Can my BITCH get PREGNANT on her BLEEDING DAYS?

The zeal of a bitch It is the stage of her reproductive cycle in which she is receptive to males and can become pregnant. This cycle is similar to the cycle of women, but in the dog you can see only 2 times a year and has 4 phases.

Proestro

When females are sexually mature, between 6 and 10 months in small breeds and 18 and 24 months in large breeds, there comes a certain time when a first sexual cycle begins. The FSH hormone rises, stimulating the maturation of the ovarian follicles. These follicles increase in size on the surface of the ovary and begin the maturation of the oocyte (immature ovum). The ovary synthesizes estrogens. During this period called proestrus, vulvar bleeding and attraction to males due to the production of pheromones is observed.

Oestrus

After this phase, which lasts for about 9 days, a LH surge occurs (stimulating estrogen levels) which is what causes, some 24 to 48 hours later, ovulation, that is, the release of the oocyte to the uterine tube. Once there, the oocyte continues its maturation for 2 or 3 more days.

Heat or estrus begins with the peak of LH, a hormone that intervenes in the sexual cycle of bitches, and lasts between 5 and 10 days, which are where the female accepts the mount, facilitating it by moving the tail away when the male approaches. and even some females are the ones looking for the male. Vulvar bleeding in a bitch can disappear immediately or it can last a few days after the start of this phase. So that a bitch’s heat lasts between 5 and 10 days.

Right handed

After ovulation, the follicle becomes the corpus luteum and begins to produce progesterone. This corpus luteum will remain for about 2 months, that is, 60 days. If the female becomes pregnant, the hormone progesterone will help the uterus to maintain itself in order for the pregnancy to continue. On the other hand, if the bitch has not become pregnant, nothing may happen or these high levels of progesterone may lead to pseudo-pregnancy, which can cause problems in her body. This period is known as right-handed.

Anestrus

Finally, the corpus luteum retracts and, in this way, the ovary remains in a state of rest for a few months, the typical is 4 months and therefore they have 2 jealousy a year, which is how long the anestrus lasts, until a new cycle begins.

In these other oneHOWTO articles you can expand the information on What is heat like in bitches and How long does heat in a bitch last?

It can be summarized that, the cycle of a bitch is divided into 4 phases:

• Proestro: It is the stage that precedes the heat. The female attracts the males but the male refuses them. It starts when you bleed and you can see the swollen vulva. Its duration is 6-11 days. If your dog has this symptom of swelling, we recommend that you also read this other oneHOWTO article, since this symptom may be due to more aspects of its health: Why does my dog ​​have an inflamed vulva.
• Estrus or heat: The bitch allows mounting and the bleeding can still remain the first days, although with a darker color and more abundant quantity. It is at this stage where the fertile days of a bitch and you can get pregnant. It lasts for 7-9 days.
• Right handed: no longer accepts the male. Gestation occurs (in the event that fertilization of the ovum has occurred). its duration is 58 to 60 days.
• Anestrus: This is the idle phase. It begins with childbirth and ends with proestrus. It lasts for 4 or 5 months.

If you still wonder when is a bitch fertile You should know that the answer is to her 11 days of vulvar bleeding, that is, during the estrus phase. In conclusion, a bitch CAN get pregnant on her bleeding days, since bleeding can remain at the beginning of estrus, its fertile period. Although, of course, this is not always the case because in some bitches the bleeding can stop at the beginning of estrus and, therefore, not reach the fertile days.

As we have mentioned before, the sexual maturity of a bitch is reached between 6 months and a year depending on the breed and its size, it will be since then that she can become pregnant.

If you want your dog to get pregnant or on the contrary avoid it, you should look at her vulvar bleeding. 7 or 11 days after you start bleeding is when you will be fertile (when heat or estrus begins), therefore if intercourse occurs, she will become pregnant. There are some bitches that hardly bleed so there are a number of symptoms you can look at for know that your dog is in heat and can get pregnant.

• Swollen nipples – There are times when the nipples swell, although this can also indicate a psychological pregnancy.
• Change of mood; the bitch is more aroused than normal, which attracts males.
• Sudden interest of the males: you can observe that the males approach her and smell her.
• Vulvar inflammation: the vulva is swollen days before and during heat, although in some bitches it is hardly noticeable.
• It licks the outside of the reproductive system.
• It can also be observed that she urinates frequently, to inform the males that she is ready to mate.
• When a female dog wishes to mate, she holds her tail upright and will wag it from side to side to attract the male.

When a bitch becomes pregnant, various hormonal changes occur and, therefore, symptoms will appear that can help you determine if your dog is really pregnant or not.

Physical changes that indicate a dog is pregnant

When a dog becomes pregnant she undergoes different physical changes in her body that will help you discover if your dog is pregnant. These are some of these physical changes:

• Increase in the size of the gut: after a month you will notice that the gut of your hairy swells or increases in size. So if you notice that your dog’s gut is growing and more lumpy than the previous week, it could mean that she is pregnant.
• Nipples change: your friend’s nipples will become darker and larger. This symptom indicates that your dog is pregnant and is preparing to breastfeed her babies.
• The breasts become inflamed: One of the first changes observed in a pregnant dog is the inflammation of the breasts. So if you notice that these are pleasant or swollen, your dog is surely pregnant.
• Vaginal discharge can change: you may notice that your dog’s discharge changes color and consistency and also increases its quantity. The color should always be transparent or a little white but never red like during estrus.

How to know if my dog ​​is pregnant: her behavior

You must be attentive to the behavior of your furry friend, since in addition to the physical changes you will also see changes in her behavior.

• Appetite changes: at the beginning of your dog’s pregnancy there are many hormonal changes that in turn make her almost not hungry. Don’t worry, as the days go by, his appetite will increase and he will ask for food.
• Nest preparation: it is possible that two months after copulation, your dog will begin to prepare the nest so that her babies are as comfortable as possible. For this you can observe that it scratches the floor, cushions, blankets or the wall.
• The energy decreases: the gestation process and the subsequent pregnancy cause the dogs to be more tired, so if your dog was very active and you suddenly notice that she sleeps a lot, think about the possibility that she may be pregnant.

If you suspect that your dog is pregnant, go to the vet as soon as possible since he will tell you what food is best for her and her puppies, as well as the care she will need during pregnancy and after giving birth.

In this other article we explain more details about How to know if my dog ​​is pregnant.

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