My 10-year-old dog got pregnant! I thought she was fixed. Why?

Hello. It is tough to tell without an x-ray or ultrasound exam. It is very possible that the male still had viable sperm in his reproductive tract ( sperm can remain viable for 3-4 weeks in the accessory sex glands of a recently neutered male ). It could be a false pregnancy, but more likely she did become pregnant from the recently neutered male dog. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes, Lily is too old to have another litter. It's never recommended to breed a dog older than six years of age due to the increased risk of dystocia and the effects it has on the dog. I would not breed her again, and I would recommend spaying her to prevent her from developing a pyometra in the future.

In a younger dog I would say she’s pregnant. In her case being older I recommend a veterinary exam to make sure there is nothing medically wrong causing these symptoms, and they can do an ultrasound or X-rays to determine if she’s pregnant. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Daisy.

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.

There is always a possibility if the two were tied and both are not fixed. If you suspect your dog may be pregnant, bringing her into the vet to confirm the pregnancy is best. Having your dog spayed is also a good idea if you don't wish to have puppies.

At her age, she should no longer be having puppies. It is to much of a strain on an older dog. That does not mean, however, that she couldn't get bred by a male! I would consider having her spayed for safety as well as her general health.

I recommend you have Molly seen by your vet to make sure she is okay. Dogs usually go into heat around 6 months of age, but can also go into heat earlier, and often the first heat is not noticeable, as there is not always a lot of visible discharge. She may be pregnant, so speak to your vet about what your options are regarding that as well, and if you want to keep the puppies to term. I recommend having Molly spayed and your other dog neutered to help reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancies, certain undesirable behaviours, and certain diseases. See the link below for more information: https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/Pages/spay-neuter.aspx