Why is my Shih Tzu swollen & moving after uterus surgery? Pregnant?

It is likely that your puppy had an ovariohysterectomy, which is the removal of both ovaries and both uterine horns plus the uterine body. So there is likely no swollen uterine horn present. Also, you would not be able to see that from the outside when you look at your dog. That said, if you think your puppy's abdomen is excessively swollen and /or if your puppy appears ill you should take her to a veterinarian for an exam. You may want to call the shelter and find out whether Athena had an ovarectomy or ovariohysterectomy and whether you should take her back there for an exam.

Tina may have a uterine infection which could be life threatening. She should not have a discharge, nor knots nor should her vagina still be swollen. Please make an appointment with your veterinarian for an exa. Your vet may want to do xrays to visualise her uterus and blood tests to see whether her kidneys are healthy. A uterine infection can cause kidney failure and sepsis as well as death, if not treated. Usually the treatment is ovariohysterectomy (removal of the uterus and the ovaries).

I am so sorry to hear of your concerns for Hazel! It certainly sounds like a hernia could be the cause of the swelling. These are usually corrected surgically and can be easily incorporated into her spay procedure. In the United States this is typically recommended to be done at around 6 months, but you should chat with your veterinarian and see what age they recommend scheduling Hazel for her procedure. The risk with a hernia is that intestines and other abdominal organs may become entrapped in the hernia and this can create an emergency situation. Monitor carefully for signs that the swelling is firm or painful, or if Hazel goes off her food and seems uncomfortable.

It's not normal that Luna's belly is swollen a week after breeding, and i would be concerned that the swelling could be due to a medical illness such as a pyometra (infection of the uterus). She could also be suffering from intestinal worms, bloat, or have a build up of fluid in the abdomen from a disease process. I would have Luna seen by a vet immediately for this, as there can be some very serious causes behind a suddenly swollen belly. The vet can do a physical exam, blood tests, urinalysis, and x-rays to diagnose what is causing her swollen belly. Once the cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment with you. Please take her into a vet now.

There are no specific contraindications linked with these operations, even though some adhesions between the uterus and the bladder may be seen. Keep her monitored for any urinary tract signs during pregnancy, but otherwise not much else needs to be done at this stage.

I agree with your veterinarians, there may have been an infection of the uterus which requires antibiotics. The swollen vulva could be a normal finding but in my opinion the vitality of the puppies should be checked by performing an ultrasound . Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

As she is unspayed i strongly suspect a uterine infection, it can often be missed on blood test and xray. i strongly recommend taking her urgently to the vet for a recheck, an ultrasound needs to be done and bloods needs to be repeated, if this is what i suspect, she will need an emergency surgery to have her uterus removed.