How Long are Golden Retrievers Pregnant? A Complete Guide
Nothing is more exciting than seeing your lovely Golden Retriever Pregnant. But wait a minute! How many chances do you get in a calendar year to see your dog as pregnant? You may also want to know about the heat cycles of the Retriever and most importantly how long are Golden Retrievers pregnant.
Don’t worry at all! We will answer all your queries in this article. Usually, the Golden Retriever remains pregnant for 63 days. You will see four stages in a heat cycle and you can know whether your dog has conceived or not through tests like X-rays and ultrasounds.
We will discuss each aspect, starting from the heat cycle, to the birth of a beautiful puppy, one by one, in a sequence. So, let’s start and learn briefly.
Reproduction Cycle
Before we go any further, let’s know some interesting facts about the reproducing cycle commonly known as the heat cycle. Here is some useful information regarding the reproduction cycle:
You might be wondering why it’s important to understand the heat cycle. Well! First of all, you can determine the pregnancy of the Golden Retriever after knowing its exact heat cycle. Secondly, it becomes an easy task for veterans to conduct pregnancy tests.
Telling or Guessing Pregnancy of a Golden Retriever
It’s not as simple as it is for human beings. There are no similar tests for dogs as for humans. You need to consult your veteran and go through special tests to accurately gauge the probability or chances of occurrence for a potential pregnancy.
Hormone Test
The tests help in accurately pregnancy of the Golden Retriever when it is in 30 days of gestation. Otherwise, the tests will be credible. hormone relaxin is released from placental tissues that help in viewing the complete picture of whether a Golden Retriever has conceived pregnancy or not.
Palpation
One of the cheapest ways to find out the pregnancy of the dog. When the fetus develops, full-filled sacs are generated whose presence can be seen from 21 to 35 days of gestation. The size of the membrane usually grows approximately the size of a table tennis ball in a 45-pound dog.
X-Ray
A perfect tool to find out the exact number of puppies and the perfect time for a cesarean. In a 42 to 45-day-old pregranent Golden Retriever, you can see spine and skull development progress. After 55 days of the process, you will get a more clear picture of the exact number of puppies.
Ultrasound
Somewhat expensive test for a dog but considered as most effective one. It will tell you whether your Golden Retriever is pregnant or not in gestation. Mostly veterans recommend that the test must be done at least when the dog conceives and 3 weeks have passed. It will also inform you whether the fetus is alive or not.
Tests or Gauging Methods
The four most common tests will help you in calculating the pregnancy of your lovely Golden Retriever.
Gestation Period – Duration of How Long are Golden Retrievers Pregnant
In one line, we can say that the gestation period is 63 days. But it’s an approximate figure. Why? Because each stage during the gestation period has a different and fluctuating duration.
A sperm may live for some days and an egg may become fertile within 48 hours. So, we can’t tell a single figure merely on mating data. We need to consult veterans and study more to get a close figure that remains valid in reality as well.
Hormonal Measurement
Hormonal measurement gives more accurate data than any other similar information.
We will see the difference in gestation length as per hormonal measurement:
Golden Retriever Pregnancy – Stages
After three weeks, the shape of the fetus changes and after termination of the third week, a veteran can see fetal heartbeats through ultrasound.
Here are a month-wise details for you:
First Month
Hormonal measurement gives more accurate data than any other similar information. Symptoms during the first three weeks are almost negligible if we talk about visibility.
However, you can guess pregnancy through the following behavior changes:
Second Month
The development process starts at full throttle.
Here are some developments on the mentioned days:
Visibility of Pregnancy Signs
By this stage, you will be able to know that your Golden Retriever has gone through the pregnancy phase.
Feeling excited? Yes, you will see clear changes in the behavior of your lovely pet and get a clear picture through ultrasound during the second month of pregnancy.
Third Month
At the start of the last month, the Golden Retriever is completely ready to whelp. Puppies development completes after day 58.
Symptoms in this month are very easy to comprehend. Here are some prominent ones for your ease:
Duration in Labor for a Golden Retriever When Pregnant
There are mainly three stages of labor, after the gestation process.
Stage One
Hormonal measurement gives more accurate data than any other similar information.
The stage is not very noticeable. However, here is a list of symptoms for your understanding:
Stage Two
A stage where you will see your lovely puppies from your favorite dog, the Golden Retriever. The birth process takes place within 24 hours of stage one. Each delivery usually completes within an hour and it continues within the next half an hour to an hour.
Stage Three
The delivery of the placenta occurs at the last. Mostly, stages two and three occur side by side. So, after stage three is completed, you get your puppies and placenta as well.
Sign of Worries
If your Golden Retriever stays in labor for more than a day and if there is a gap above 2 hours between the birth of puppies, then the situation may have escalated and you should immediately consult your veteran.
Conclusion
One of the best times is when your Golden Retriever becomes pregnant. The pregnancy lasts for 63 days in most cases. You need to take care of your dog from the heating duration, pregnancy period, labor period, and post-puppies delivery time. Each process takes a separate time and duration. By understanding the duration of each cycle, you will be able to tackle the situation well and make your pet comfortable!
