Days 15 to 21 Foetal Development

Week Three:

Day 15 to Day 21 By the end of week three, some exciting things are happening. First, around day 17 to 22, the embryos will implant into the uterine walls. They start very high up in the uterine horns, which will fill up as they get older. During this stage, not a tonne is happening with mum. She may have some temperament changes, may have a change in appetite (ie, eating more or less). Or she may simply be her usual self. An interesting fact, and the reason that a pregnancy test can't be done after breeding, is that a female dog will produce the same hormones whether she is pregnant or not and is the reason why dogs exhibit false pregnancies.

As an aside, there is a blood test that can be performed between 22 and 28 days of pregnancy that looks for relaxin. This is a hormone that is produced due to the developing placentas. While some breeders have had a lot of success with relaxin, it is not 100% reliable at determining pregnancy with both false positives and negatives being reported. While not a lot is happening on the outside, inside, things are happening! The cell division continues as it moves down into the uterus and implantation happens. Once implantation happens, the placenta starts to develop, providing nutrients to the embryo, and the early form of the foetus takes shape.

Boo is now starting to show signs of being pregnant! She is far more smoochy and wanting to be with us more.

She is showing some physical signs as well; her gums are quiet pale; nipple development and some slight swelling of vulva with small spots of bleeding which coinsides with implantation.

We are still feeding her as normal and have booked her in for a confirmation ultrasound at 28 days post mating , which is around 13th April.

During these delicate weeks of foetal formation we are very careful what boo is exposed to.