Swollen vulva, breasts, low appetite: Is my adopted dog pregnant?

Yes, it certainly does sound possible that Mocha is pregnant since she did mate with a male, although as you mention, a false pregnancy (pseudopregnancy) is also possible. Another possible cause of her vaginal discharge is a pyometra (uterine infection). On average, a dog gestation is 62-65 days. Options at this point are to take Mocha to a vet to confirm the pregnancy or rule out a pyometra through x-rays, ultrasound or blood tests, or closely monitor her for another month to see if she delivers puppies. Should you decide to take the wait and see approach, be sure to feed her puppy food rather than adult dog food, as it is higher in calories to help during a pregnancy. If Mocha does not deliver puppies, she will need to be examined by her vet to discuss management of her condition. All of that said, if Mocha becomes lethargic, stops eating, or experiences changes to her vaginal discharge, she should be examined by a vet immediately to rule out a possible pyometra, as this can become a life threatening emergency. Best of luck!

It is very possible Lucy could be pregnant, especially if she got out while in heat last. A dog's pregnancy is about 60-63 days, so if it was about two months ago that she was in heat and got out, it is likely she is close to giving birth if she is pregnant. It would be best to bring her to your local veterinarian to have her examined and the pregnancy confirmed. If she is not pregnant, your vet can also check for other issues such as hormonal changes, tumors or infections that could be causing the change to her mammary glands and vulva, or can let you know if she's ready to go into heat again.

Homegirl definitely has fairly prominent abdominal distension! Dogs' gestation typically lasts 62-65 days, so I suppose it is still possible that she may be nearing the end of a pregnancy. However, if she has not had any changes to her mammary glands (I did not see any noticeable change in the photo from March), it is unlikely that she is approaching the end of a pregnancy. Abdominal distension this prominent in the absence of pregnancy could be due to fluid (a sign of liver failure, right sided heart failure, infection, etc.) or a benign or malignant mass, all of which can be quite severe. At this point, Homegirl should be examined by a vet urgently to evaluate her overall health and may need to take x-rays or perform an ultrasound of her abdomen to get to the bottom of this issue. I hope that all goes well!

There is always a possibility of any female dog who is not spayed for pregnancy. I recommend to have your pup examined by the veterinarian. She looks small and so it would be recommended to take a radiograph to see if puppies are present or not. Small breed dogs are more prone to problems giving birth so it is important to know how many puppies to expect. She likely is not caught up on vaccines or anything either if you have not had her examined yet so you need to discuss the preventive care that she needs to keep her and the puppies healthy if she is pregnant. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

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 :-)

It is quite possible she is in pup - males can be fertile for 4-6weeks after castration so if they were not separated, or other males would have had access to her when she was in heat she may well be in pregnant. I recommend you schedule an ultrasound exam with your vet to confirm pregnancy and guide appropriate management. You will need to arrange a separate area for her and pups away from other dogs for at least 6weeks if she is rearing pups

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.