harmful to the dog due to intense radiation.
- Witness Relaxin test – Relaxin is a canine hormone released during pregnancy and can be detected through this test.
Female Rottweiler’s Sexual Maturity
In just 6 months, female Rottweilers can be sexually mature already. Getting them pregnant is not advisable, though, since their bodies are still developing. It can take about two years for them to reach total growth and have an optimal pregnancy. There are four stages of dogs being in heat which are as follows:
Stage 1 – Proestrus
This is the beginning of dogs being in heat which lasts about a week. If you don’t want your dog to be impregnated, keep an eye out on here during this stage and prevent her from contacting males.
Stage 2 – Estrus
Your female Rottweiler will let the male dog mount her. This stage lasts for a week as well.
Stage 3 – Diestrus
During this stage, the female Rottweiler will not entertain male dogs anymore. This can last throughout the pregnancy or 80 days if intercourse is averted.
Stage 4 – Anestrus
This is the rest period between heat cycles where no sexual activity will excite both male and female Rottweilers.
How to Care for a Pregnant Rottweiler
If you confirmed that your Rottweiler would be a mommy soon, it is essential to give them that extra nurture and care. Here are some simple tips in easing your Rottweiler’s pregnancy:
- Visit your veterinarian as soon as you think they’re pregnant. Your veterinarian can do tests to make sure your dog is healthy enough to go to labor or if it is indeed a full-term pregnancy.
- Rottweilers need good nutrition and a proper diet during pregnancy. As mentioned, due to hormonal changes, your pregnant Rottweiler might lose her appetite. You need to be persuasive and creative in feeding them if ever this happens. During the pregnancy, make sure she has at least 22% protein in her food or 1600 kcal per pound of food. Raw dog food is also the best choice rather than processed foods.
- Increase her food intake as her pregnancy nears its deadline. She needs to have enough strength during her labor and good nutrition to feed her babies. From Week 5 onwards, increase her food intake weekly by 5-10% to keep up with her growing puppies. By Week 6, increase fats by serving more red meats such as duck, pork, and beef.
- Since her stomach storage will decrease during pregnancy, it’s a good idea to give her small frequent meals during the day, so your Rottweiler can be packed throughout the day.
- A pregnant Rottweiler also needs her exercise to strengthen her body and build her muscles. It is a boredom buster and also helps work out the extra energy they have. Remember to take it by ear since she will be more tired because of her excess baggage.
- Give them massages to relieve discomfort brought about by the pregnancy as it can cause back pains and overall body aches.
How to Prepare for Your Rottweiler’s Labor
- Know the due date – Ask your vet about your dog’s due date. Knowing this can help you prepare for that date and also schedule your visit to the veterinarian beforehand.
- Prepare the whelping box – A whelping box is a container where your Rottweiler can comfortably deliver her puppies during her labor.
- Prepare emergency supplies – Prepare scissors, alcohol, rubber gloves, and heavy thread in case you need to tie umbilical cords between your dog and her puppies.
Final Thoughts
Knowing precisely if your dog is pregnant or not is important for their health. Sometimes, some conditions might look like pregnancy but can be something fatal. If it is indeed a pregnancy, we hope this article helped you prepare for the big day. Just be there for your dog so she can have a smooth and worry-free delivery.
