Why are my unspayed dog's nipples swollen and painful? She's lethargic.

Dogs who aren't spayed have a 25% chance of developing mammary tumors, and this could potentially be what is causing Chloe's red nipples and discomfort. I'd have her checked out by a vet first thing in the morning. Best of luck.

There are a couple of things that could be wrong with your dog. She could be pregnant causing her swollen nipples and making her feel ill. It could be that she has mammary tumors also causing these symptoms. If she had puppies recently, she could have mastitis (an infection of the mammary glands). Finally, she could have a pyometra which is an infection of the uterus that is fatal without treatment. Because both mastitis and a pyometra are fatal without treatment, and since I can't see her in person to rule them out, I think it's best that she sees a vet right away. The vet can diagnose what is causing these symptoms and the best way to treat her. Please take her into a vet now. Best of luck.

There are a couple of reasons that you might be seeing swelling with Lily's mammary glands. If she has had a first heat cycle (which can sometimes be a "silent" heat or difficult to see) that would be the most likely possbility. I would recommend that your vet examine her tomorrow to see what they think is going on. They will likely still be able to do her spay tomorrow. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If Nyia has had a recent heat cycle, this can cause the mammary tissue to swell and it should go away. Intact females can also have problems with false pregnancies and this too will result in swollen teats and will generally reaolve. The teats can get infected and signs include swelling, heat, discomfort, discoloration and discharge. If any of those signs are seen, she should see the veterinarian. Getting her spayed will stop issues with swollen teats and false pregnancy. Dogs can get breast cancer and dogs that are spayed under the age of 2.5 years old have less cancer rates than those who are not spayed. So if you are not planning on breeding her, spaying her will provide health benefits. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If she is not spayed the number one reason for swollen teats is mammary (breast) cancer. If she recently had puppies then it could be severe mastitis. Either way this is serious. Your vet cannot drain these. I have no idea what they would possibly be referring to. If this is cancer, they have to be surgically removed. Sometimes the cancer is benign. Sometimes it is malignant and will spread to other organs (mainly the lungs). Regardless, the only way to potentially cure this is surgery. ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/mammary-tumors-in-dogs-malignant ) If it is mastitis, then she should respond to antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and warm compresses (or cabbage leaf compresses). ( https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/mastitis-in-dogs ) Please go back to your vet to discuss this or get a second opinion from another vet. This can be fatal.

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!

Hello. This is nothing to be overly concerned about. Manakoa is old enough that there are hormones circulating & this nipple just seems to be a little more sensitive to the effects of estrogen at this point in time. If you were planning on spaying her, this is a good time to consider doing so, but otherwise, as long as the nipple does not continue to show further hormonal influence, it should not significantly affect her. If it does continue to enlarge & seems to bother her, do see your vet. Thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.