If you’ve decided to breed your dog and welcome a litter of puppies into your world, that comes with many questions and concerns about dog reproductive services. From the appropriate age range to assessing fertility, the process includes several steps to ensure successful breeding and your dog’s health.At Animal Clinic at Wellington Reserve, we work extremely hard to bring you the accurate information you need. To avoid the misinformation that can sometimes be found online by well-intentioned dog owners, we’ve taken the most frequently asked questions about dog reproductive services and answered them as thoroughly and accurately as possible to ensure you have the facts.
If you’re looking for a highly trained veterinarian in Wellington, FL, we’d love to see your dog for proper screening before breeding, so please call us at (561) 784-8387.
What Are the Most Important Factors to Consider Regarding Canine Reproduction?
When it comes to canine reproduction, there’s a big picture and then several steps along the way that you need to consider thoroughly.
Essential Factors in Dog Reproduction Include:
- Ensuring your dog is a healthy candidate, as well as the other dog involved
- The breeds and temperaments of the dogs involved to ensure a healthy gene pool
- A complete understanding of the time and financial commitment
- Potential health issues during the process
- The puppies that will ultimately be your responsibility
How Is My Dog’s Pregnancy Status Evaluated?
After approximately 30 days, your dog will have her first ultrasound to see if there’s any sign of pregnancy. Blood tests can also be performed to measure certain hormones and assess if a placenta is formed. After approximately 45 days, we start to see some bone development. An X-ray will give you an idea of pregnancy status at this point, which is quite far along since a dog’s pregnancy is only about 63 days total.
Do Veterinarians Offer Dog Progesterone Testing?
Many veterinarians offer progesterone testing, and some labs will do progesterone testing as well. At Animal Clinic at Wellington Reserve, we do progesterone testing in-house, but many veterinarians aren’t comfortable with interpreting the results, so they may offer the test but refer you to someone who does theriogenology to interpret the results and make a decision on breeding timing.
Can Dogs Have Cesarean Sections?
Yes, we do a lot of cesarean sections at Animal Clinic at Wellington Reserve. There are some breeds of dogs that are predisposed to dystocia, which is difficult whelping.
Dog Breeds That Have Difficulty Whelping Are Short-Faced Dogs Such as:
- Pugs
- Bulldogs
- French Bulldogs
- Shih Tzus
- Pembroke and Cardigan Welsh Corgis
- Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs
- Bernese Mountain Dogs
For those breeds, instead of waiting until you’re in trouble or potentially losing puppies, your veterinarian should schedule a C-section. Suppose progesterone testing is done in advance, and your veterinarian can very specifically assess which day the female ovulated. In that case, you can schedule a C-section during regular hours without needing an emergency clinic.
If you live in or near Wellington, FL, and are looking for quality pet care, come visit us at Animal Clinic at Wellington Reserve where your pet is our priority. Contact us at (561) 784-8387 to set an appointment, or email us at [email protected]. Our staff would love to talk with you! Don’t forget to follow us on social media: Facebook, Instagram.