Pregnant Chihuahua 101 – Pregnancy & Birthing Guide for Chihuahuas
When it comes to ensuring that your chihuahua is safe, it’s understandable that with all of the different nightmare stories you’ve probably heard, you’ll want to keep a good eye on them. Contrary to the many rumors though, chihuahuas are just about like any other breed, but they do take a little bit of special care. In this guide, we’re going to tell you all about things to help you and your loving chihuahua through their pregnancy (as well as breeding in general). This way you can hopefully get some comfort and get some good tips on making both you and your dog happy during a difficult time.
Your Dog Can Get Pregnant at Almost Any Age
Unfortunately, toy breeds have a good chance to go into heat early (4 months instead of the normal 7 months), and this can be scary, so you can do some things to protect them if they’re anything less than 6 months of age. And to go about with this, if they don’t get bred, a dog will go into head an average of about every 6 months or so (some may be sporadic heat sessions).
The downside to a dog’s estrus cycle, which normally last anywhere from 5 days to 3 weeks (that’s a long time for a dog to be in heat right?), the female will be actively TRYING to get pregnant as it’s in their instinctual response. However, during this time there’s a good chance that between the 10th and 15th week. Most breeders will tell you to wait until the second heat cycle, and while some breeds may not become pregnant during their first heat cycle, with chihuahuas it’s extremely possible, even if there isn’t very many signs or discharge.
Breaking Some Myths
There are many myths that people don’t think will happen, but these are all in-fact very possible. Therefore, we’re going to bust some myths for you in this so you know how to keep a watchful eye on your toy pup. Many people believe that dogs have to get “tied up” but it’s been proven that even if a male mounted your female chihuahua, there’s a pretty good chance that your chihuahua may end up pregnant regardless of whether the two dogs broke early.
Another common misconception is that chihuahuas will only take to one dog. I’m sorry to break it to you but your dog’s going to be receptive to any male that tries to mount her. Your female chihuahua can get pregnant by many dogs at once, and if they have five to six babies, they can all actually have a different father.
People also commonly think that just because a large-sized dog is bigger, that they can’t get your female chihuahua pregnant. Let me break it to you bluntly – this is scary, but they will do everything they can, and even succeed in impregnating your chihuahua even if it hurts them. Not only that, but male dogs (especially those with keen noses) can smell a female dog in heat up to three miles away. Since some blood and pheromones can be passed when your little girl goes outside to use the restroom, you need to be there or there’s almost a one hundred percent chance that she will be hunted down and that a male dog will succeed.
How To Tell If Your Dog is Pregnant
Contrary to popular belief, or the way it is in other animals and even in us humans, a dog does NOT stop being in heat as soon as they get impregnated. They are still able to get impregnated until all of the eggs are paired. However, fortunately for you, once the cycle is over, it is over. While you may be expecting a full litter of 8, this is not as common, so you can get some comfort in knowing that most chihuahuas will only have anywhere from one to three puppies although it’s possible for them to have five or six, with the latter being a lot less likely.
There are some telltale signs to watch out for if your chihuahua is pregnant though:
- She will seem more fatigued and may not be quite as playful as she usually is.
- She may get an upset stomach from time to time, so she may get the urge to engorge herself, but then get a little sick to her tummy (just like we humans experience morning sickness).
- She will start to show quickly, usually within a month. At the same time, you’ll notice that her nipples may start getting enlarged as teats begin to fill. Her stomach will also be more firm as the puppies inside her are starting to grow to prepare her body.
- She will clean herself and even make special beds for herself, similar to us humans nesting.
- Labor will only last on a normal rate of two months to a few days later.
Laboring Your Pregnant Puppy
Especially during every litter, you may want to be there. Your chihuahua needs to feel comfortable, and believe it or not, they love when their owner of loyalty helps them through their pregnancy. Don’t worry, they can do most of it themselves, but you need to have a good whelping box with some supplies (you’ll probably want a thick towel that you won’t mind getting rid of down in the area for when they start to go into labor).
A whelping box is literally just a nice spot that offers them some extra “privacy” so they’ll be more comfortable. Around the 60-day mark (possibly a little bit earlier if she’s younger than 7 months), you’ll notice that she is more fatigued and starts to get a little more lethargic with her eating habits. Her temperature will actually drop below 100 degrees Fahrenheit and you can expect babies any minute. She may whimper and whine, but if you’re strong for her, she’ll do what she can to take care of herself and her little ones.
Take Special Precaution of Warning Signs
There are some special situations where you may need to take your dog to the vet. If your little chihuahua shows any of these signs, don’t hesitate and take her to your nearest emergency veterinarian immediately. These can be signs of miscarriage, stillbirths, or worse, the puppies may end up being too big for her to give birth too. Even puppies can suffer from hip dysplasia too.
- If your dog’s been carrying for 70 days or more, these puppies may end up killing her and a caesarian section will more than likely be necessary.
- If it’s been 24 hours since her temperature dropped and she is crying and vomiting but no puppies are coming.
- If only one puppy came out and you absolutely know she’s got more, but it’s been more than 2 hours.
- If your puppy is experiencing significant pain that is more than just labor.
Try to Not Be Afraid or Grossed Out
While it may look like something from a horror or science fiction movie, if you’ve never seen a dog in labor, try your best to not be afraid. Here are some important facts that will help you be a little less grossed out by everything, or even creeped out by it. Remember, your dog has to take care of herself during this time too.
- Every puppy is born inside of its own amniotic sac. Your dog’s instinct will be to lick this off of the newborn, and many times she may even eat it. Don’t be grossed out, this also helps her with nutrition to maintain her own body during and after labor.
- If she acts like she doesn’t know what to do, the sac may not come off of the baby. You can use your fingers if you don’t see the puppy out of the sac within seconds after emerging. Gently grab it near the chest of the puppy and pull it off over the head to help it breathe. Use extreme caution. You may possibly use a warm washcloth and wipe it gently clean too. This can sometimes happen if your dog has more than one puppy come out back to back.
- All puppies that come out will still more than likely be tied to the umbilical cord. Let your dog chew it off, and don’t be surprised if she eats is. The same goes with every embryo sac and even the placenta that follows the last puppy. If she does not eat an umbilical cord, you must cut it approximately 1 inch from the stomach with sterile scissors and use sterilized thread to tie it if the cut spot is bleeding.
- If a vet has to do a C-section, don’t be surprised if there is significant fur loss. Eventually, her hair will grow back. Just expect heavy shedding after birthing a litter too.
- If there is a chance that a puppy is born as a stillborn, if it’s too disturbing, you may remove the amniotic sac and let your puppy still eat that, then remove the puppy from the scene. Otherwise, nature is going to take its course, and when you’re not looking, your carnivorous pooch will end up eating the puppy to regain vital nutrients. This doesn’t mean your dog is a cannibal, she’s just trying to make sure herself and her puppies are safe and healthy.
- Your chihuahua is a lot stronger than you give her credit for despite their size. Remember that they’ve been with us even as early as 600 A.D. and some have even been found that they have actually been around in Mexico as early as 5th Century B.C. in ancient Mexico.
Some Chihuahuas May Experience a False Pregnancy or Two
There have been plenty of times that just like with us humans (and nobody knows why this happen), false pregnancies have occurred in female dogs. Their stomach may swell up and harden, and they might even start to lactate because an imbalance of hormones and chemicals in their bodies tricks her mind into acting as if she was pregnant. If this happens though, don’t be too worried, just keep a close eye out. This can actually last about a month or even a week after that, and then her symptoms will go away.
Final Thoughts
First off in this article we covered one of the most important things to note, and that is that if you have an un-spayed female chihuahua, you don’t want to let her out of your site, or it’s possible that a stray dog will tag and end up mating before you know it. You may even notice that stray dogs that are allowed to roam in your town will also continuously stake out your house waiting for its chance. If your dog gets pregnant and you don’t know what kind of dog did it, then you may not know what the breed is, and this can be harmful.
At the same time, there are other things to think about and consider too. If your dog is only a few weeks into pregnancy, you may see that she spots a little bit. This is considered normal. However, if you see a lot of blood, clots, or more, you need to take her to a veterinarian, as chihuahuas are also prone to having miscarriages, and while later on during their pregnancy (like their second month) this can cause many complications for her, during the first couple weeks if it happens, you may not have so much to worry about. Just be cautious.
Conclusion – Chihuahua Pregnancy
First off, we want to apologize if any of this information has scared you, as it’s not meant to, only to educate you so you can take care of your female chihuahua before, during, and even after a pregnancy. While there are many horror stories (and warnings that we provided for you), these aren’t as rare as some people make it out to be. Also, contrary to popular belief, while spaying or neutering your dog can help increase its lifespan, it’s normally not because breeding shortens their life span. This doesn’t mean your dog isn’t susceptible to complications during pregnancy, but there is nothing that can stop it just like with nature in us humans.
