VMD 513: Pet animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

PREGNANCY DIAGNOSIS

• The first sign is the distinct change in the teat at about 3 weeks of gestation, it turn from a pale colour to pink and become enlarged and more firm.
• Next sign is failure to return to estrus. Pregnancy can be palpated as early as 15 days on wards.
• Uterine locules feel like a string of small distinct lumps about the size of walnuts, separated from one another along each uterine horn.
• Palpation beyond 30 to 35 days of pregnancy become difficult because the uterus becomes diffusely enlarged and separation between fetuses are difficult to detect.
• Ultrasonic examination of abdomen can be used as early as 14 to 15 day of gestation.
• After about four weeks, the queen’s stomach starts to distend, the nipples become very prominent, and she begins to look pregnant.
• By around 28 days, all the kitten’s internal organs have formed, and the embryos are about 2.5 cm long. The skeleton develops from about 40 days, and at 50 days, the kittens quicken – show signs of movement.