In this article we will touch on a sensitive topic: how to terminate a dog's pregnancy. Allowing new litters into the world has connotations that go beyond veterinary medicine, because in our societies the truth is that the number of dogs far outnumbers the number of homes willing to accept them. This allows you to get a surplus that, at best, will fill the treads. In this article, we will reflect on this topic and explain whether and how it is possible to terminate a dog's pregnancy.
Unwanted pregnancy in bitches: the importance of prevention
Unwanted pregnancy in dogs is a very delicate situation in which we evaluate the pros and cons of the pregnancy and proceed with termination. Therefore, in order to avoid getting to the point of terminating our dog's pregnancy, it is necessary to take preventive measures to prevent this from happening. And the star treatment, definitive and safe, is ovariohysterectomy , a surgical procedure in which the uterus and ovaries are removed. In addition, performing this operation in the early stages, before the first heat or immediately after it, almost completely eliminates breast cancer in our dog. Also avoided are canine pyometra (an infection of the uterus that can be fatal) and other diseases caused by removed organs.
If it is chosen not to spay, we must have full control of the female dog during heat or the period of perceived heat when the female desires to mate. If the male dog escapes or gains access to her during this time, there is a very high chance of pregnancy. There are veterinary hormones on the market that suppress estrus, but they also have contraindications, significant side effects such as pyometra or breast cancer, so their long-term use is not recommended.
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Interrupt methods
When the pregnancy is confirmed and the decision is made, the doctor can offer two options: surgery and medical termination. As for the operation, this method is absolutely inhumane and can lead to the death of the dog. In addition, it is necessary to understand that such an interruption entails a complete inability to have puppies in the future, which is due to the structural features of the animal’s body. But if this does not stop you and you need to sterilize your dog, then it is better to do it during the period when she is not pregnant, it is much safer.
Terminating a dog's pregnancy using tablets is gentler on the animal. There are several types of drugs for abortion in dogs:
- medications of a number of estrogens. Their peculiarity is that they should be used immediately after sexual intercourse. Such drugs have many side effects: from infertility to serious problems with the functioning of certain organs.
- prostaglandins. This is the safest method of terminating a pregnancy, although it may have unpleasant consequences. However, the risk of such consequences is less than in the first case. The drug is administered after it has been determined that the dog is pregnant using ultrasound. Used to terminate early pregnancy in dogs.
- and finally glucocorticoids. These are drugs for dogs in their final stages. Such actions can lead to the most dire consequences, including the death of the animal. Therefore, think carefully about your decision before making it.
Can I terminate my dog's pregnancy?
If our dog becomes pregnant, the first thing we must evaluate is whether to continue the pregnancy. If we decide to continue with it, we must take into account aspects such as:
- The age of the bitch, if she is too young or old, increases the risks.
- If she suffers from any disease.
- In possible complications, if the size of the male is much larger than that of the female, or the races are often born by caesarean section.
- Costs for veterinary care, feeding, possible complications during childbirth, caesarean section or breastfeeding, in addition to deworming of puppies, their vaccinations, etc.
- Finding a home for the little ones.
If we decide not to continue the pregnancy, in the next section we will see how to terminate a dog's pregnancy, that is, if you can abort a female, the veterinarian should always evaluate whether she is actually pregnant.
Methods for terminating a bitch's pregnancy
Drugs, particularly hormones, which should always be prescribed by a veterinarian, may not be used for abortion until approximately 45 days of pregnancy. Sometimes they have side effects. If the pregnancy is early, the fetus will be absorbed, but if it progresses, the bitch will have to expel them, which will be tantamount to giving birth with all the risks that can arise in this process, such as obstruction and even a caesarean section.
How to terminate a dog's pregnancy also involves sterilization. In theory this can be done at any time, but it usually depends on the veterinarian as moral considerations also come into play. What is certain is that the later the pregnancy, the more risky it is to intervene due to the accumulation of blood in this area, the growth of the uterus, etc. And it would be necessary to assess whether the dog has any factor that prevents intervention .
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Types of abortions
Surgical abortion (sterilization) involves removal of the uterus and appendages. The shape of the uterus in dogs is such that other methods of extracting embryos without damaging the wall are impossible. Surgical abortion becomes the method of choice if the owner does not plan to receive future offspring from the dog or the gestation period is more than 5 weeks. Sterilization surgery performed during pregnancy is accompanied by large blood loss.
Medical abortion is performed up to 5 weeks of pregnancy. In the first trimester, it is difficult to carry out due to the impossibility of accurately establishing the fact of pregnancy. If the likelihood is high, medications containing large doses of estrogen hormones are given. They have a damaging effect on the egg and cause changes in the endometrium that prevent the implantation of the fertilized egg.
The drugs in this group include Messalin. Given on the 3rd and 5th day after mating, in case of dispute, on an additional 7th day. The drug causes serious changes in the animal’s body and has side effects: inflammation of the uterus, bone marrow suppression, even the death of the animal. Used under medical supervision.
The prostaglandin-based drug estrofan causes strong contractions of smooth muscles, leading to termination of pregnancy. Should be used no earlier than 21 days of pregnancy; effectiveness has been confirmed in the early stages. It is difficult for dogs to tolerate. Due to strong spastic contractions, vomiting, abdominal pain develops, the animal whines and rushes about.
It is preferable to perform a medical abortion in the second trimester, when the fact of pregnancy is no longer in doubt. The action of drugs at this stage is aimed either at resorption of the fetuses in the uterus or at expulsion. Drugs containing prostaglandins, antiserotonin and antiproliferative substances, progesterone inhibitors, and steroid hormones are used. The administration is carried out according to special schemes in a veterinary clinic. Each medicine has a list of contraindications and side effects; it is selected individually depending on the age, health status of the animal, and stage of pregnancy.
It is easier to prevent an unwanted pregnancy in a dog than to deal with the consequences.
Is it possible to abort a dog at home?
Never . We do not recommend under any circumstances that abortion be performed at home without the supervision of a veterinarian. The consequences can be fatal for the animal if we choose inappropriate methods or use them incorrectly. For this reason, if we are faced with a situation where we want to terminate a dog's pregnancy, it will be necessary to visit a specialist so that he or she can tell us how to do it and when after examining the animal. Self-administration of medications or means to terminate a dog's pregnancy without a professional prescription can even end its life due to poisoning, bleeding or complications during childbirth, since, let's not forget, if the pregnancy occurs in the later stages, the bitch will have to give birth to dead puppies . In addition, you should control your milk production if you have already started secreting.
How to terminate a dog's pregnancy
Every attentive owner will definitely notice signs of pregnancy in a dog: swelling of the mammary glands, changes in behavior, and, in later stages, a growing belly. It’s wonderful when everything happens according to plan, and a person is ready to care for his pet and care about the fate of the kids. However, unfortunately, it also happens that the owner has no idea what he will do with the puppies, and perceives the situation of an innocent dog only as his own inconvenience. Some even think about how to terminate a dog's pregnancy.
Such a step can be justified only in the event that an unscheduled mating of a small bitch with a large male occurs, which can lead to the development of equally large puppies and ultimately lead to the death of the mother during childbirth. However, the decision in this case is made only by the doctor.
There are two ways to terminate a dog's pregnancy. The choice between them depends on how much time has passed since mating.
Medical abortion involves giving the animal a loading dose of the hormone estrogen over several days. In this case, pregnancy simply does not occur due to the fact that the fertilized eggs cannot remain in the uterus and are released naturally. Such actions invariably lead to negative consequences for the dog’s health. There is a high probability of complications, including inflammation of the uterus and death.
The dog's uterus has a specific shape, which makes it impossible to remove the puppies without damaging its walls. Therefore, in the case of a surgical abortion, the bitch's uterus is completely removed along with all its contents. This operation poses a threat to the health and life of the dog due to large blood loss, because during pregnancy the uterus significantly increases in size due to blood flowing to it. Careful postoperative care and proper treatment of sutures are extremely important.
Of course, the owners must do everything possible to prevent this from happening. To do this, you need to carefully monitor your pets during walks, never losing sight of them. You can let your dog off the leash only in specially designated enclosed areas. If you, in principle, do not plan to raise and adopt puppies, the only right decision on your part will be to sterilize the animal in due time. In the case when fertilization has already occurred, the most humane thing is to allow your pet to give birth and feed her children. Your immediate responsibility will be to find them caring owners. After this, take care of sterilization. Simple precautions will help you get rid of worries about how to place puppies, and even more so about how to terminate a dog’s pregnancy.
False pregnancy in dogs: how to determine
Ethical and psychological aspects of termination of pregnancy of a bitch
Asking yourself how to terminate a dog's pregnancy is not just a veterinary question, it makes moral sense. The current dog overpopulation calls for birth control. Each puppy born can take home the dog, which is waiting in the kennel for a family, often at the risk of euthanasia. But if the dog is pregnant, then abortion can become a moral dilemma, and we also have to take into account the emotional part that the dog will experience. As a mammal, her body becomes pregnant, prepares for birth, produces milk, etc. Bitches have an instinct to care for their pups and if they lose them, they will grieve and it is normal for them to be sad and look for their pups. In very late pregnancy, milk secretion may occur and must be monitored to prevent mastitis from occurring.
Author of the article : Maria Besteiros.
Risk of human pills
Due to differences in hormones and the reproductive cycle, dog pregnancy pills do not work to prevent contraception and pregnancy in dogs. Human birth control pills can even be toxic to dogs, but fortunately, a dog would have to eat very large amounts of the pills to cause serious problems.
The reproductive biology of dogs is not the same as that of humans. According to Ernest Ward, female dogs come into heat twice a year. This is more formally called being in estrus. A dog can only become pregnant when she is in the estrous part of her cycle, as opposed to a woman's monthly cycle.
