Can we bathe a pregnant dog?

One of the most frequent doubts during the pregnancy of our bitch results from the question whether we can bathe her or not during her pregnancy, and the resounding answer is: not only can we bathe her, we must!

El pregnancy in bitches It is not an obstacle to interrupt your usual bathing regime, which can go from one every 2 or 3 months if it is short-haired, or every month for long-haired females, but we will have to take certain precautions to avoid any harm to the mother or the cubs that are gestating. 

A good bathroom plan for these cases it is to do it early in pregnancy and then another one in the middle of the period, taking into account that the pregnancy in bitches lasts between 63 and 67 days. Evita administer a bath at the end of the pregnancy, since at that time your pet will be naturally more sensitive, and the hygiene session could contribute to stress.

And as for how give a pregnant dog a bath, the shape does not differ from the usual one.

Note that the water has a adequate temperatureas dogs are very sensitive to cold water. The best is at a temperature around 39 degrees.

The soap can be the one you usually use, and you can even apply the right shampoo for its coat without any problem, as long as it does not contain antiparasitic products. These remain absolutely prohibited during pregnancy, since the properties that exterminate fleas and ticks, during pregnancy could affect puppies, even reaching cause abortions in the bitch.

And above all we must pay great attention to clean the belly area, a place where the puppies are getting bigger and producing greater sensitivity in the mother. When we reach this part of the body, we must press very gently and apply the product through light massages.

Always treat your pet with kindness during these times, and you will promote a better delivery and a healthy litter.

How to bathe a pregnant dog?

Having a dog can be one of the most rewarding experiences that a person may have throughout his life, since dogs are the most faithful friends. They listen to you, make you laugh, accompany you and will always love you until the end of time.

That's why when you decide to adopt a dog as a pet, a great responsibility remains in your hands, since dogs not only make us smile, but also have needs that we must all attend to.

The same as us, dogs need to eat, potty, socialize, sleep, and groom themselves. As for food, people must be very careful, since the stomach of dogs works totally different from ours, so a food that can be delicious for us (such as chocolate), for them can be very harmful and even deadly.

As for relieving or "going to the bathroom," dogs must have a specific place to go, teaching them discipline from a young age and showing them where is their right place to go to the bathroom.

Relating is not difficult for them, since just by going out to the park or taking a little walk, dogs can interact with any other person or animal. The same happens with their hours of sleep, who has not seen how sleepy they are!

The dog's bath

Bath time is a totally different story, since bathing a dog can be a somewhat tedious process, since they do not understand when to be calm. Dogs they are not exactly lovers of baths and they prefer to be playing all day in mud, grass and sand.

Many people complain that their dogs They create a mess in the bathroom when cleaning them and they cause nasty little floods that their owners have to clean up. In addition, many dogs instinctively, after bathing, tend to return to one of their favorite places, the earth, so they cause their owners new annoyances that immediately make them disappear with one of those tender "dog glances".

The truth is that bathe a dog It is not the same procedure as the one we apply to ourselves, since when we bathe a dog, we must be very careful, since we can harm their eyes and ears, cause fungus, earaches and even infections.

If bathing your dog seems like a difficult task already, Bathing a pregnant bitch gets a bit more complex. But don't worry, here we have the solution for you! If your dog is pregnant, follow this guide and learn the correct way to bathe your dog.

Guide to properly bathing a pregnant dog

Bath Preparation

The most important when bathing a pregnant dog is to keep calm, we must be calm, since they notice the tension in us and they should only perceive tranquility. As we have mentioned above, dogs are very restless when bathing And when they are pregnant they are much heavier, so it can be difficult to handle a restless and heavier dog at the same time.

Try to pet her as much as you can, scratch her behind her ears, and pamper her that you know she likes. Also speak in a low and relaxing voice, so that your dog can be as calm as possible.

If you think you might get away, seek the help of another person, as more hands can go a long way when trying to flee the bathroom.

If your dog is afraid of baths or is very uncomfortable, don't try to force it to do so. Generating more stress is not good for your state so as a workaround, find a brush and a damp cloth and try to remove as much dirt as possible. You can do the same with wet wipes, which are great for removing residue from their fur.

If you are playing in the mud again, wait for it to dry before you can remove it.

It's important to know that you don't have to change the routine you usually use with her. Apply the same methods that you always apply when you bathe her, so if you are nervous she will be nervous too.

Bath time

As a general rule, dogs must bathe at least twice a month. With long-haired dogs we can even reduce the frequency to once a month, while in short-haired dogs we must groom them at least twice a month.

This rule should of course apply to your dog, even if she is pregnant. It is important not to lose routines even if she is pregnant, especially in these things that are not exactly her favorites, such as the bathroom.

Remember baths should be done between early and mid-pregnancy. Once the puppies are born, wait at least 1 week and you can start bathing her again. If your dog is not comfortable with any situation, remember that at bath time you should mainly be calm yourself, since your nerves and anxiety are transmitted to her.

Before the bath leave all the supplies you use regularly when you bathe her. The shampoo, conditioner and several dry towels to be able to do the whole process correctly and without having to leave her alone.

The first will be place the pregnant bitch in the bathtub. When you do, you should keep in mind that you can't hold her by the bellyas this can be painful or upsetting for her. Instead, catch it from behind the hind legs and in front of the front legs, wrapping your arms around her. Be nice, as you can hurt her.

Place an anti-slip mat in the bathtub, since many times the bathtub can cause the pregnant dog to slip and fall and this is only going to make you more uneasy and anxious.

Be careful with the shampoo

The soap can be the one you use regularly and you can even apply the shampoo suitable for his coat without any problem, as long as does not contain antiparasitic products. These remain absolutely prohibited during pregnancy, since the properties that exterminate fleas and ticks, during gestation could affect puppies, even going so far as to cause abortions in the bitch.

Antiparasitic shampoos for pregnant dogs are totally a mistake, although it is true that our dog's coat is full of parasites, this type of shampoo can be deadly even for the young.

This is because these shampoos are made from chemicals that kill parasites, but that can also be absorbed through the skin and can reach the animal's body. Once there, they pass into the bloodstream and can reach the young and affect them.

Try to search a shampoo with as few chemicals as possible. Remember that you can not use hygiene products that we usually use, it must be a specific product for them.

The pH of dogs is very different from ours, so using our bath gels is not suitable for them. We would only cause possible irritation and perhaps, you will not get the proper cleaning.

Maintain the proper water temperature

The water temperature should be warm, but it should be around 39 degrees Celsius, which is the temperature that dogs generally have.

Do not use very hot or very cold water, since you can make your dog not want to bathe or run out of there. Remember that drastic temperature changes are very unpleasant, especially for dogs in a state of pregnancy, which are much more sensitive.

If you have an extendable hose, little by little wet the coat of your dog. If you don't have it, use a container to wet the coat little by little. If your dog gets nervous when you are filling the bathtub, keep her out of it and allow her to fill up. Once it is completely filled with water, place your dog in it.

Remember place anti-slip structuresEither mats or cloths, where you can place the dog, without fear that she suffers any type of falls, or gets hurt.

Distribute the shampoo well and begin to rinse off all the foam, until you see that all its fur is completely clean. Avoid leaving residues in any part of your body, as it can cause irritation, problems with the coat and even itching.

Perform gentle massages

It is the most important part and the one that makes the difference between bathing a common dog and a pregnant dog, since pregnant bitches are more delicate in the abdomen area, since they have the hatchlings fully exposed.

When you bathe her, you must be very careful with this area, since any sudden movement can cause pain and discomfort. In addition, this type of damage can cause the dog to become aggressive or to try to flee and inadvertently injure herself.

It is important that you be careful in do not rub that area too hardImagine that it is a newborn puppy that you are bathing. So do little massages behind his neck, across his back, down his tail, and finally on the back and front legs. Remember do not make sudden movements in your stomach.

Once you've made sure your dog is completely suds and shampoo free, proceed to remove her from the bathtub.

Establish a drying method

Despite what many believe, dogs do not need to be completely dried, since with the air they will dry little by little. Of course, you should remove as much water as possible, especially if your dog has long hair, as this can generate a bad smell if it is not dried well.

Decide if you are going to dry your dog with a hair dryer or with a towel.

If it is with a towel, place your dog on an anti-slip surface and gently run the towel over her body, so that you effectively remove as much water and moisture as possible. Avoid doing this forcefully in the abdomen area, as you can hurt it.

If you are going to do it with a hair dryer, in the same way, you must remember to place it on an anti-slip surface. If your bitch gets flustered by the noise of the dryer, don't force her to dry like this, as you can cause him to run away and get hurt. Put the force of the air and the temperature in between, so that these two factors do not affect it too much.

Run a brush over their fur at the same time that you move the dryer, to be able to detangle the hair well.

If you are bathing her at night, it is important that you dry it very well and remove all excess moisture, since generally the air currents are not very strong at this time, there is no sun and also the dog will go to sleep, so the water will remain on her body and the next day their fur will smell bad.

Remember You should not pass any type of chemical on the dog's face, as it can cause irritation, allergy and even poisoning. The same happens with the ears, which can be painful for them if some product and even water falls into it during the bath. Try to wash only the outer part (behind the ear), and with very little water.

Bathing a pregnant dog is not especially difficult, since you only have to apply the same bath routine as always, but trying not to make sudden movements in the abdominal area.

More information: how to know if your dog is pregnant