My 8-year-old German Shepherd was mounted. Can she still give birth?

Great question! A dog's normal gestation is 58-68 days in length. If you know when Samantha mated, this will tell you how far along she is in her pregnancy. If you aren't sure about a mating date, I would have her seen by a vet for x-rays and ultrasound. The vet can give you an idea of how far along she is in her pregnancy. When she gets into her last week of pregnancy, you can start taking her temperature rectally twice a day. A dog's normal temperature is 101-102.5F. Once it drops below 100F, she will give birth to the puppies in 24 hours. If she does not, she will need to see a vet immediately.

It is recommended to wait until at least the dog's second heat to mate them, but dogs in their first heat can give birth safely. If you don't want puppies and don't want to have to deal with a dog in heat in the future, then I would have Sheba spayed as soon as possible.

The typical heat cycle can last 2 to 4 weeks. Over that time, you may see a swollen vulva, bleeding and dis charge. Monitor for lethargy, foul odor, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, or increased discharge. A uterine infection (pyometra) can occur 2 to 8 weeks after a heat cycle. Ideally, Duchess should be spayed to prevent pyometra in the coming years.

Hi, I think 8 years old it's far too old for a dog to breed. If she should get pregnant she is at risk of complications during pregnancy and likelihood of having puppies with malformations. A bit like having a babies when you are in your seventies.

The best way to tell how far along she is in her pregnancy is to take her into your vet for an exam. The vet can do a blood test looking for the hormone relaxin that is produced at 22 days gestation or later. Further along in her pregnancy, x-rays and an ultrasound can be done to better pinpoint at which point she is at in her gestation. Regular vet care is very important for a pregnant dog, so I would take her into the vet sometime this week for an exam.

In the pet's information, you have it listed that Cookie is spayed. If Cookie is spayed, she is unable to become pregnant. However, if that is incorrect, I am not sure if Cookie has had a litter of puppies before. A dog that has never been bred before who is an older dog such as yours might have problems whelping due to the pelvic bones losing their elasticity making for a very hard labor. Your dog may need a c-section to deliver. I would be prepared for this in advance. In addition, I would consider having her spayed at the time of c section (if she has a c section) because pregnancy is hard on older dogs, and I would not recommend her having another litter after this one. There is a higher chance than normal for a difficult delivery due to her age, and there some signs to look out for, such as a foul smelling discharge during labor, strong steady contractions for over an hour without any puppies being produced, the mother is very tired and/or vomiting during labor. I would suggest speaking to your vet about additional signs to look out for labor, and having your vet examine Cookie to make sure she is healthy during this pregnancy.

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 :-)