Why is my dog's nipple leaking milk, but she doesn't seem pregnant?

Hello there! It looks like Princess has a mammary gland problem. What is causing the swelling should be determined at the vet's office. It could be mastitis (an infection of the mammary gland), a cyst (a fluid filled sac), or possibly mammary cancer. At the vet, they will give Princess a complete physical exam, and most likely they will take a small sample of cells from the mass with a small needle to look at under the microscope. This is called a fine needle aspirate, or FNA. The FNA will help the vet determine the cause of the mass and decide it's treatment. An infection may require antibiotics, a cyst may require regular draining, and a tumor may require surgical removal. Mammary tumors in unspayed dogs have the potential of being malignant (the kind of cancer that multiplies and spreads), so they may want to biopsy the mass to rule this out, should it be removed. The brown discharge and milk production may be from a condition called false pregnancy. This occurs when the body is responding as if it has puppies, but it in fact does now. This usually occurs soon after a heat cycle. It is also possible that she has an infection in the uterus, called pyometra, which can also cause abnormal discharge. This also requires a visit to the vet as it could be life threatening. I am suspicious of this due to her straining to go to have a bowel movement, as an enlarged, infected uterus can put pressure on the colon and make a dog feel like they have to go. You should make an appointment with your vet as soon as possible to have Princess checked out. Good luck, and I hope she feels better soon!

It could be a false pregnancy, true pregnancy, or a pyometra (though fluid from the nipples is less likely with this issue). The only way to know for sure is to have her examined by a vet. As long as her appetite and behavior are normal, I don't think you need to rush her in.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Princess. I would advise taking Princess to your veterinarian. It's possible that she is going through a false pregnancy (pseudopregnancy) if you are sure that she didn't get bred by a male dog. Dogs often get mammary enlargement and will lactate when they are in a false pregnancy. Your veterinarian can gather a history and assess Princess. They may want to x-ray or ultrasound her to confirm that she is pregnant or not if she was out of your sight within the past 2 months or so. A false pregnancy usually resolves without treatment but it's also possible that she is developing some mild mastitis from the mammary enlargement. Your vet can advise you on any treatment that might be needed. Good luck with Princess

She may be having a false pregnancy. If she had contact with a male while she was in heat, she could be pregnant. She could also have a hormonal problem or a mammary tumor. It would be best to take her to a veterinarian for an exam. The vet can also tell you whether she is pregnant. Unfortunately this is impossible without a hands-on exam.

It may mean Pinkie didn't get pregnant when she mated with your male, or she could be pregnant or suffering a false pregnancy. Without seeing her in person, I can't say for certain. I'd take her into the vet in a couple of weeks to see if she is pregnant or not. Best of luck.

If she became pregnant on June 18, then Brownie is 57 days along. It is possible that she is starting to create milk. Dogs do not always "look" pregnant, especially if she is having a small litter. She is far enough along to have your vet do an x-ray to check for puppies. I recommend this also so that you will know how many puppies to expect while she is labor. It is possible that she is not pregnant and is exhibiting signs associated with false pregnancy. Most dogs will clear a false pregnancy on their own without treatment. Here is some more helpful information: Birthing puppies: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=678 False pregnancy: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1896

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Mira. If you are sure that she is not pregnant, then she is likely experiencing a phenomenon known as a false pregnancy. Most of the time, symptoms will resolve with in 2-3 weeks. However, this is likely to recur with subsequent heat cycles. If she is not going to be used for breeding, spaying her will prevent this in the future. If she is acting ill or her symptoms do not resolve, then she will need to see her veterinarian. I hope this information helps!