Hello

I have been reading the forum for sometime now but have only just joined as i could do with some advice please.

I am new to breeding and while i have a mentor, i dont feel it fair to call on her on new yrs eve so hoped someone here may be able to help?

I mated my bitch just over 4 weeks ago and she is showing vague signs of preg. i havent had her scanned yet although this is planned for early next week. she has been slightly off her food and her nipples are showing changes.

I have read through the book of the bitch and while is helpful, i have only found a small note about morning sickness.

My girl has been really under the weather today, she didnt eat any of her tea last night or this mornings meal. she took one of her treats at lunch time but promptly brought it back up. she is drinking fine, no changes there.

Today i have put her onto puppy food and has eaten some but not her usual amount. i have also got some puppy milk powder to try to get some goodness into her. she like that alot!

could someone let me know if it is common for dogs to have morning sickness or is this more serious? if it is morning sickness, what can i do to help her?

she is happy and playful it just seems that uptill about 2 pm, she is feeling a bit green! I had terrible morning sickness and after all i have ready, dogs have the same kind of hormone changes. but i am just worried about her not being nourished enough for her possible pups.

many thanks in advance for your help

I was told to give my bitch ,who is due in a few weeks , full fat goats milk. I was told they can tolerate this, she loves it

It is usually the middle trimester for bitches to have morning sickness symptoms, so sounds about right.  It is at this stage that the foetuses have developed placentas and are attached to the uterine walls.  I assume there must be some serious hormones involved at this time and they feel queasy.

Just offer her her food several times a day so she can eat when she feels ready for it.  Perhaps two or three smaller meals.

To be honest with you I wouldn't worry too much about her not eating so much.  One of my bitches who had a litter in october suffered from morning sickness from the very beginning of her pregnancy until about the last two weeks.  She would only eat a little after lunch time.  IT seems that bitches though know themselves how much they need to eat and seem to get the right energy inside themselves without us interfering tooooo much.  I'm sure that she will start eating soon.  Try giving her very small meals various time sper day  IT helps.  Morning sickness in bitches is completely normal.  IT comes about as a result of the change in the hormones just like women.  Don't worry about it too much or you will have it in your head all day.  When she is ready to eat normally she will do so.  Also don't leave her food down for her all the time.  15 mins and then take it away and then try again 1 hour later.

Hello

Happy new Year!

Thank you all for the replies, i feel alot better about her now. yes, it has been on my mind all the time and she is probably picking up on me stressing about her.

I am going to take her food away after 15 min as i think that may help. i normally leave it down all day just incase she wants to nibble.
She had alot more of her supper last night but still not her usual amount and loads left this morning, but atleast she had something.

Thanks again