Symptoms of Early Pregnancy in Labs

Checking for these symptoms can help you prepare earlier on.
There may be times when your lab may get pregnant either accidentally or by breeding. Watching for these early symptoms during pregnancy will help you prepare her for earlier on. There are a lot of things to consider like her diet and amount of exercise, so it’s helpful to know these things in the early stages of pregnancy.
A lab can only get pregnant during her heat or canine cycle, so it’s also good to remember when that was.
…
Dog pregnancy generally lasts 60-65 days. Early signs of pregnancy in dogs include loss of appetite, sudden decrease in activity, nipple growth and behavioral changes. As the pregnancy progresses, further signs occur. Three to four weeks into the pregnancy, you will notice an increase in appetite and weight gain by one month. Around five weeks, your dog’s nipple will develop and she will begin to look broader. Increase in abdomen size can be seen and uterine swelling around the placental sites that feels like firm and discrete lumps exist. During the last few weeks of pregnancy, puppy movement can be felt and milk production begins.
Dog pregnancy can also be detected through x-rays, ultrasound or blood test. Blood test can be done by a veterinarian 30 days after being bred. In some cases, a female dog will display signs of dog pregnancy without actually being pregnant. That is why it is important to visit your veterinarian to confirm the pregnancy and that proper care will be given. Dog owners should always remember that their pregnant Labrador Retrievers need special care to make sure that they are ready when the time comes.