All You Need To Know About Miscarriage In Dogs

During pregnancy, you must fully protect your female dog and her puppies. Pregnant dogs are especially prone to some health problems and complications, including miscarriage. Miscarriage in dogs can occur in any stage of pregnancy, and you must fully understand your pregnant female dog to notice if something is wrong.

A female dog, in case of a miscarriage, doesn't have to lose all of her puppies (as many people will think), and she could possibly deliver a few healthy and live ones. To better understand miscarriage, symptoms, and all the ways you can protect your female dog during pregnancy, stay with us.

What is miscarriage?

Miscarriage is a medical term that refers to the loss (death) of the fetus during the pregnancy stage. This can occur anytime during pregnancy, and the signs could also vary.

Miscarriage is a sudden and spontaneous health issue that can happen to your pregnant female dog. It can happen as resorption when the dead embryo or puppy stays in the body or as a complete abortion where they will leave the body.

Types of miscarriage

Early–if miscarriage happens during the first half of pregnancy, it could go unnoticed since the embryo will be absorbed into the body.
Late – the miscarriage happens during the second half of pregnancy, outcomes will greatly vary. Puppy (s) can still be passed or mummified (dogs' bodies will create a membrane around the fetus that will serve as protection).

pregnant bulldog

Symptoms of miscarriage in dogs

Depending on the type of miscarriage that happens to your dog, the symptoms can vary. In case of resorption, your female dog may not show any signs or symptoms, and most dog owners will not even realize that the dog had a miscarriage.

GOOD TO KNOW: The only way for you to confirm early miscarriage is if you did an ultrasound and the pregnancy was confirmed, and on the later ultrasound, there is nothing visible.

For the later miscarriage, some symptoms could be present, but keep in mind that this type of miscarriage could also go unnoticed.

Symptoms to look for

Abdominal pain
Vaginal discharge
Fever
Contractions

RELATED: How Long Are Dogs Pregnant?

What are the causes of miscarriage in dogs?

There could be many possible reasons why your dog could have a miscarriage of one or more of her puppies, and some of them include

Infections – bacterial, viral, or parasitic
Genetic problems
Hormonal imbalance
Low progesterone levels
Fetal defects
Usage of different meds

Since miscarriage can happen lightning fast, you must do everything to protect your female dog. Always talk to your vet and ask for additional advice to protect your dog and avoid miscarriage.

newborn puppy

Are some breeds more prone to miscarriage?

Any dog breed could experience this problem, and there are no specific dog breeds that we can say will have a higher chance of miscarriage. However, genuinely speaking, malnourished dogs have a higher possibility of miscarrying since they will lack all the important nutrients needed to successfully carry the pregnancy and deliver her puppies.

How is miscarriage diagnosed?

Sometimes, a miscarriage could go unnoticed if you don't even know that the dog is pregnant and if the miscarriage happens in the early stage of pregnancy.

If you suspect your dog had a miscarriage, bring her to the vet for testing. Ultrasound could be a good starting point to determine if the dog is pregnant and if the fetuses are visible.

Progesterone testing should also be done, and if the dog has abnormal levels, it can indicate problems with pregnancy.

The abnormal discharge could indicate that the pregnancy is lost, which will be noticeable.

RELATED: Can Dogs Have an Abortion?

What is the treatment for miscarriage?

Correct treatment will depend on many different factors surrounding the pregnancy and the miscarriage. If a dog develops an infection, she may need IV fluids and antibiotics. No matter what is the real cause of miscarriage, the majority of dogs will fully recover and will not experience any additional problems.

Your vet will find a way to help your female dog and prevent any additional problems or complications for the dog.

Miscarriage in dogs recovery

A few days after the miscarriage, you must restrict the dog's activity and always provide enough water to prevent dehydration. You should monitor vaginal discharge and contact your vet if you notice anything unusual.

You may expect your dog to show signs of depression after the miscarriage, but this will go over time.

Your vet will for sure advise you to bring your dog for a regular check-up more often to ensure that everything is alright and that there are no additional problems.

puppy

RELATED: False Pregnancy in Dogs

Can miscarriage be prevented?

It is pretty hard and almost impossible to prevent miscarriage, especially because it can develop pretty fast. The best thing you can do as a breeder is to provide everything for your pregnant dog and always closely monitor her for any signs or symptoms of problems.

Even if you do everything right, there is still a possibility of a miscarriage, but this is the best you can do.

In case your dog experiences miscarriage, it is essential that you find the reason behind this in case of a future pregnancy. Depending on the main reason why a miscarriage has occurred, your vet could suggest not breeding that dog anymore.

World Dog Finder team

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