My Shih Tzu isn't eating and sleeps a lot. Could she be pregnant?

I am sorry to hear that your dog isn’t feeling well. I would highly encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian as soon as possible. An infection or other problem could be possible. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Poor Princess! She could be pregnant but she could also have something else going on like parasites, eating something she shouldn’t, a bacterial infection or even a viral infection. You can try to offer her some plain chicken (no bones) and white rice to see if you can entice her to eat. If she doesn’t perk up soon, I would have your vet take a look at her. I worry she is going to get dehydrated. Your vet will be able do a fecal, blood work and even X-rays if needed. Your vet will be able to assess her hydration and give her fluids if needed. Your vet will be able to get her started on some meds that are safe for puppies in case she is pregnant to help make her feel better. I hope this helps!

Dogs have heat cycles and not menstrual cycles, however it is possible she is going into heat and hence the behavioral change, though she shouldn't refuse to eat, or be extremely lethargic during. If it persists for more than a day, doesn't improve, or her symptoms worsen, it is best to seek out veterinary care to rule out issues such as an infection or another illness that could be causing these symptoms as well.

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 :-)

I would recommend taking her to your veterinarian to have her examined. It's possible that she has gastroenteritis, an infection, or any number of other diseases. Your veterinarian can take her temperature and may recommend an ultrasound to check the puppies' heart rates and make sure they are not in distress. I typically recommend feeding a high quality puppy food to pregnant dogs, but your veterinarian might recommend trying a higher calorie therapeutic diet. Good luck!

This can be a sign of a UTI. You need to have Little Foot checked out by a vet for it. You have to wait 45 days after mating to get x-rays to tell if she is pregnant or not. If she is pregnant, after she weans the litter, you should have her spayed. Dogs should never be bred after 5-6 years of age, that is too old. If she isn't pregnant, have her spayed.

If Bella ate dinner last night and again at midnight, it is possible that she is not hungry. However, if she continues to not eat through the remainder of the the day, I would recommend you take her to the veterinarian because this could be a sign of illness. If you notice any lethargy, vomiting or diarrhea, you should take her to the veterinarian right away.