My pregnant Chihuahua's belly is big and firm. Should I worry?

It is possible that Roo could be pregnant? It could also be she has a pyometra (an infection of the uterus), which would also cause her stomach to look bigger and her to drink more water. I would have her checked out by a vet in the next few days as long as she is acting normally. Take her into an ER immediately if she starts vomiting, stops eating, becomes very lethargic, or has discharge from her vulva. Best of luck.

Each dog carries a pregnancy differently, and some dogs will have larger stomachs that others. There is no specific size a pregnant dog's belly should be, so as long as Snow is eating and drinking, isn't losing weight, and isn't very lethargic, I wouldn't be concerned about the size of her belly. I'm not sure if you have had her seen by a vet to confirm her pregnancy, but I do recommend having her seen by a vet if you have not. Best of luck!

It is possible she is pregnant if she was bred or in contact with a male while in heat and is now showing symptoms of pregnancy. However, if would be best to confirm with your veterinarian to rule out any other health issues. Your vet can also take an X-ray to determine how many puppies to expect if she is pregnant. If she seems to be going into labor, having a box with lots of blankets and cloth handy can give her a place to safely have her puppies. You may notice her pacing, visible contractions down her side, and she may stop eating while in active labor. The nipples can swell and "wax" (produce a waxy milk-like substance) right before she is due/early labor as well. If she seems very in distress, has strange discharge without labor or puppies, is pushing and can't produce a puppy or is in active labor/becomes very weak, it is best to seek veterinary care immediately as these can be signs there is a problem that requires immediate treatment.

Just like humans, some dogs don't get as big as others when they are pregnant - often, this has to do with how many puppies are present and how large they are. So yes, she could still be pregnant even if her belly doesn't look big. If you want to know for sure, you can take her to the vet for x-rays or an ultrasound to see if any puppies are present.

Yes, there is still time for Coco to get a bigger belly, but keep in mind that just like with human women, female dogs all carry puppies differently and some will get bigger than others. I hope this helps!

It is difficult to determine the cause without an examination but abdominal enlargement can be caused by a variety of medical conditions including an accumulation of fluid, organ enlargement, Cushings disease, etc. You should schedule an examination with a vet to determine if there is a medical problem that needs to be treated. Your vet can run blood-work and take x-rays to help determine the cause.

You should monitor very closely for any signs of fever or weakness and also any indication of reduced body condition/muscle mass which can indicate reduced nutrition due to poor food intake and ongoing diarrhea. You should have puppy milk replacer in hand to help supplement feed the puppies and also advise your vets office of the impending delivery in case a cesarian section is required - these are quite common in chihuahuas especially in older mothers who may have reduced muscle strength. Any period of contractions longer than one hour or discharge longer than 2hours without delivery of puppies is cause for concern