Golden Retriever pregnancy is a very special condition for your dog, so you need to know the basics. Let’s take a look at what to expect from him, the risks and the stages of a golden retriever pregnancy.
Pregnancy in all dogs (and the Golden Retriever is no exception) lasts 63 days. This time frame can vary by 5 days and Golden Retrievers actually tend to give birth sooner. It is important to note the date you were breeding your Golden to provide the vet with valid information and to be prepared for delivery.
In the fisting stage, your Golden may become more affectionate than usual; he may start following you around wanting you to pet him all the time. However, some dogs, on the contrary, are happy to be left alone. Loss of appetite and the canine equivalent of “morning sickness” are other signs of pregnancy.
However, after the first few weeks, these symptoms disappear and Golden becomes playful as ever. The main symptom here is appetite. She not only regains her appetite but she begins to eat a lot. There is no need to introduce puppy food or vitamins into her diet. You really shouldn’t under any circumstances! Diet changes are very dangerous because they can lead to the development of milk fever, a potentially fatal disorder that develops very quickly.
Just feed her regular, high-quality adult dog food and give her as much food as she wants. If you still feel you need to add some other type of adult dog food, gradually mix it into a regular food throughout the week to avoid stomach upset. It’s a good idea to give your pregnant Golden Retriever unlimited access to her food. She really needs to eat a lot and her stomach just can’t hold enough food at one time due to her pregnancy. So it’s better if she eats less but more often. And don’t worry if she has a tendency to overeat; in pregnant bitches, this habit usually disappears.
Until the last two to three weeks there is no need to limit your Golden Retriever in physical activities. The only things to avoid are long walks and long distance runs. However, in the last two weeks, you need to be very careful not to let him hit his tummy. Otherwise, the pups may fall off the uterine wall and their development will stop. As a result, you will have puppies that are stillborn.
It is interesting that the size of the belly depends on the position in which the puppies are. Sometimes you won’t be able to tell if the bitch is pregnant until the last ten or twelve days. In the last few days before delivery she may start to vomit up the water she has just drunk. She may also feel or see milk coming from her nipples. However, that is often not the case for new mothers.
Deworming and vaccinations are not highly recommended during a Golden Retriever pregnancy. If it’s time for the annual vaccination, just wait until you give birth, it’s safe to do it when you’re breastfeeding. If you still need to be dewormed, you should consult with your vet for the pregnancy-safe medication.
