QuestionI have never owned a female Pit, and I am pretty certain that she is pregnant. She and my male "got stuck" about 6 weeks ago. Her "mammary glands" are getting quite large, can you tell me how long the gestation period is for dogs, how will I know when she is about to have the pups, do I need to separate her from the male and my other female? Thanks for your help in this matter.
AnswerThe average dog has a pregnancy that lasts from 57 to 63 days. If you have not yet taken her to the vet, you should do so now. You will have to take her again a couple of weeks before she delivers her litter. Also, during this time, make sure that you don't treat her with any flea meds or give her any other meds unless your vet has given her something that is safe for a pregnant bitch.
You should be able to tell when she is going to go into labor by checking her temp. The last two weeks of her pregnancy, take her temp a couple of times a day. When her temp drops below 99F, she is within a day or so of having her pups. She will probably be fairly restless and will start looking for somewhere to have them (so you should already have a whelping area set up for her so she can get used to it).
