Category Archives: Blog

On the weekend I took a call from a man who had some questions regarding his 8 year old Red Heeler who was due to give birth any day.

He knew the gestation time, so had guessed she was due somewhere over the weekend give or take.

However, as our conversation progressed, it appeared that was about all he knew about dog pregnancy.

So, I thought I’d jot down some dot points over two parts for this blog about what I, as a Vet Nurse, know and maybe it might highlight something that may be of interest.

Needless to say, I’m not a Vet, and this list could go on for pages and pages – this isn’t meant to be a tutorial and don’t forget that your vet can answer all your questions and provide timely and accurate advice.  We’re here to help and we’d much prefer that you call us or make an appointment than rely on ‘Dr Google’ which we all know can be full of inaccuracies.

• Time frames

Pregnancy (gestation period) in bitches normally ranges from 58 to 65 days.

• Is she really pregnant?

Early pregnancy in dogs can be extremely difficult to detect.  Trans-abdominal palpation (feeling the abdomen for enlarged uterus) by a veterinarian at about three to four weeks after mating may be an option, but the results are variable.  Abdominal ultrasound is the most reliable and scans from one month after breeding should determine a successful pregnancy.  An abdominal x-ray during the last two weeks of pregnancy is the most accurate method for counting foetuses and ideally should be performed on all pregnant dogs.  Otherwise, you may not know when your female has finished having her puppies and this could lead to puppies remaining trapped when you think birthing has finished.

Part two will have some information regarding diet, planning and health care.

Here’s Lolli, my Jack Russell Terrier.  She is a SUN WORSHIPPER.  You may have a dog like this too.  Even on the hottest summers day, where all my other animals are taking comfort in the shade, there she is – panting away, belly up towards the sun.

Very cute, but being mostly a white dog, with very short fur and almost none on her tummy, she tends to burn rather quickly.

Pets are no different and just as it is with humans, there is a risk of chronic sun damage that can lead to skin cancers and other nasties.

So, I’ve had to resort to sun block.  She’s not super keen on it, but when I’m going to be out and can’t keep an eye on her between 10 and 3 on those sunny days, it’s a rule that just cannot be broken!

We stock sun block at Tasmanian Animal Hospitals.  It’s different to sun block for humans.  Most human sunscreens have ingestion warnings on them because the ingredients can be toxic if a child or dog ingest them, so it’s best just to get a pet safe one from the pet shop or vet clinic.

So, can your cat or dog get sunburnt….?  Yes!  Sunburn can appear as red skin or hair loss.  If you notice this on your pet, it’s best to get them examined by your vet who can advise the most appropriate type of action.  Sunburn can irritate or exacerbate existing skin conditions such as allergies or hot spots.  Animals that have light coloured noses and thin, very short, or missing fur are in most need of protective sunscreen.  The groin, inside legs and abdomen can also need sunscreen because hair is very thin there and UV light can reflect off concrete surfaces to affect that skin.

If you intend to use a sunscreen on your cat, make certain the product labelling specifically says that it’s appropriate and safe for cats.

Happy Tanning everyone !