Physical signs and behavioural changes are the first ways of knowing if a bitch is pregnant although they are not good indicators of pregnancy status as the findings could easily be confused with pseudo pregnancy. The pregnant bitch shows mammary gland development and there is also increase in laxity of the abdomen (about day 25 of pregnancy).There could be male attraction (btw days 30-35).Note that these are not objective criteria for pregnancy detection.Weight gain occurs. Abdominal palpation could be used to detect chorioallantoic swellings (gestational sacs)(possible as early as day 18)and they can be palpable for 7-15days.This doesn't require any special equipment,however the period of pregnancy during which it is most accurate is very short.It is difficult or even impossible in obese animals and in animals that are tense when their abdomen is palpated.It has poor acuracy for determining litter size,particularly during the last trimester of pregnancy.Abdominal palpation should be scheduled to be performed 26 -28days after first mating.a second palpation should be done a week later.This procedure is 88percent accurate for pregnancy diagnosis.12percent accurate for foetal number determination.
Other methods could be Hormonal methods e.g Progesterone,Relaxin and Prolactin analysis.
RADIOGRAPHY can be used.It is better to wait until days 45-50 after the Leutinising hormone peak to increase the accuracy of diagnosis and determination of foetal number although early diagnosis at the 3rd and 5th week can be done.
ULTRASONOGRAPHY is also a very accurate method and pregnancy can be detected from as early as days 16-18 after fertilasation in the bitch
Haematologic changes e.g pcv analysis (drop in pcv).
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