Signs of pregnancy

Question
I think my Japanese Akita may be pregnant, although i'm not 100% sure, th only signs i have noticed is her nipples have got so much bigger than what they have ever been and she has but on a very small amount of weight.
Also the past couple days she has seems rather clingy and restless, could this be a sign?

Answer
Hi Sarah-Louise,

Has your dog recently had her heat cycle? Was she allowed to be with a male dog at any point during her heat cycle?

A sudden decrease in activity, behavioral changes, and a change of nipple size and color are all signs of early pregnancy. They can also be signs of "false pregnancy", a common condition in dogs who go through their heat cycle, and are not bred.

The only way to tell for sure if your dog is pregnant, is to have her examined by your veterinarian. Most experienced vets can tell by feeling a dog's abdomen whether or not she is pregnant. There is a small window of time when this is possible though, so you need to have your dog examined within the first month after breeding.

Although your dog would have gained the most health benefits from being spayed before the onset of her first heat cycle, there are still health benefits to be gained by spaying your dog now, plus there would no longer be the chance that "accidents", such as this would ever occur.

Best of luck,

Patti