Chihuahua Pregnancy

When a chihuahua owner hears that their adorable pet is heavy with puppies inside her, it causes more worry for them than you can imagine. This is because they are small and delicate which heightens the risks that are inherent to pregnancy. Due to this reason, the owner needs to be very keen and always look after his chihuahua with great care throughout her pregnancy. Because most chihuahuas give birth through cesarean section, it is also important to have a serious talk with your veterinarian about the procedure. The gestation period for a chihuahua is 63 days from conception.

In this article, we will discuss:

• Some facts to take into consideration
• What is the risk a chihuahua may face during pregnancy?
• How to help your  chihuahua dog during pregnancy
• How to be prepared
• Entering labor
• Birth delivery
• False pregnancy
• Keeping your chihuahua safe
• FAQs About chihuahua pregnancy

Some facts about chihuahua Pregnancy to take into consideration

1. Pregnancy can happen even if you think the touch was not effective. A chihuahua female may become pregnant even if the two dogs beak early.
2. A chihuahua female can have a sexual rapport with a larger dog when she is in the heat. As a result, she may become pregnant. What you have to put in mind is that this is a very dangerous pregnancy and the delivery will be worst. So in order to prevent this unwanted load, you have to control your chihuahua’s movements carefully when she is in heat. Because during this period the female may seek males out regardless of their pedigree. During this period the female may do unexpected things like escaping from a fenced-in yard…
3. The normal size litter for a chihuahua is 1 to 3 pups.
4. A multi-sired litter can occur, in other words, a chihuahua may become pregnant with two dogs. Because in the caning world more than one ova can still be available for numerous days. It is possible that one egg could be fertilized on day one by the first male and the second egg could be also fertilized by another different dog male on day 3.
5. When a chihuahua female passes into puberty, it’s possible to become pregnant during her first heat cycle. For toy breeds like a chihuahua, puberty starts at a very young age, generally between the age of 4 and 7 months old. The estrus phase of the cycle can be between 5 days and 3 weeks, during this period a chihuahua female can be receptive to a male. Normally a lot of breeders always control their chihuahua females during the first heat to avoid being pregnant, they prefer the second heat cycle. However, it is possible that a chihuahua can become pregnant during her first heat.

Signs and symptoms of pregnancy

After the third stage of the heat cycle, it is vital to confirm whether your chihuahua is pregnant or not. This most especially applies to owners who have no clue whether she did mate. However, if you did pair her with a male, then look out for any pregnancy signs. The main signs and symptoms that you will observe in a pregnant chihuahua include;

• Reduced activity: chihuahuas are a playful dog breed and will always be running around the house. If you note that she isn’t moving a lot and appears tired and lethargic, then know something is up.
• Stomach problems: one of the many reasons why chihuahuas fail to eat in pregnancy. This may be causing a stomach upset and she will not be in the mood to eat at all. In addition to that, if you spot some light vomiting around the house, it can be a sign that your chihuahua is pregnant. However, you should take her to a doctor for an examination just she might be actually sick.
• Enlarged nipples: this is an obvious sign that your chihuahua is pregnant. As the pregnancy days pass by, you will even see some of the teats that hadn’t emerged there before.
• Enlarged stomach: since chihuahuas have small bodies, then a growing stomach is one you will never miss. The stomach will show as early as 14 days after the day of conception. It also becomes firm and rigid.
• Amplified cleanliness: the chihuahuas love being clean all the time. However, during pregnancy, they tend to groom themselves more often and thoroughly. In addition to that, they seem to be nesting – which is a motherly trait.

 Chronology to remember

• After 15 days after conception, the stomach will be puffy
• The X-ray can show clearly puppies after day 45.
• The labor will start between days 60 and 65.

What is the risk a chihuahua may face during pregnancy?

• Low blood sugar also is known as hypoglycemia. It is common in chihuahuas, however, during pregnancy, it can get worse. Ensure your dog ingests enough nutrients to avoid the blood sugar dropping to dangerous levels. Will be characterized by; stumbling, glassy eyes, listlessness, and seizure.
• Eclampsia is also known as milk fever. This is a result of low blood calcium which can be caused by poor nutrition or the number of liters the mother chihuahua dog is carrying. Will often occur within the first month but can also be present during the last few weeks before birth. If your chihuahua has developed eclampsia, she will be exhibiting these signs; irritability, panting, fever, and muscle cramps.
• This is internal breeding which can impose a great threat to the life of the mother chihuahua as well as the puppies. It may be due to the tearing of the uterine wall, therefore it is important to rush to the veterinarian immediately without delay.

How to take care of your  chihuahua dog during pregnancy

It is important to offer great care to your chihuahua during pregnancy due to the intensity of the complications they will experience. You can help your  little pooch to have a smooth time by;

• Taking her to the veterinarian on a weekly basis for a checkup. It is important to ensure that the pregnancy is progressing fine.
• Ensure that your pregnant chi is getting enough nutrients and of the right kind in her meals.
• Accommodating any changes. This includes the quantity of food she will be eating during pregnancy.
• Do not give deworming or dog flea treatments since they may have lethal effects on your canine and her unborn puppies.
• Watch out for hypoglycemia and eclampsia signs.
• Prepare for labor in advance, 2 or 3 weeks before the due date.

Due to the nature of the complications, your chihuahua is likely to experience during pregnancy, it is vital that you take good care of her. Ensure that you make regular visits to your veterinarian and she is getting the right nutrients to help in the pregnancy. Taking proper care of your pregnant chihuahua makes the pregnancy period easier and will ensure the survival of the puppies indefinitely. As the owner, you need to be well prepared for the long 2 months ride to come after conception as well as the birth process especially if the delivery will be through C-section.

How to be prepared

• During her pregnancy, a chihuahua will need to be controlled by a professional veterinarian. Throat this time the chihuahua will need good care.
• The X-ray will help you to know how many puppies are inside your female chihuahua. You must know their number to know that all the puppies have been pushed out.
• The pregnancy period takes 9 weeks (63 days).
• If you noticed the first signs of pregnancy, then you should take her to the vet.
• A cesarean section is possible because of the size of your chihuahua dog and the size of the heads of the puppies.
• There are moments when the vet may not be sure and may ask you to bring her when she enters labor.
• During her pregnancy a chihuahua may change her behaviors, she may eat more the normal. The owner must give her more food and decrease the number of exercises.
• There are things that you must prepare early such as whelping box and an emergency number you can call when you face some issues.

Entering labor

When the temperature of your chihuahua drops below normal, it is a strong sign that she will have puppies within 24 hours. During this period your chihuahua must stay in a safe and comfortable place. To know the temperature of your dog you should use a rectal or oral thermometer the following method:

You should firstly lubricate the thermometer

Insert it about a half-inch

Wait for three minutes.

The dog’s temperature should be between 38.3 and 39.17 Celsius.

When the dog’s temperature drops below 37.77 C, she must give birth to the chihuahua pups during the next 24 hours. During this stage of labor, your chihuahua may exhibit some issues like vomiting, and crying. You should take good care of her during this hard time.

If you notice one of the following warning signs. PLEASE call emergency or take your chihuahua to the vet ASAP.

• The pregnancy period has reached 70 days.
• Her temperature is below 37 c for 24 hours but no puppies come out.
• While you know that there 2 or 3 puppies inside the first one came out and it has been more than 2 hours without any other puppy coming out.
• The pain is so intense.

Birth delivery

There are two ways that a chihuahua can pass throughout to give birth to her puppies: a natural birth and a Cesarean section. However, Because of their tiny size, most chihuahuas must give birth via a cesarean section to prevent risks associated with natural birth.

Cesarean section:

After a cesarean operation, your dog may lose its fur because of the anesthetics. Don’t worry because this is totally normal, the coat will grow back. In addition, a phenomenon called ‘blowing the coat’ may happen to your dog, and it is heavy shedding.

The natural section:

The puppy will be covered by his own amniotic sac, each one has its own. The chihuahua female will then lick the sac out of the newborn. It’s possible that a chihuahua will ingest the sac.

You can remove the sac by tearing it gently near the chest and pull it off and out over the newborn’s head.

The chihuahua will lick puppies one after the other to clean them. And sometimes she can eat the umbilical cord.

The chihuahua licks her puppies for two reasons, firstly she cleans them, and secondly, she is stimulating the newborn to breathe. You can help your chihuahua by wrapping the newborn for a moment in a soft clean and small towel.

The dam may eat The placenta as well. You should use sterilized scissors to cut the cord 1 inch from the stomach, then tie it off using a sterilized thread.

False pregnancy

In some cases, a chihuahua may have a false pregnancy. a lot of people don’t have any idea about it. False pregnancy means that a female chihuahua can have a chemical imbalance that pushes his body into “thinking she is pregnant with puppies. Thus, the belly can swell, the chihuahua will have an increase in breast tissue and she may even start to produce milk.
If this happens to your chihuahua don’t worry, because after one month, these symptoms will start to fade and your dog will be back to its normal shape.

Keeping your chihuahua safe

If your dog is an un-spayed female, keep close eyes on her. As you know your chihuahua may enter her heat season even if there are no signs. keep in mind that males smell a female in the heat for up to 3 miles away, and if a  chihuahua is unsupervised mating can occur for even a moment if there are a male dog and the area.

FAQs About chihuahua pregnancy

What Is The Average Chihuahua Litter Size?

A chihuahua can give birth from one to three puppies on average in a single litter. Still, some chihuahuas can only have one puppy. In addition, you should put in mind that an older chihuahua can give birth to a larger litter of five to six puppies. The majority will have the largest litter the fourth time they get pregnant. After that, the litter size will be back to its smaller size again.

The larger litter can present a big danger to both, puppies and moms, as it may include some health complications. In other words, one or several puppies will be underweight and will experience weakness.

In this situation, the weak puppies may have trouble getting the milk they need from their mom. As a result, you should bottle-feed the concerned puppies to overcome this situation.

As nature shows no sign of slowing down when it comes to surprising us there are always exceptions, a chihuahua and regardless of her size can give birth to multiple puppies.

How Many Times A Year Can A Chihuahua Have Puppies?

Pregnancy is a hard experience for all dog breeds, especially for smaller dog breeds like chihuahuas. A professional breeder never allows his chihuahua to get pregnant more than four-time during her lifetime.

Pregnancy, giving birth, and nursing puppies can fatigue any dog’s body, So a chihuahua mother and because of her structure will need more time to heal and recover.

As a result, the good breeder will allow their female dog to get pregnant every other year, To give them time to recover and get back to its full strength. Else, there is a big probability that the puppies may face a lot of health complications.

How To Tell How Many Puppies Will A Chihuahua Have?

As we said before there are always some exceptions, so in order to know the exact number of puppies a mother holds inside her is to use an x-ray. It’s advisable to do it when chi is between 42 and 45 days pregnant. Because during this period puppies can have their full structure and features, so the vet can count them using an x-ray.

Can a 9-year-old Chihuahua have puppies?

What you should know is that when a chihuahua female turns 09, you must already consider her a senior dog, because chihuahuas are considered seniors when they are 10 years old. For this reason, it’s highly unrecommended to let your little dog get pregnant.

Your old chihuahua can get pregnant at this age technically saying. But, in this case, both the chihuahua mother and her puppies can develop health issues. Therefore, don’t even try to push her to get pregnant, and control her when she is in heat.

Can Chihuahuas that weigh 3 pounds have puppies?

The answer to this question is yes they can experience pregnancy and deliver puppies, however, a 3-pound chihuahua pregnancy can be extremely hazardous. Experienced breeders never advise breeding such a tiny female dog.

These tiny dogs may encounter big complications during the delivery they may even die because of anesthesia or during a cesarean section. In a normal case, this tiny but can only have one or two puppies. However, what can make the situation worse is that the puppy could be bigger for a natural delivery.

You must never try to breed a 3-pound chihuahua. However, if she gets pregnant unintentionally, you should choose a reputable vet to accompany her during her pregnancy until delivery.

Can Chihuahuas give birth on their own?

Of course, they can do it without any help from their parent. But, they can encounter dangerous complications during delivery, for this reason, you should ask your vet whether your pooch can deliver at home or not.

Conclusion

To prepare for your chihuahua pregnancy you have to know how many puppies can a chihuahua deliver. Due to their tiny body, a chihuahua may have some complications. In order to prepare yourself, know that :

• On average chihuahua has 3 puppies in a litter
• Older chihuahuas can reach 6 puppies
• The size of the litter has a direct relationship with the age of the chihuahua

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