Is My Dog Pregnant?

by Pam
(CA)

I've read about the standard ways to tell if a dog is pregnant.

My dog seems to have some swelling in the area around the vulva. She also seems to be walking bow legged.

I thought it was my imagination, then my husband asked me what was wrong with my dog.

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Hello Pam,

To help answer your question and for the benefit of other visitors, I will give an overview of the heat cycle in female dogs.

The total heat cycle lasts approximately three weeks and is divided into three phases.

If your dog has a firm swelling of the vulva and there is a bloody discharge of pinkish/red color, she is most likely in the first stage of heat which usually lasts about 5 days. During this phase, a dog is not yet fertile.

Ovulation occurs and the female dog is receptive to mating, during the second phase which starts anywhere from five to ten days after phase one. During the fertile period, the bleeding discharge may become clear, change to a light tan color, or stop altogether.

When the female dog is no longer showing signs of an interest in mating, she is likely in the third phase. In this stage the bleeding will taper off and the vulva swelling will start to reduce.

Although female dogs usually conceive during the second phase, variations are entirely possible and she may conceive even during the last phase.

Hopefully this information will help you determine if your dog is pregnant or is still within a phase of the heat cycle.

In regard to the bow-legged condition, I don't think this would be related to a possible pregnancy.

You don't say how old your dog is, what breed, or if the bow-legged condition appears to be causing any pain.

The only comment I can offer at this time is that some dogs' bones grow at an uneven rate causing abnormalities. A vet's evaluation is your best bet in finding out what is the cause.

Best of luck with your dog.