What Are The Symptoms Of Pregnancy Here's What To Look For

While one of the most known symptoms of pregnancy is a delayed or skipped menstrual cycle, the many signs that alert a woman to a potential baby-on-the-way will differ for each individual. Some women will experience symptoms of pregnancy within the first week of conception while others show signs in a couple of weeks. Sometimes, a woman may never even show any indication that she may be with child. Below you will find some of the most common symptoms associated with pregnancy:

Bleeding
Although it could be the sign of menstruation or reactions to birth control pills, the presence of blood may occur in a pregnant woman, (also referred to as implantation bleeding). A little over a week from conception, the embryo implants itself onto the uterine wall, which can cause spotting and cramping in some women.

Swollen and Tender Breasts
As early as one to two weeks after a baby is conceived, a woman may experience tenderness, soreness, or swelling of the breasts.

Fatigue and Tiredness
When you feel like you dont have as much energy as you once had, you might be experiencing a symptom of pregnancy that occurs as early as the first seven days after conception.

Nausea
Occurring between two to eight weeks after conception, being overcome with the urge to vomit is a common pregnancy symptom that is often referred to as morning sickness. Some women are lucky to bypass this part of pregnancy, while others will feel nauseous throughout the duration of their nine months.

Backaches
Early in a pregnancy, a woman may feel aches in her lower back, which could occur throughout the rest of her pregnancy.

Headaches
Since the hormones in the body begin to fluctuate during a pregnancy, headaches are often an early result.

Frequent Urination
About six to eight weeks after conception, women often find themselves racing to the bathroom to urinate more often.

Food Cravings
Many women are faced with the strong urge to eat a variety of foods or crave items that they normally dont consume. This phase may last throughout the entire pregnancy, and is a known symptom associated with being pregnant.

If you are experiencing more than one of the above symptoms, you may very well become pregnant. To make certain whether or not you need to prepare for one of the biggest moments in your life, you will need to take a pregnancy test. While some women make an appointment to see their gynecologist, others prefer to enjoy the anticipation in the comfort of their own residence by using a home pregnancy test kit, such as Clearblue Easy



By: Gabriel Adams

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Pregnancy Symptoms

There are many early signs that you may be pregnant. The obvious one is a late period but this can be caused by a number of things, an excessive weight gain or loss, a change in birth control methods, or just an imbalance of hormones.

Nausea and vomiting, commonly known as morning sickness, will last for the first 2-8 weeks of gestation. Though its common name is a little misleading, as it can occur throughout the day, not just in the morning. There isnt actually any known reason as to why women go through this nausea and little is known on preventing it. Women differ in how they deal with it. Some women find that a cup of tea and a ginger biscuit in the morning help, others find acupressure and massage can help. Its all about finding what works for you best.

Fatigue is another common symptom in the earlier weeks. This is due to the fact that your body is going through some major hormonal changes. And also due to the increased amount of progesterone going round your body, your temperature will increase leading you to feel sluggish.

Sensitivity to tastes and smells can also occur. Foods that you once enjoyed can now leave you feeling nauseous.

The areola (the area around the nipple) will darken during pregnancy. Though this can happen because of a hormonal imbalance if youre not pregnant

You may start feeling faint or dizzy if you stand still for too long. This is because as your uterus grows it can put pressure on the major arteries in your legs causing the blood supply to slow making you feel light headed. Also eating infrequently can lower your blood sugar which is a vital nutrient to the growing baby.

With your uterus swelling, this puts pressure onto your bladder making you feel like needing a wee more frequently. Most woman feel this a week or two after becoming pregnant.

The hormones during pregnancy slow down your bowel movements. This gives your body more time to get nutrients out of your food, thus causing constipation. Unfortunately this will happen all the way through pregnancy and in most cases get worse as the pregnancy progresses. Making sure you eat a healthy diet full of fibre and nutrients can help ease the discomfort.




By: Beverley Brooke

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Labrador Retrievers Care for the Pregnant Dog

Labrador Retrievers need proper care in order for them live longer and healthier. The same thing it goes for pregnant Labrador Retrievers. In fact, they even need special care since a lot of changes is happening as the puppies are growing inside her.

A dog's gestation period generally lasts for 60 to 65 days starting from the day she was first bred. During this period, it is important to keep you dog in healthy condition to prepare her give birth to a healthy litter.

Nutrition. A pregnant dog can eat her normal diet during the first 30 days of her pregnancy as long as the food is of high quality. Do not add vitamin supplements to her diet since high quality foods have plenty of nutrients. At around six weeks of pregnancy, gradually increase her food by about 25 to 50%. Start switching her normal food to high quality puppy food. Feeding her smaller meals more frequently throughout the day is necessary, however, the foods should be easy to digest. Ask your veterinarian for advice regarding this matter.

Exercise. Take her for regular walks to prevent obesity that can create blood-sugar irregularities and delivery problems. Walking will keep her in shape for delivery but avoid obedience training or other activities that may cause her stress. Even if your pregnant Lab enjoys agility, frisbee or flyball, these activities should be avoided during pregnancy. But stop taking her out during the last three weeks of gestation to protect her from diseases.

Whelping Box. A couple of weeks before her expected delivery, prepare a birthing or whelping box. The box should be wide and deep enough to accommodate puppies four to six weeks of age. Line the box with newspapers, blankets, towels or old clothes. Secure enough clean towels so that each puppy will have its own clean towel during the birthing process. Introduce and get her used to the box about one week before the expected delivery.

Body Temperature. A normal dog's temperature should be 101-102 degrees Fahrenheit, however, a pregnant dog's temperature will drop a few degrees about 24 hours before whelping.

Vaccinations. Pregnant dogs should not be given vaccines because some vaccines may cause abortion. Vaccines should be given before the breeding.

The time has come when you see your dog becomes nervous, restless, shivers, loses her appetite, vomits and has contractions. The vet must examine the puppies shortly after their birth.



By Richard Cussons

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pregnant dog

Pregnancy in dogs - Dog pregnancy signs - Dog Pregnancy Stages

The average bodyweight gain of a pregnant dog from oestrus to parturition is 36% (range 20-55%), with the increase being most marked in the last third of the pregnancy. Pregnant dog signs are a change in body shape usually visible by about day 56 of pregnancy and foetal movements may also be noted around this time. The nipples enlarge and mammary development occurs during the second half of pregnancy and a serous secretion may be present shortly before parturition. Bitch owners frequently want to know whether their bitch is pregnant following a planned dog mating, principally out of curiosity, but also so that adequate plans can be made well in advance of the anticipated whelping date.

Abdominal palpation, usually 3-4 weeks post-mating, is used commonly for the diagnosis of pregnancy in dogs. This method is sensitive when executed by an experienced clinician. However, small litter size and lack of knowledge of the conception date can result in false negative diagnoses. Problems are frequently encountered in certain breeds, in fat bitches and in bitches that guard their abdomens.

Radiography can be used to confirm dog pregnancy but the foetal skeletons do not become apparent radio-opaque until day 45. Ultrasound can be used to visualize foetal vesicles from day 16-20 of pregnancy onwards. Foetal heart beats can be seen, using real time ultrasound from day 24-28 of pregnancy onwards.

It is well established that circulating concentrations of progesterone, oestrogen and PRL in pregnant bitches, unmated bitches, and bitches that have failed to become pregnant are very similar. Thus levels of conventional hormones cannot be used to detect pregnancy in dogs. However, it has been shown that acute phase protein levels are significantly elevated from day 28-37 post-mating in pregnant bitches in comparison with non-pregnant animals. Acute phase protein concentrations can be measured by most well-equipped laboratories and this method is remarkably reliable, especially given the fact that acute phase proteins are not dog pregnancy symptoms specific, they can be raised due to stress and in certain disease conditions.

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Early Pregnancy Symptoms What Are They

There are several early pregnancy symptoms that catch the pregnant woman unawares. Is this your second or third pregnancy? If yes, then you may easily tell that you are pregnant since youve gone through the experience of pregnancy before. If it is the first, then you may be a little uncertain.

What are these early pregnancy symptoms? They may range from swollen, tender or sore breast/nipples, to fatigue, to frequent urges to urinate, to morning sickness and delayed menstruation. You may experience all or none of them.

The first physical symptom of pregnancy could be swollen or tender breast or nipples that hurt. Many women in fact rely on this sign to inform them that they are pregnant. Why are breasts and/ or nipples often sore, swollen, or tender during early pregnancy? It is because the breasts are undergoing changes to prepare for breastfeeding. An increased production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone cause this tenderness, and it can be particularly painful if you are pregnant for the first time.

Another early pregnancy symptom is fatigue or unusual tiredness. A womans body is working very hard to keep up with the changes that occur in early pregnancy. She experiences increased hormone production in the form of the tiredness, when her heart is pumping harder and faster due to an escalating blood flow, to bring the necessary nutrients to the growing fetus. Increased progesterone production is the primary reason for the extra fatigue most pregnant women experience early in their pregnancy. Progesterone is known to cause sleepiness and is a natural central nervous system depressant. This is a period when the pregnant woman also experiences emotional extremes, and her tiredness nay result from that too. You may be well advised to go to sleep as often as you can before your baby arrives when youll need your energy to care for your newborn baby.

This is the phase when you might miss your period and this is often the first sign that makes you suspect pregnancy. You will need a pregnancy test followed by a pelvic exam, to tell you positively whether you are pregnant. At the same time, you may experience a small spot of blood to throw you off track that this may be menstruation. It is known as implantation bleeding, occurring when the fertilized egg implants in the uterine lining, about 14 days or so after conception. You might also experience cramping similar to menstrual cramps when your uterus begins to expand to make room for your embryo to grow into a fetus.

Nausea is an early pregnancy symptom and can happen with or without a bout of morning sickness. It is caused owing to rapid estrogen levels in the blood produced by the fetus and placenta, or owing to odors that may be difficult to breathe in for you. From household odors, to foods, to smoke and perfume, anything can trigger off a bout of nausea. Their may be another reason to increase your frequency of bathroom trips, sudden urges to urinate caused by the growing uterus, and this too may well be an early pregnancy symptom that lasts well into the first trimester.




By: Apurva Shree

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Dog pregnancy symptoms Signs and Symptoms of Pregnancy

Breeding dogs is an exciting experience. The normal gestation period for a dog is 63 days. A dog's pregnancy or gestation period lasts between 60 to 67 days. Most dogs give birth after 63 days. For the first three weeks or so of pregnancy, you may not notice any changes in the bitch. Some females will become more demanding for attention, their nipples may enlarge slightly, and some may become hungrier. These are not a guarantee of a pregnancy, but are good signs. Bitches can show the same signs during 'false pregnancy,' a hormonal abnormality, which may occur after a bitch has been in heat. Decreased appetite is usually one of the earliest signs that your bitch might be pregnant. Not all females go through this doggie version of morning sickness, but a small percentage will eat less during the first few weeks of gestation, usually making up for it later in the pregnancy. Further indication is a sudden decrease in activity, the nipple growth is noticeable, breast material will develop beneath the nipples, which will also increase slightly in preparation for eventual milk production. Behavioral changes are to be expected during this time. The dog will demand for more affection or may experience a few days of vomiting.

In fourth week, the increase in appetite and gaining weight are changes of progress signs of pregnancy, the abdomen will thicken, and gentle examination of the belly will reveal a firm, rather than fat feeling to the area. The bitch should continue to have regular, but not strenuous, exercise to help her maintain her muscle tone and not become overweight. During pregnancy, the mother's food consumption will almost double compared to the pre-pregnancy level so increased feeding must be given to ensure that there is enough for both the dog and the puppies.

you may notice symptoms that point toward her pregnancy, but do not definitely indicate it. Many dogs sleep more, and eventually, eat, drink, and urinate more often. The dog also will be getting a bigger belly! During the first stage of labor the cervix begins to dilate and uterine contractions begin. These contractions are painful and perplexing to the dog. She will appear quite uncomfortable and restless - pacing, shivering and panting. She probably will not eat and she may even vomit. Some dogs whine persistently. Others occupy themselves building a nest. Take her temperature rectally twice a day, the normal dog temperature is about 100.3F - 101.3F. It will normally drop to about 98 degrees Fahrenheit, 8 - 24 hours before the onset of labor and she will refuse to eat or drink anything. If you insist on using temperature as a way to notify you of impending whelping then be sure to keep accurate records of your dogs temperature as her due date approaches. By keeping meticulous records of the history of your dogs temperature, you can better determine of whether the sudden drop in temperature is a real sign that she is going to give birth or if it is a false alarm. And as always, if there is a sudden increase or decrease of temperature that is out of the normal range, call your veterinarian immediately for further investigation. During the second phase of the pregnancy, any big effort should be avoided, like jumps, crazy runs, etc, and the animal should be walked with mild activities, like the open field, or small streets.

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Dog Pregnancy Primer

A female dog, correctly referred to as a bitch, can only become pregnant if she is bred during her heat cycle. The pregnancy generally lasts about 63 days from the date of the first breeding, although this period may be slightly shorter or longer

Signs of Dog Pregnancy
Let's break the signs of dog pregnancy into stages
Early Signs
Decreased appetite is usually one of the earliest signs that your bitch might be pregnant. Not all females go through this doggie version of morning sickness, but a small percentage will eat less during the first few weeks of gestation, usually making up for it later in the pregnancy.
A sudden decrease in activity can indicate that your bitch is pregnant. Just like some women, canines may also experience feelings of exhaustion as their hormone levels change to support embryo production.
Nipple growth is a good indicator that your bitch's body is going through pregnancy changes. The nipples of an unbred female are usually quite small, and the area immediately beneath them will feel flat. However, once a pregnancy is in progress, breast material will develop beneath the nipples, which will also increase slightly in preparation for eventual milk production.
Behavioral changes may also be noticed, with either an increase in affectionate behavior or an expressed desire to be left alone
Progressing Signs
As the pregnancy progresses, you will notice further changes.

An increase in appetite is usually noted about three to four weeks into the pregnancy and is especially noticeable if your female slacked off her food after her heat cycle ended.
Weight gain should be noticeable by one month into the pregnancy. The bitch's abdomen will thicken, and gentle examination of the belly will reveal a firm, rather than fat feeling to the area

About False Pregnancy
Sometimes a bitch will display general signs of dog pregnancy without actually being pregnant. This will happen as she comes off a heat cycle, and it doesn't seem to matter whether or not there was any breeding activity. Rather, it seems to be brought on psychologically, and the symptoms usually subside within about a month.

Your bitch may also decide to adopt some babies to fill the void during this time. This may be puppies from another litter on the premises, or she may substitute objects such as toys or stuffed animals. Borrowing puppies from another bitch can lead a potentially dangerous situation and calls for your intervention; however, if she is only playing mom with toys, give her time to come to terms with the situation on her own before removing the items, then try to get her focused on other activities.


by Kelly

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Parvo What do I do if My Puppy Has Symptoms

First, be aware that there are other health issues that can cause some of the same symptoms as Parvo. Not all cases of bloody diarrhea with or without vomiting are caused by Parvo. In fact, worms and other parasites can cause bloody stool and diarrhea. Many people label these symptoms automatically as Parvo without having the puppy tested. If your puppy displays these symptoms, make an appointment with your veterinarian right away for a Parvo test. Your veterinarian can run a simple ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test and have an answer for you in about 10 minutes. Although it isn't foolproof, these tests are highly accurate. It's based on the same type of technology used in home pregnancy test kits. Recent vaccination can interfere with the test results giving a false positive reading. A false negative test is actually pretty rare. A white cell count can be used to confirm or dispute a false positive test in a recently vaccinated puppy.

What if my Puppy Tests Positive?

Treatment of Parvo disease basically becomes a race against time. There is no cure for Parvo itself. Instead you support your puppy's system until it is able to build up antibodies and recover from the disease. The antibodies can bind and inactivate the virus. Every day that your puppy lives, its chances of survival increase. The key is to keep your puppy alive long enough for its immune response to kick in.

If your puppy is infected with Parvo, it probably has a 50-50 chance of survival. If it lives through the first three to four days after becoming symptomatic, it will probably make a rapid recovery, and be back on its feet within a week. But, without medical treatment, most puppies die. Some puppies will die from Parvo despite prompt and adequate treatment.

How will my Puppy be treated?

Again, supportive therapy is the only treatment. The most important treatment is making sure your puppy receives sufficient fluids to replace those being lost by diarrhea and vomiting. This is the single most important treatment in fighting Parvo. IV fluids are preferred, but in less severe cases, subcutaneous and oral fluid replacement can also be used. It is difficult to sufficiently replace lost fluids in this manner, and it is incredibly labor intensive. If you work outside of your home, quite honestly, you do not have the time required to devote to support a severely infected puppy sufficiently to enable it to recover. Your best bet, in that case, is to have your puppy hospitalized so that it can receive the necessary care. But, be prepared, it will likely cost $2,000 or more, and require several days hospital stay. Even with the best available care, the mortality of severely infected animals is high. Without the correct amount of properly balanced intravenous fluids, the chance of recovery in a severely stricken animal is very small.

The next important treatment is antibiotic therapy. The antibiotics will not cure Parvo, but are given to fight secondary conditions and bacterial infections caused by the attack on the puppy's intestinal system.

Other treatments can include anti-emetics to prevent vomiting and fluid loss. Products such as Metoclopramide or Chlorpromazine are frequently prescribed. Controlling body temperature is also very important. You want to make sure your puppy does not get chilled.

What if I Can't Afford Hospital Treatment?

If you simply aren't in the financial position to hospitalize your puppy, home care may be the its only chance for survival. You will need to force feed fluids, and have subcutaneous fluids administered as well. There are some natural and homeopathic treatments for Parvo on the retail market. I would personally recommend Amber Technology (www.ambertech.com). They offer natural herbal formulas for the treatment of Parvo. Minimally, you would want to obtain Parvaid and Vibactra to support your puppy's immune system. They have quite a few success stories and I have personally treated Parvo puppies successfully with their products. They have a very good informational document available on their website.

Other anecdotal success stories include treating with Tamiflu and colloidal silver. However, I would highly recommend involving your veterinarian in whatever course of treatment you decide to take to ensure the best possible outcome for your puppy.

If your puppy doesn't show obvious signs of improvement within four days, it is unlikely it will survive.




By Cheree Miller

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