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| Surrey taking a nap! |
Surrey is entering the third and final phase of gestation. Around day 32, amniotic fluid in the uterus increases in order to protect the pups. It’s hard to believe that she will be having her puppies in approximately 3 weeks. Now is the time that her tummy will begin to expand on a daily basis as the puppies head into a huge growth stage and she will shed the hair on her belly in preparation for the birth. As the puppies grow and develop, individual toes begin to form. Eyelids, whiskers and claws start to grow and they are beginning to look more like puppies every day.
It’s an interesting fact that a dog's tactile perception develops before birth so unborn puppies can detect touch when the mother is petted from the outside of the abdomen. This establishes the basis for puppies to tolerate being touched, when compared to puppies born to mothers that were not petted. Pregnant dogs that are exposed to stressful events tend to release hormones that can be detected by the fetuses which can negatively influence their future development. This underscores the importance of providing pregnant dogs a stress-free and tranquil environment.
Surrey continues to be fairly active and ravishingly eats all her meals. Of course, she’s getting extra cuddles and belly rubs!
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| Fetus at approximately day 39, about 45 millimeters long with developed skin pigment. |
Stay tuned.....
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