The Causes Of Dog Miscarriage
If a dog had a miscarriage, the most obvious symptom to notice is vaginal bleeding and sometimes even an expelled fetus found nearby. As with any creature whose well being you care for, if your dog is pregnant, you need to keep a close eye on it to notice any health related issues or side effects. If you suspect a miscarriage, it is advised to take your dog immediately to a veterinarian so that the issue can be addressed quickly. If you have found the expelled fetus, take it along as well so that the exact cause of the dog miscarriage can be identified. This OneHowTo.com article will give you a general idea of what to expect when finding out about the causes of dog miscarriage.
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Re-absorption
In the early stages of pregnancy, even before you know that your dog is pregnant, the dog’s body can re-absorb the fetus, thus resulting in a miscarriage. This usually takes place after just 12 days of conception and you may not see any symptoms, not even bleeding. This means that you may never come to know that your dog was pregnant. If the dog experiences a miscarriage later on, you may see an expelled fetus and vaginal bleeding. You cannot stop a miscarriage once it starts. The veterinarian will do an ultrasound to make sure that all the tissue of the placenta is expelled completely, otherwise there is high risk of haemorrhage or infection. Certain medicines may be given to the dog to help complete the expulsion process.
Use of certain drugs
If your dog is pregnant and you are already giving certain medicines to her, you should always inform your veterinarian about it. Some medicines which are otherwise safe for dogs can cause a miscarriage in a pregnant dog. Such medicines include steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs and some antibiotics. To keep things safe, don’t give any medicines to your dog without consulting your veterinarian, not even tick and flea solutions.
Brucellosis
Brucellosis is a devastating bacterial infection in which a female dog is never able to deliver puppies. A dog’s gestation period is around 63 days. If she has been infected with Brucellosis, she is sure to have a late pregnancy miscarriage, usually between 45 to 55 days after inception. Before breeding your dog, it is best to have her checked for Brucellosis. If she has been infected, you should take her for treatment instead of for breeding. If your dog has gone through a miscarriage due to Brucellosis, make sure to collect all the discharge and fetuses carefully, and keep them away from other female dogs. Brucellosis is a highly contagious infection that can get transferred to other dogs as well, potentially rendering them infertile forever. In addition to Brucellosis, there are several other bacterial, viral and protozoal infections that can lead to canine miscarriage or still birth, including adenovirus, E.coli, toxoplasma gondii, herpesvirus, etc.
Individual factors
Older dogs have more chances of having a miscarriage than younger females. A dog who is not receiving a healthy diet during her pregnancy is more likely to abort as well. A dog who has a history of miscarriages is at a higher risk of having it this time too. The cause may be a wide range of ovarian or uterine disorders. Insufficient amounts of progesterone hormone may also result in a miscarriage. A female dog with scarred, inflamed or cystic uterus may have difficulty retaining fetuses.
Miscarriages can be very uncomfortable for your dog, so it is important to give her extra care and attention during their pregnancy and ensure they eat right. If they are unfortunate enough to have a miscarriage you will need to be careful to make sure they do not have nay further problems by carefully monitoring their behavior. If vaginal bleeding or abnormal discharge continue, bring your pet to a vet and try to find out if there is another or underlying condition which affects the situation.
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