Pregnancy Week by Week


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Nikky5000

New Member
Hi I decided I would keep track of Starr's pregnancy from beginning all the way to the end when puppies leave. I will start with information on the parents Starr is 3½ years old she has had two other litters. Her first litter she whelped great needed little to no help she had 6 puppies in that litter. Her pre-pregnancy weight before the puppies was 8 pound during the pregnancy she was a whopping 12 pounds after she had the puppies she was 9 pounds. Her second litter was 5 puppies she did have a c-section one of the puppies turned blocking the birth canal 4 puppies made it the puppy that turned sadly did not make it. Her weight during that pregnancy was a whopping 14 pounds. After she had them she was 10 pounds but with some extra walks and putting her back on adult food we got her down to her ideal 9 pounds. The dad he has had lots of great litters mostly black and but has had red in the past. Dad is 4-5 years old he only weighs 8 pounds. He has a very masculine body compared to Starr who is more feminine. For example she has a show lineage and he has a working lineage. So I am hoping to bring the lines together. The colors I am expecting are red, black and tan, and brindle. Mom always has at least 1brindle in her litters.
 
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Nikky5000

New Member
Starr during week 1 fertilization is happening. Not much behavior changes. She is still doing her regular activities like running and jumping will stop her as she progresses. She still eats adult food will not switch her until 5 weeks in. She was at the stud's house for a week they tied for the first time on March 09, 2014. I am counting from the first tie she could have ovulated later. So we will see how she progresses during the weeks but we are pretty sure it took the first tie. The pictures are of her belly showing how slim she is. I will post pictures of her belly every week. I did shave her already because when she sheds she sheds a lot so to avoid that we shave her early.
 

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Nikky5000

New Member
Starr's 3rd week of pregnancy. She has gotten really big, morning sickness has begun. She went off her food so I have been feeding chicken and rice and homemade dog treats that she loves. She wants a lot of attention now isn't able to jump as well as she used to. We are now stopping her from jumping now. She eats adult dog food when can get her to eat. She is going to the bathroom a lot more. Isn't she large to only be 3 weeks? Her tuck up is completely gone. She will be 4 weeks Sunday. Now everyone is caught up. :)
 

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Nell

Member
What a lovely idea! I am going to be watching this thread!!

I have had several litters in the past but never with Dachshunds. I now have two dachshund girls and will one day (maybe???) be following suit.

Good luck to you and your little girl, cant wait to see what she has!
 
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Nikky5000

New Member
Thank you I hope this will be very educational for people who are curious about breeding or expecting their first litter and don't know what to expect. I am hoping she will have uneventful pregnancy and whelp. With dachshunds it can either be really good or it can be really bad. If you have to small litter that always ends in c-section too big of a litter she might not be able to have all the puppies natural. I always find between 5-7 puppies is good pregnancy and delivery it's big enough that she's more likely to whelp naturally and not big enough that she will need a lot of assistance. So I am hoping she will have 7 because of how big she is getting so early on. I am hoping no more than 8.
 
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Nikky5000

New Member
I am going to make this a quick up date. We are taking Starr to the vet today we think she might have a UTI :( So the vets are going to check her put her on some anitbotics to clear the infection and she will be back to her happy healthy self. We are hoping it's nothing serious because she is still happy, eating, drinking, playing, and has no fever. So fingers crossed. We might get her pregnancy confirmed today also. We can do an ultra sound or get her palpated. Hope for lots of little puppies :)
 
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Nikky5000

New Member
Thank you. We are so shocked that this happened. We had mom checked for everything she came back clear not one problem. Dad was also checked he was super healthy also. One of the breeders in the breed club we belong to dog had a UTI also and was put on antibiotics she went on to have a healthy litter of 7. So we are hoping that everything turns out great. :)
 
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Nikky5000

New Member
Just got back they ran a lot of test. I have to wait until tomorrow for the results hopefully nothing to serious they also said they couldn't really feel puppies they could feel something they think she isn't 4 weeks along maybe 3 weeks along so I will be counting from her last tie and hope that works. Fingers crossed and praying for the best.
 
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Nikky5000

New Member
HUGE update I know why the vet couldn't feel puppies it was too early.:eek: They wouldn't be able to feel until April 3rd that's the earliest I can get her palpated. So I am counting from the first tie once again. Wish I would have looked at my calendar before the apt. :rolleyes: So she is 4 weeks from first tie and 3 weeks from last tie.
 
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Nikky5000

New Member
I got the results back drum roll please.............. Nothing is wrong she is 100% healthy not one problem kidneys were healthy and working normally. Heartworm test negative. Urine test normal. :D She might be bleeding because she keeps licking herself. So we will watch her and stop her from licking. The second part of this the doctor did an unauthorized ultrasound and palpation in the back and couldn't feel the puppies. But I am not worried because if she would have asked or told me what she was going to do I would have told her not to bother because it was too early she was 21 days from first tie and only 16 days from last tie. So we are counting from first and last tie. We won't know for sure until the middle to end of April.
 
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Nikky5000

New Member
We were worried about Starr because our vet kept telling us she couldn't find any puppies the bleeding could've been from her absorbing the litter. We were worried because she was losing weight didn't really want to eat. So we called another vet talked to them they say it is very normal for dogs to go off their food in the beginning and to lose some weight but pick it back up in the middle or ending of pregnancy. They told me about some gravy petsmart sells to put on the dog food and dogs love it. So I bought a bottle put a little on the food she took to it immediately she ate like she was starving and hasn't been fed in a couple of weeks. :rolleyes:They also said the other vet was completely wrong for doing an unauthorized palpation and ultrasound that early in a pregnancy and telling me she is not pregnant. I'm just watching her now waiting to see how she progresses. But I think there are puppies she has never missed when we bred her if anything she has nice size litters. Her teats are starting to develop. Sorry for the long update:( but we were so worried about our girl and her future puppies.
 
Nell

Nell

Member
So hope everything goes well. Dogs suffer from morning sickness sometimes at the start of their pregnancy just like humans, this is probably why she has gone off her food a bit, it will pass.

Keep us updated.....soooo excited to see what she has!
 
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Nikky5000

New Member
Hi everyone we are entering week 5. Starr is growing her stomach is very big. She can no longer eat big meals she has to eat smaller meals throughout the day. She is very lazy and when she finally gets up it only to dig around in her blankets. She is having some trouble getting comfortable while sleeping. We just bought a exercising pen that is a octagon shape is can be used indoor and outdoor. We had a whelping box but it has water damage from being in the shed while it was raining. So we will use the pen and put a tarp down under it with lots of puppy pads and blankets on it. I actually really like the pen it has a door so mom can go in and out as she pleases but keeps the babies in has lots of space for her to stretch out in. Hopefully she will like it so much she'll want to have her puppies in it. :rolleyes: Will post pics of her pregnant belly soon :D
 
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Nikky5000

New Member
We are not doing an ultrasound. The vet finally got back to us the price is $400+ we are not going to do it because the ultrasound isn't reliable for litter size. It is only good for telling you if she's pregnant. But we will still do x-rays which are cheaper and more accurate and can tell you how big the puppies are and if she can have them naturally. Plus in a week or 2 I will be able to feel puppies. So I guess I will wait and let the suspense kill me :rolleyes:
 
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Nikky5000

New Member
I just bought a stethoscope for $10 and a fetal doppler for $50.00 brand new :). If you are wondering what a fetal doppler is I will tell you it is a portable ultrasound machine that can hear fetal heartbeats. It is way cheaper than taking a dog to the vet for an ultrasound and 100% less stressful:cool:. It will get here within 1-5 days I am so excited :D can't wait then I can check heartbeats anytime I want without paying $400+ every time :rolleyes:. I will still be getting x-rays because I can't see how big the puppies are and can't get a great estimate on puppies. Hopefully it gets here in 1-2 days :D
 
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Nikky5000

New Member
By either Wednesday or Thursday my fetal doppler will be hear :D I am so excited to hear heartbeats. But to keep me busy I have been going over my contracts and applications improving them every year there is a new question you have to ask before selling someone a puppy. So I updated ALL my contracts and applications from my studding service to my breeding services I provide took me over 5 hours now I am done and can rest. Tomorrow I will be watching the door for the post man like a dachshund waiting for a squirrel or bird to go by the window ;)
 
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Nikky5000

New Member
Looks like it's not gonna get here until tomorrow :( Tomorrow I am gonna be posted to the door ALL day until it gets here :) when I see that big truck pull up infront of my house I am going to go nuts. :D It feels like Christmas morning and I am waiting to open gifts :D
 
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