My stray dog is missing. What happened and what should I do?

It's very unlikely especially for a female to just leave her "home" area unless she was pregnant and then she can disappear for a few days to give birth, if i had to guess either someone took her or something happened to her.

A feral/stray dog may hide to have their puppies if they were close to labor, however if she is completely lost she may also have gotten injured, or the puppies injured if she is out in the wild. It would be best to keep searching for her, and to let local authorities know that she is missing.

Sounds like Strawberry may have become ill or injured while she was gone. It is always best to bring your dog to the vet ASAP after they've been lost for a while to check for any internal or external injuries or illnesses that could be making them sick.

She may have had the kittens and left them someplace secure while she searches for food. You can continue to feed her for the next 6 weeks or so. You may see the kittens before then. If so, you can choose to take them all in. Leaving her out puts her at risk of harm, but taking her in before her kittens are weaned puts them at risk. It is a difficult situation.

If she grew up as a stray, then I think she'll have a good chance of surviving. Cats do have a good sense of direction, so she might return. It's not uncommon that cats go for a walkabout for a day or two, then return. However, she also may be trying to get back to her alley home. If that is somewhat nearby, then I'd check for her there. It's also good to start hanging flyers in the neighborhood and check with local shelters. People tend to pick these kittens up when they see them. I hope that helps and your kitty returns soon.

I’m so sorry to hear about the stray dog. If your dogs are vaccinated for parvovirus then even if the stray had parvovirus your dogs should be protected. If you want to know why the dog died then you can have an autopsy done to find out the cause of death. If no veterinarian is open today then keep the body cool, but not frozen and you can transport to a veterinarian on Monday. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

It is possible that she is just taking care of her young for now. There are possible complication after birth like imbalance hormones, a kitten not born causing infection, or even eclampsia (low calcium). If you know where she could be hiding, I would try to find her and take food to her. If not, all you can do is wait. She will likely come out when she is ready. I am sorry that she is worrying you and I wish there was more we could do. I hope this helps and you find her soon!