Our four-legged friends have a tendency of getting pregnant easily. It’s even more challenging telling how many pups she is likely to birth. Without an ultrasound, guess becomes harder. However, with a little background check your estimate might just be close enough to the real deal.
When you take all kinds of dogs into consideration, an average litter ranges between six and ten puppies. In the case of your little Yorkie, she is likely to give birth to three or five pups on the higher side. However, some dogs can pop out one puppy depending on various factors.
Factors That Influence Your Yorkshire Terrier’s Litter Number
Like every other dog, some factors influence the number of puppies your Yorkshire Terrier is likely to have. These factors include:
Age of the Yorkie Mother
Whether a dog is small, big or of a different kind, its age plays a huge role in determining her litter numbers. If a dog is barely into her youth – still a puppy even though has signs of maturity – she is likely to have a single puppy. The case is similar for older dogs aged five years and above. However, a mature youthful Yorkie can have as many as three to five sets of puppies at a go. This is because physically, her body can handle a large number without any complications unlike the two.
Previous Pregnancies
Pregnancy for a human or a dog is quite a tiring event, especially when handling more than one bunny in the oven. It takes much of your dog’s physique, energy, minerals, and proteins. For dogs, regardless whether a Yorkie or a Siberian Husky, if the previous pregnancy gave rise to a sizeable litter, the next pregnancy might just be the contrary. In other words, if her last litter consisted of small numbers – one or two puppies at most – her next set of puppies might include a whole load of competition for food and attention.
Physical State
The physical condition of your Yorkie also affects the number of puppies she is likely to have. If her vitals are in check, she is liable to have a healthy number of pups. This is because she has the stamina and sufficient nutrients to sustain as many puppies as her body can handle. On the other hand, if your Yorkie is plagued with ailments such as ovarian and mammary cancer she might not be medically okay to deal with a large set of puppies better yet carry a full-term pregnancy.
Besides, her physical fitness also contributes to how her labor is going to go. If you have been exercising your little Yorkie with plenty of afternoon walks, she most likely will have a smooth pregnancy and carry as many puppies as possible. But if she has been idling on your lap for most parts of the day, she will be physically drained to handle five puppies at a go. Remember pregnancy can be a tiring task if you are out of shape even for a human.
Type of Nutrition
What you feed your dog affects her quality of life and her ability to bear many puppies at a go. If you feed your Yorkshire terrier mostly filler foods such as grains and starch, she is likely to fatten up instead of putting on the right kind of weight that come in handy during her pregnancy period. Such Yorkies tend to have fewer numbers of puppies since they lack the physical energy that is needed to sustain multiple pregnancies.
Remember, pregnancy is a vital stage in a dog’s life – she is taking care of more than two lives. That’s why it is important to feed your dog, plenty of proteins that’s good for body building, vitamins for protection, salts and minerals for strengthening bones and any other vital foods that your veterinarian will advise you.
Size Consideration
When trying to figure out how many puppies your dog is likely to have, try looking at her size. If she is a massive Bernese mountain dog, she may bare roughly twenty youngsters, but if she is a tiny Yorkie, her numbers are likely to drop – five puppies at most. For a middle size pooch, her numbers may be in between the bunch. However, your terrier Ymay be exceptional – she might surprise you with a large set of puppies even though that is highly unusual.
A Word of Advice
Please note that it is best to take your Yorkie to the vet to find out the right number of her litter. Her bulging belly won’t reveal the precise number yet. However, at a particular stage in her gestation period, your vet can feel for babies. Don’t try touching her womb yourself; you might end up injuring the babies and their mother. Furthermore, the veterinarian will conduct an ultrasound on your beloved Yorkie. These scans normally offer credible estimates on the number of puppies to expect.
What To Expect During A Yorkie’s Multiple Pregnancy Term
After that short briefing on factors that affect your Yorkie’s litter number, it is also great to know what to expect during her expectancy period. Here are some few facts you need to know.
Your Yorkie’s pregnancy is the most exciting time of her life – after all, she is going to be a mother. Nevertheless, this period doesn’t last long. Knowing first how far your Yorkie is in her semester will help you prepare for a safe, smooth delivery when the time comes.
Fertility of Yorkies
Yorkie’s just like most dog breeds tend to be very fertile. They can get pregnant even if it is the first time they mate. So, if you are not planning on expanding the family, it is wise to get your dog sprayed. Another great advantage of spraying your dog is the reduced risk of your dog contracting ovarian cancer. It is best to do this before her first heat. Otherwise, if a male Yorkie spots her during her moment of heat, he is sure to score a bunch of puppies to feed.
How Long Will Your Yorkie’s Multiple-Pregnancy Last?
On average, all dogs take sixty-three days to reach full gestation. However, as few as fifty-eight days and as many as sixty-eight days are considered normal for a tiny dog breed. But if it is day sixty-seven and your Yorkie is yet to deliver, it might be the right time to call your veterinarian.
Signs of Multiple-Pregnancy in Yorkie
At times, it is difficult to tell when your Yorkie is likely to get pregnant. Maybe she sneaked out of the house during her moment of heat, and a stray dog got his way with her. Cases like these make it hard for Yorkie owners to know the exact time and whether their dog is truly pregnant. The only option left is taking your dog to the vet, which would result in an ultrasound or X-ray scan. However, these scans can only tell if your dog is pregnant when she is far in her semester – of course, that might be late if you want to know sooner. The other alternative is performing a blood test that also gives clear results if your Yorkie is in her third week of pregnancy.
Nevertheless, some few early indicators can tell if your dog is likely to be pregnant with a bunch of pups. They include:
- Acting sluggish, sleep most of the time with little active than usual.
- Her stomach becomes more firm than usual.
- Your dog’s nipples grow large within a short period.
- Your dog’s hidden nipples become more visible with each passing week.
- Your Yorkie will begin to groom herself more extensively than usual.
- She may start to nest herself – gathering items that make her comfortable and ready for delivery.
Later signs of pregnancy:
- As she transitions from week three to four, her abdomen will be bigger than normal.
- Your Yorkie’s appetite will increase since she will be eating for two or more.
- She will gain thirty percent of her ideal body weight.
Note: Your Yorkie’s multiple pregnancy can be confirmed at the doctor’s lab through a blood test that is accurate by day twenty-two. For an ultrasound, day forty-two would be best to check if there are any abnormalities within the fetus. An X-ray done on day forty-five will reveal the number of puppies your Yorkie is likely to expect.
Yorkie’s Pregnancy Stages
Dogs pregnancies tend to move way faster than that of humans – takes sixty-three days compared to a person’s nine months. Each week of your Yorkie’s pregnancy will encompass a lot of new symptoms as she prepares for delivery. Remember to take care of your Yorkie during her time of need since she is delicate and a small breed, unlike other massive kinds. Try as much as taking her to the vet for better monitoring.
Here are some of the things to expect during your Yorkie’s pregnancy
Week One to Four – Early Pregnancy
From week one to four, be sure to expect:
- Fast growth and appearance of nipple
- Your dog will be less energetic
- Yorkie’s tend to be clingy during these first weeks.
- Her moods will vary from time to time.
- Her stomach is likely to expand even though might appear firmer than usual.
- She will try to nest by gathering items
During this stage, try giving your Yorkie’s plenty of exercise while keeping a watchful eye on her.
Week five to nine – mid to late pregnancy
By the twenty-eighth day of gestation, your vet will be able to check the palpitations to see if puppies are present. However, performing an ultrasound will be more accurate. At Week five it is wise to increase your Yorkie’s diet. Feed her puppy food that is rich in calories while lowering her workout time. Avoid jumps or rough plays since her puppies are completely developed. During week seven, the puppies will begin to move in her womb – something that is thrilling to both you and the dog.
As your Yorkie’s due date approaches its time to begin birth preparations. You can start by making a comfortable delivery box if you plan on having the puppies at home. Your dog won’t be comfortable as her delivery date approaches, so don’t act surprised if she isn’t lately herself.
Due date
This is the last stage – the actual delivery. Yorkies delivery should occur in a clinic unless you are an experienced dog breeder.
When your dog’s temperature drops below hundred degrees, she is likely to give birth within twenty-four hours. She will begin to cry or vomit – just be prepared to comfort her. Once your Yorkie’s water breaks, her puppies will be pushed out in a sac consecutively within a span of two hours. Your dog will burst each sac to clean up her young ones and even eat the umbilical cord – it is in her natural instincts – not forgetting her placenta that emerges after full delivery of all the puppies.
In the case of a home delivery, your dog’s temperature drops and she is showing all the signs of delivery – vomiting, wallowing in pain – and there are no signs of the puppies emerging, it would be best to contact your vet’s emergency hotline. Things can go sideways in a matter of seconds if proper care is not administered at the right time.
Now what’s left is learning how to take care of your new family members. Consult your vet, on the best type of food for lactating Yorkies.
Conclusion
When estimating the number of puppies your Yorkie friend is likely to have, you can never go wrong by consulting professional advice. Though some signs can give you a clear indication of what to expect, it can be hard to get the exact number. But on average Yorkies tend to have three to five puppies at most. The important thing though is caring and loving your dog at this hour. Remember she needs to gather up the strength to manage her upcoming litter.
However, our four-legged friends have a tendency of getting pregnant easily. It’s even more challenging telling how many pups she is likely to birth. Without an ultrasound, guess becomes harder. However, with a little background check your estimate might just be close enough to the real deal.
When you take all kinds of dogs into consideration, an average litter ranges between six and ten puppies. In the case of your little Yorkie, she is likely to give birth to three or five pups on the higher side. However, some dogs can pop out one puppy depending on various factors.