Dog bred 6 weeks ago, not showing. Could she be pregnant or ill?

Since your dog was recently in heat and is now showing signs of illness I would recommend having her checked out by your veterinarian as soon as possible. She may be pregnant, having another false pregnancy, or may have a life-threatening infection in her uterus called pyometra. Hopefully she is fine but I would have her checked out to be on the safe side. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

You should expect to see belly growth when pregnant, but every dog carries differently. The only way to know for sure if Diamond is pregnant is to have her seen by a vet, and I'd take her into one today if she is vomiting and not eating. Her health is really important for her puppies if she is pregnant, so best to get her checked out asap when sick. I hope this helps!

Two possibilities exist here, one she is pregnant or two she is sick. If you are not feeling puppies kicking in her belly and she is puking and acting ill, then she could have a serious condition called Pyometra (spontaneously infected uterus). This will cause swelling of the belly almost overnight and cause the pet to have a fever (> 102.5 degree Fahrenheit rectal temperature), vomit, decreased appetite and lethargy. If this is the case please take Maci to your local vet right away for proper care. I do hope that this helps point you in the right direction towards Maci’s care moving forward. Best wishes and take care.

With these symptoms I worry that your dog may have a pyometra instead of being pregnant. Pyometras typically develop around 3-6 weeks after they go into heat and present as bloody discharge, lethargy, abdominal swelling, etc. I would recommend that she is seen by a veterinarian who can perform an ultrasound to make sure she isn't suffering from an infection.

If she isn't spayed, she could be pregnant, but at 12 years of age, a bigger concern could be a life-threatening infection of the uterus called pyometra. I would recommend that you have Layla examined by a vet ASAP to determine if this could be the case, or what is making her not feel well at this time.

It does sound like from your description that Shiloh could be pregnant again. The best way to confirm this is to take her into the vet for an exam. If you have an idea of when she was mated, then the vet can run tests to get a closer approximation of how far along she is in the pregnancy. For example, a blood test looking for the hormone relaxin can be done starting at 22 days gestation. If she is further along in the pregnancy, then x-rays and an ultrasound can be done. Given her age, I would start saving now for the chance she may need a c-section. That's because older dogs can have more difficulties giving birth due to age, and it's best to be prepared for that now both financially and emotionally. I would also recommend getting her spayed after this litter. It's never recommended to breed dogs older than 6-7 years of age, and spaying her would prevent future litters from happening, as well as eliminating the possibility of a pyometra (a life threatening infection of the uterus). I would take Shiloh into the vet tomorrow for an exam :-)

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I’m sorry to hear Lady is feeling sick. Are you sure she is pregnant? If she recently had a heat cycle and is now acting sick with vaginal discharge, i would be concerned that she may have a pyometra, or uterine infection. If she is pregnant but isn’t acting like she feels well I would recommend she be evaluated to ensure that everything is going ok with her pregnancy. I would recommend she be seen by her regular veterinarian, have any necessary testing done (X-rays, ultrasound, bloodwork to check for infection) and start on any treatment if she needs it. Good luck!