My 2 year old Miniature Schnauzer is now 6 weeks pregnant. Before she was mated she was around 8,5 kg.Now she is 15,5 kg. She doesn't look all that big,and she is quite happy to run around and go for walks. But she has almost doubled her weight already and she still has 3 more weeks to go !???

HI, sounds like she is going to have a big litter. I must say I dont actually weigh my bitches so dont know exactly how much weight they put on. Just make sure you dont over feed her, which is difficult to judge from here!! I dont increase the quantity of food overall by more than 50% during the pregnancy but I make sure what they do have is top quality. Have you got the Book of the Bitch by kay white and Jim evans? If not, treat yourself to a copy now, and you will have all the best written help that is available. Good luck with your litter and do come back if you want any more feedback.

Hello Westie Lover (...like them a lot too)
Thank you for your reply which was helpful and reasuring.I though I might have been a bit generous with her food lately - but the increase has not been more than 30%,although she has been fed three times a day the last week.
As you say, she could be carrying a "big" litter. She had an Ultra sound when she was four weeks gone,and the vet couldn't see more than four puppies then - - but was informed that there could well be more.
And thank you for the book recommendation.As soon as I have sent this off,I'll go straight into Amazon and order it!

Unless the person doing the ultrasound specialises in the equipments use, the number of pups seen is no indication of numbers likely to be born.

I was once told they could see 3 and 8 were bortn (though 1 died) and when a speicalist in ultrasound did my bitch at only 25 days, he thought she would have an average litter of 5 to 7, and we had 9.

I tend to rely on Ultrasound to tell me that there isn't just one large pup, and to confirm pregnancy.

When did you increase her food? Normally I don;t give any extra until I know they are pregnant for sure, and n9ot before 5 weeks. I then give an ounce extra for each week, so by whelping they are on half as much again as normal.

After whelping, mine at any rate are on four times their normqal diet from about the second day. when pups are almost fully weaned it starts to reduce from about 5 weeks. By the time the pups leave the bitch is on normal rations or a bit more depending on how her condition has been maintained.

Keep the quality of the food high, and don't be tempted to start any needed reduction diet until after the post partum full moutl that bitches go through. this can drag them down, so that there is no need to reduce their food below normal, as excess weight will be burnt off repairing the body and coat. If they are not carrying extra weight, then a little more food than normal may be needed until the bitch is back in coat.

..... You don't sound particularly brainless to me.
And like you -we went for the ultra sound just to confirm the pregnancy. I shall now prepare myself for whatever number will arrive. - Don't think I've been too far out on the feeding, and didn't start any increase/changes until she was in her fifth week. And if I understand you correctly your bitch is on 50% ekstra food at the time of whelping(after a gradual increase) ?
Well I am now getting quite certain I have not overfed her -which is good.

The rest of your reply I find most useful and I'll keep it as a reference for the post whelping period.
Thank you.

I don't have experience of small dogs but an increase of 7 Kg sounds a lot to me. I had to weigh my Dobe a few days before she whelped this year and she had gone up from her normal 33Kg to just under 39 Kg (8 pups). At 6 weeks she had hardly changed shape.

The Book of the Bitch gives Min Sch pups weights as being 4 - 9 oz so even if you double (treble?) this to take account of the fluid that still sounds way to much (if I compare to a Dobermann) and an average of 4-5 pups

If you are sure your figures are correct I think I would be inclined to take a trip to the vet to rule out an infection is she was mine.

Brainless - disagree with you about not reducing food until after the post-partum moult - my bitch produced on 28th August and is now moulting, if I had not reduced her food she would not fit though the door! :) She gets the same quality but not the same quantity

Christine

Well Christine - This is both very embarrasing, but also a great relief !!
I got quite conserned after having read your reply as the logic of it was too appearant.
So -back to the scales again, and magically she is now 10,5kg! We should have double checked ofcourse. I am not English - so between my husbands lbs. and my kg's something went wrong somewhere ............ Still,I suppose that means that she is within acceptance,as she hasn't gained more than 2kg ? Unlike your bitch though - she started showing at three weeks, and is now quite big.

Well -that was one worry gone. Thanks !

Hi Hammy

You are not the only one who has trouble with lbs, ozs and kilos - I had to recheck the figures :-)

Relief to know your bitch has not doubled her weight. Dobermanns tend to start off carrying almost inside their ribs and hide them, others carry lower and I saw a friend's basenji who almost swung but she only had three pups.

Christine