How Long is a Husky Pregnant?

Last Updated on June 28, 2021 by Marco

You may have decided to breed a litter of Husky puppies from your female Husky. If this is her first pregnancy, and you have never bred a litter of puppies before, you will need to know all about Husky pregnancy.

Indeed, this may be an unplanned pregnancy. Even so, you will want to give your Husky mother-to-be the best prenatal care you can during her pregnancy, so that both she and her babies will be healthy and happy dogs.

First of all, let’s look at the following question: how long is a Husky pregnant?

How Long Are Huskies Pregnant?

The period in which any animal is pregnant is referred to as the ‘gestation period’.

Huskies are pregnant for roughly 63 days.

However, the due date will vary depending on what day in your Husky’s heat cycle she became pregnant.

To that end, the best way to confirm a pregnancy in a bitch is to have a veterinarian conduct an ultrasound. This will not only confirm the pregnancy but will also determine how many puppies she will be bringing into the world!

Husky Pregnancy: Information and Advice

Given that your Husky is only pregnant for a few short months, this means that you have a limited amount of time to prepare for the impending birth – especially if you have not been expecting her to be expecting! Here is what to look out for if you suspect your dog is pregnant:

Signs and Symptoms of Pregnancy In Huskies

Phase One

In the first few weeks of pregnancy, your Husky will be lethargic and will have lost her appetite. This may be due to illness though, so always get it checked out by your vet.

The vet will be able to feel the puppies by touching her abdomen by the 28-day mark. An ultrasound will pick up puppy heartbeats 25 to 35 days after they were conceived. This is important because if there are any abnormalities, the ultrasound will detect this.

Phase Two

From the fourth or fifth week of pregnancy, you will most certainly know that your Husky is about to become a mother!

Her abdomen will not be swollen yet, but she will be ravenously hungry as her appetite comes thundering back. Make sure you feed her top-quality pet food for pregnant dogs, to ensure that she and her babies get all the nutrients they need. Choose a protein-rich food, and increase her calories by about 30 to 50 percent each day. Serve her smaller meals more often; just like humans, dogs can vomit during pregnancy!

Your Husky’s teats will be swollen now, as they prepare to produce milk for her babies.

From a behavioral standpoint, expect to see some changes here too. Your Husky may either become quite clingy and need lots of cuddles and reassurance, or conversely, she may be quite standoffish and aloof. If this is the case, leave her be.

Keep other pets away from her at this time too.

Phase Three

By this stage, your Husky will be looking very pregnant, and her belly will be big now. Her teats will be hanging quite low now too and may produce a small quantity of milk.

This is the time to provide your Husky with a birthing box. This box should be placed somewhere quiet and private, where she can go to whelp. Make sure you place some bedding and old towels in the birthing box. She will use these to make a nest for her newborns.

Labor and Delivery

Your Husky will be in labor for a few days. Once her temperature has dipped below 99 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius), then she will give birth within 24 hours.

This process will happen naturally with minimal assistance from you. However, you can certainly help her once the puppies are born. First of all, stay calm! Your Husky will most likely chew open the sac and chew through the umbilical cord of each pup. If she does not, then help her by carefully breaking the sac open so that the pup can breathe. Then cut the umbilical cord with a small pair of sharp and sterile scissors about two inches away from the puppy, and tie it off with some unwaxed dental floss.

If she will allow it, you can gently rub the puppies with a dry, clean towel to stimulate their breathing.

Congratulations, you are now officially a doggy grandparent!

Learn more about: What Is The Average Cost Of A Husky Puppy?

When to Call the Vet

Your Husky will pass the placenta for each one of her pups. If there is not a corresponding number of placentas for each puppy, then take her to the vet.

You will also need to take your dog to the vet if she has been straining for more than 45 minutes without delivering the first puppy, or if two hours have passed between puppies.

Urgent veterinary treatment is needed if your dog shakes, trembles, or collapses during labor.

Likewise, you must take her to the vet right away if she has not gone into labor after 64 days gestation.

Husky Litter Size

On average, Huskies will give birth to 4 to 6 puppies. However, some litters will be smaller, and others larger. This is why scans are important so that your vet can tell you how many puppies to expect, and therefore you will also know how many placentas to look out for.

Huskies who are healthy and are aged between 3 and 5 years are the most likely to have the greatest number of pups.

Younger dogs on their first litter, older dogs, and dogs that are overweight, are more likely to have smaller litters.

In Summary:

• Huskies are pregnant for around 63 days;
• Early pregnancy signs include lack of appetite and lethargy;
• A vet can confirm that your Husky is pregnant via ultrasound, and give you a due date, by the three-week mark;
• The middle and later stages of pregnancy are marked by physical and behavioral changes, including increased appetite and clinginess or aloofness;
• Make your bitch comfortable by providing a birthing box and nesting materials;
• Labor will last a few days;
• Help your Husky by being on hand and assisting with sac removal and cutting the umbilical cord if she does not do this herself;
• Seek urgent veterinary care if your Husky strains for longer than 45 minutes and does not produce her first pup, or if two hours pass between pups, or if gestation goes past 64 days;
• A healthy adult Husky will have a litter of between 4 and 6 puppies.