We have a mini dachshund.. Thinking she’s pregnant

[Guest]

Hey everyone! I’m new to the group! But I really need some help! We have a mini dachshund she was born in 2018 got her when she was 7 weeks old. She’s my baby! We’ve had a stray roam around our house.

I’m honestly thinking she’s pregnant. I’ve never dealt with a pregnant dog before & I really need some help before I get an appointment to the vet and send hundreds without having to.

She used to always sleep in her kennel but now at night she whines till I let her in bed with us. She constantly is laying down sleeping. Her breathing is much harder here lately.

Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated on what to look for.

Thanks in advance!

[Laurie]

How long ago was the male on your property? To me I don’t see much difference in either picture you’ve posted in comments. Maybe try a different angle. More of the belly. At about 40 days we can begin to see the signs.

A vet would know best tho. At about day 25 to 35 you should be able to get an ultrasound or after 55 days an X-ray for better clarification of pregnancy. Nipples color and size will also sometimes be one of your first clues or sometimes don’t change until about a week before labor.

Also depending on when the male was there, it could a false pregnancy.

[Parker]

A vet visit is warranted either way you look at it:

Pregnant — you need to be prepared. You need to know appropriate puppy count so you can have expectations when she is done laboring. Otherwise you’ll be one of the hundreds in the other vet advice group asking “is my dog done having puppies?” Bones don’t mineralize though until after day 50 so it sounds like you’re a little early. If your vet is up for it though, you could have you spayed now and prevent more unwanted litters.

Not pregnant - maybe something else is going on? Fluid in the abdomen? Mass? Other metabolic diseases can cause the “pot belly” appearance.

[Gillian]

Generally a dog won’t begin to show during pregnancy until week 6/7. Early signs are going off food, clingy, sleeping a lot. Only way to confirm 100% at this stage is a scan.

[Kaitlin]

If the male is larger than her, you want to get on top of this now. This is will be an extremely dangerous delivery and you need a plan if you want a fair chance at saving your dog. If you're worried about a few hundred dollars, I'd spay abort. The potential surgical delivery costs + puppies, and appointments for all of their check ups and vaccinations is going to be a constant expense.

[Jess]

I’d consult with a vet to get to confirm pregnancy and do a puppy count. If she is not pregnant, your vet can help you figure out what is wrong. Getting a pet fixed does not cause them to get aggressive. If anything they seem to chill out because you don’t have hormones imposing on their behavior.

I see you stated the last heat was a month ago. Any vaginal discharge? The symptoms previously described and the last heat is concerning also for a pyometra, an infected uterus. Pyometras appear typically 3-4 weeks after giving birth or having a heat cycle. Can be treated with antibiotics but it will come back. They can cause sepsis and death if untreated and best option is for emergency surgery to remove the infected uterus. I’d def get your pup into a vet sooner rather than later.

- ER and neurology vet nurse

[Caryl]

Please go to a vet. You cannot expect expert advice from amateurs. I'm sure even a vet would have to do x-rays to make a proper diagnosis.