Accurate canine pregnancy diagnosis is critical to responsible pet care and ethical breeding. In this EDUPET feature, Manoj Kumar, CEO of Vetcetra Healthcare, discusses the clinical importance of ACCUVET of Relaxin-based rapid diagnostic testing, common misconceptions around false pregnancy, and how early detection improves maternal health and puppy survival.
EDUPET: Dog pregnancy is often described as difficult to detect in its early stages. From your experience, why is early pregnancy confirmation such a challenge for pet owners?
Manoj Kumar: Unlike humans, dogs rarely show clear physical or behavioural signs during the early or mid-stages of pregnancy. There may be no visible abdominal enlargement, no appetite change, and no obvious behavioural shift. As a result, many pet owners and kennel operators only realise the pregnancy when the dog is close to delivery. Unfortunately, by that stage, critical prenatal care—such as tailored nutrition, stress management, and health monitoring—has already been missed. This delay directly impacts the health, immunity, and survival of puppies.
EDUPET: How common is late pregnancy detection in real-world scenarios?
Manoj Kumar: It is far more common than most people realise. We recently interacted with a responsible kennel owner who shared that he could identify pregnancy only one or two days before delivery. Sadly, several puppies were weak and did not survive due to poor immunity. This situation could have been significantly improved with early pregnancy confirmation and proper prenatal care. Such cases highlight a widespread gap in awareness rather than negligence.
EDUPET: False pregnancy is often mentioned as a major source of confusion. Could you explain what pseudo pregnancy is and why it misleads pet owners?
Manoj Kumar: Pseudo pregnancy, or false pregnancy, occurs when a dog shows physical and behavioural signs similar to real pregnancy—such as mammary development, milk secretion, nesting behaviour, and even abdominal swelling—without actually being pregnant. Naturally, pet owners assume conception has occurred and prepare accordingly. When pregnancy later turns out to be absent, it leads to emotional stress, incorrect planning, and delayed breeding decisions. The root cause is hormonal fluctuation, not the presence of embryos.
EDUPET: Is there a scientifically reliable way to distinguish between true pregnancy and false pregnancy in dogs?
Manoj Kumar: Yes, and the key lies in a hormone called Relaxin. Relaxin is produced only during a true canine pregnancy and is released by the placenta after embryo implantation in the uterus. This is crucial because the placenta forms exclusively during real pregnancy. In cases of false pregnancy, there is no placenta—and therefore, no Relaxin. Even if the dog shows all pregnancy-like symptoms, the absence of Relaxin confirms that she is not pregnant.
Early confirmation of dog pregnancy plays a decisive role in canine welfare. Many pet owners unknowingly confuse false pregnancy with real gestation, leading to delayed care and compromised puppy immunity. According to Manoj Kumar, detecting the Relaxin hormone is the only reliable way to confirm true pregnancy in dogs. Timely diagnosis enables appropriate nutrition, stress management, and veterinary support—significantly improving pregnancy outcomes and neonatal survival.
EDUPET: Are pet owners and veterinarians generally aware of the role of Relaxin in canine pregnancy detection?
Manoj Kumar: Unfortunately, awareness is still limited. Many pet owners, kennel operators, and even a section of veterinary professionals are not fully familiar with Relaxin-based pregnancy confirmation. This lack of knowledge often leads to delayed diagnosis, confusion between true and false pregnancy, and, in some cases, avoidable puppy loss.
EDUPET: How does the ACCUVET Rapid Canine Pregnancy Detection Kit address this gap?
Manoj Kumar: The ACCUVET Rapid Canine Pregnancy Detection Kit is designed specifically to detect the presence of the Relaxin hormone. Because Relaxin is produced only during true pregnancy, the kit confirms only genuine pregnancy cases and does not show positive results in pseudo pregnancy. This eliminates guesswork and emotional uncertainty for pet owners and breeders.
EDUPET: Could you walk our readers through how the pregnancy test works?
Manoj Kumar: Certainly. The test is simple, quick, and does not require specialised equipment. A small blood sample is collected from the dog, and the serum is separated naturally. The serum is then mixed with a buffer solution and applied to the test cassette. Within 10 to 15 minutes, the results are visible.
- Two lines (control and test) indicate pregnancy
- One control line indicates a negative result
The ease of use makes it suitable for veterinary clinics and even responsible home use under guidance.
FEATURES & BENEFITS
– Rapid – One Step Immunochromatographic assays
– Accurate – High sensitivity and good correlation with other test methods
– Simple to use – One step after sample collection
– Fast – Reliable result in 10 minutes
– Immediate – Treatment andManagement (vaccination/quarantine) after identifying the cause
– Economical kit size – 10T / 25T
– Shelf Life 24 months
– Storage +2°C – +30°C- No refrigeration required
EDUPET: Why is early pregnancy confirmation so important from a health and nutrition perspective?
Manoj Kumar: Early confirmation allows pet owners and breeders to immediately adjust care protocols. This includes providing pregnancy-appropriate nutrition, minimising physical and environmental stress, scheduling timely veterinary check-ups, and monitoring overall health. These measures directly improve maternal health and ensure puppies are born stronger, with better immunity and survival rates.
EDUPET: How does early detection impact outcomes for puppies?
Manoj Kumar: Puppy health is strongly linked to prenatal care. When pregnancy is identified early, deficiencies and stressors can be addressed proactively. This results in healthier foetal development, improved immunity, and reduced neonatal mortality. In contrast, late detection often leads to compromised puppy health that cannot be corrected at the last moment.
EDUPET: What sets ACCUVET’s diagnostic solutions apart in the veterinary healthcare space?
Manoj Kumar: At ACCUVET, our objective extends beyond selling diagnostic kits. We aim to empower pet owners with accurate information at the right time. Our solutions are backed by CDSCO and IVD approvals, ensuring reliability, regulatory compliance, and scientific integrity. We focus on diagnostics that are trustworthy, affordable, and easy to use—because informed decisions lead to better animal welfare outcomes.
EDUPET: Finally, what message would you like to share with pet owners and breeders reading this interview?
Manoj Kumar: Understanding canine pregnancy is the first step toward responsible pet parenting and ethical breeding. By relying on science-based diagnostics like Relaxin testing, we can avoid confusion, prevent false expectations, and significantly improve the health of both mother dogs and puppies. Early awareness is not just beneficial—it is essential for better canine wellbeing
Vetcetera Health Care Pvt Ltd
5/135-A Chettikulangara, Alappuzha,
Kerala, India -690106
Phone Number- +91 8943212000
www.vetcetera.in/
