EN
Français
Español
Deutsch
ItalianoWhen is my dog due?
This calculator gives the expected due date of a pregnant animal from the mating date, plus the range of dates in which the birth usually happens. It covers eleven species: dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig, horse, cow, sheep, goat, pig, ferret and hamster. You also get a countdown, the key stages of the pregnancy and, for dogs and cats, a week-by-week calendar.
The calendar can be downloaded as an .ics file for your calendar app, or printed. Your last calculation is remembered on your device; nothing is sent anywhere.
How to use it
- Pick the species in the "Animal" list.
- Enter the "Mating date (the first one if there were several)". If she was mated more than once, put the last date in "Last mating (optional)".
- For a bitch whose ovulation was timed with progesterone tests, click "Ovulation date (progesterone)" and enter the date your vet gave you.
- Read the "Expected due date" and the "Usual range", then the "Key stages" and "Week by week" tables.
- Click "Download the calendar (.ics)" to add every stage to your calendar, or "Print" for a paper copy.
Average gestation lengths used
The sum is simple: mating date + the average gestation length for the species. The range adds the shortest and longest lengths usually seen. These are averages, so a healthy female may give birth a little earlier or later.
| Animal | Average | Usual range |
|---|---|---|
| Dog (from mating) | 63 days | 58 to 68 days |
| Dog (from ovulation) | 63 days | 62 to 64 days |
| Cat | 65 days | 58 to 70 days |
| Rabbit | 31 days | 28 to 35 days |
| Guinea pig | 68 days | 59 to 72 days |
| Ferret | 42 days | 39 to 46 days |
| Hamster | 18 days | 16 to 22 days |
| Horse (mare) | 340 days | 320 to 370 days |
| Cow | 283 days | 279 to 292 days |
| Sheep (ewe) | 147 days | 142 to 152 days |
| Goat | 150 days | 145 to 155 days |
| Pig (sow) | 114 days | 111 to 117 days |
Pig farmers remember the sow's gestation as "3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days". For cows the breed matters most, and for hamsters the species: Syrian hamsters are quicker than dwarf hamsters.
Worked examples
Dog mated on 1 December 2026: 1 December + 63 days = Tuesday 2 February 2027. The usual range runs from 28 January to 7 February 2027. The confirmation scan falls around 26 to 31 December 2026, an X-ray to count the puppies is possible from 15 January 2027, and temperature checks start on 26 January.
Two matings, on 1 and 3 December 2026: the due date becomes a window from 2 to 4 February 2027, and the range widens to 28 January to 9 February 2027.
Ovulation on 4 December 2026, timed by progesterone: due on 5 February 2027, range 4 to 6 February. This is the most precise method, since sperm can wait several days for the eggs.
Cat mated on 1 December 2026: 65 days, so Thursday 4 February 2027, with a range of 28 January to 9 February 2027.
Mare covered on 15 April 2027: 340 days lead to Monday 20 March 2028. 2028 is a leap year, so 29 February is counted, and the range actually starts on 29 February 2028 and ends on 19 April 2028.
Signs that birth is close
In dogs, rectal temperature is normally around 38.5 °C (101.3 °F). It often drops to around 37 °C (98.6 °F) in the 12 to 24 hours before whelping. Take it morning and evening from the end of week 8. Other signs may show up: restlessness, digging or nesting, loss of appetite, panting, sometimes a few drops of milk. They vary from one dog to the next. In cats the temperature drop is less reliable; the main sign is that she looks for a hidden spot.
When to call the vet
- the end of the usual range has passed with no birth (the calculator shows this in red);
- her temperature dropped more than 24 hours ago and labour has not started;
- she has been straining hard for about 30 minutes with no puppy or kitten, or more than 2 hours go by between two births;
- a dark green or bloody discharge appears before the first birth, or she seems listless, feverish or in a lot of pain.
If in doubt, phone. Vets would rather take one call too many than see a case too late.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a dog pregnant?
About 63 days, or 9 weeks. Counted from mating it usually runs from 58 to 68 days; counted from ovulation it is far more regular, give or take a day.
Why does the date depend on the mating?
A mating can happen before ovulation, and fertilisation only takes place once the eggs are ready. That is why the calculator shows a range, and widens it when you enter more than one mating.
What is in the .ics file?
An all-day event for each row of the "Key stages" table: mating, scan, feeding change, X-ray, birthing area, temperature checks, due date and birth window.
My cat is past 70 days. Is that serious?
Not necessarily, but it is no longer usual. Call your vet, who can check with a scan that the kittens are well.