How many puppies can a chihuahua have?

The Chihuahua is a breed of dog easily identifiable by its small size. Precisely because of this characteristic, pregnancy can be potentially dangerous, due to an increased risk of not supporting a certain number of puppies. These are usually surprisingly small at birth, so you should watch that the mother does not harm them involuntarily. When we detect that our chihuahua is pregnant, it is important to inform us about what we must do to facilitate the correct health of both the mother and the offspring. Therefore, in this article of .com we explain how many puppies a chihuahua has and other aspects to consider.

Basic requirements

If you are thinking about having a Chihuahua, or if you already have this breed at home and it has occurred to you to cross it so that it has offspring, you should think twice. Think that a dog requires time, patience and money, and if you also have to take responsibility for the offspring, multiply the above. Think that once the babies are born, you will have to take responsibility and pay even more attention to cover all their needs.

On the other hand, in the case that you do not have a chihuahua, a good option is to adopt. In this article you can consult how to adopt an abandoned dog. Think that not only you fulfill your desire to have a dog, but you give an opportunity to an abandoned dog that needs it, so you both go out winning.

We encourage you to consult the article that explains how a chihuahua is.

Gestation of the chihuahua female

The gestation of a female Chihuahua usually has a minimum duration of 58 days and a maximum of 65 . When the gestation period is shorter than usual, premature birth occurs which implies a greater risk when the puppies are born healthy; When delivery takes place later, it is called late delivery, and sometimes it must be provoked to ensure that the pups are born alive.

During this period, it is recommended that we take the dog for a walk frequently, contrary to what some people may think, besides adopting an adequate diet that guarantees the correct nutrition of the dog. It is not so much the amount of food, but the quality of it. It is therefore important to go to the veterinarian to monitor the state of health of the female.

The chihuahua childbirth

The minis breeds are usually exposed to more risks in childbirth, due to the small size of the dog. One of the first signs that alerts about the proximity of the birth, is the presence of milk a week before. A few days after the expected event, it is likely that the chihuahua shows signs of nervousness and that she is uneasy, for example, scratching the floor or walls.

Labor can last between 5 and 24 hours, with the possibility of reaching 36 hours in first-time mothers. Another of the signs that warn us that the female is going to give birth is a drop in body temperature, reaching 37 degrees, taking into account that usually have a temperature of 39 degrees. Once the waters break, it may take a few hours for the puppies to go outside. The moment in which the female begins to expel the puppies, she will make movements that will alert us that she is pushing. These movements are usually done every two minutes. As the delivery progresses, it can be observed that the chihuahua female presents more pain and the movements are more continuous.

In this article we teach you to detect if your dog is in labor.

How many puppies can a chihuahua have?

Once the dog has given birth, you will be surprised by the tiny size of the puppies. Care must be taken that the mother does not harm the young by sitting on it. A chihuahua can have up to 4 or 5 puppies, although it is normal to give birth to a maximum of 2 or 3 puppies. In cases where the female gives birth to more than 2 or 3 puppies, there is more chance that she has problems after delivery.

Should I go to a veterinarian for delivery?

In the beginning, it is not necessary to go to the vet for your chihuahua to birth. It is important to take it to the veterinarian to follow during pregnancy the good health of both the mother and the puppies. Before the delivery takes place, it is highly recommended to perform an ultrasound that reveals the number of puppies that will give birth and if they present a bad position. According to this information and under the experience of the veterinary professional, the possibility that the dog can give birth at home, or otherwise, the need to take it to the veterinary center after presenting the first symptoms will be assessed.