Worried About My Dog

SigersonCup

Hi, I have a bitch at home, she's 9 this year.

A couple of weeks ago she had shall we say a "phantom pregnancy".

She thought that she was after having pups and carried her toy's around thinking that they were her pup's and crying with them in her mouth.

She has done this before so I didn't take any notice of this really.

However, she is a small bit over-weight and recently I have been bringing her out for more walk's to try and lose a small bit of weight.

She is after losing the weight down around her lower body, by her "tap's" shall we say.

But she is not losing the weight further up her stomach area.

And it also looks like that part of her stomach is swollen up and bulging a little.

Aswell she isn't moving around the house as much as she used to either.

Before when someone used come to the door and ring the bell she used jump up out of her bed, bark and run to the door.

Nowadays though all she does is bark from her bed and waits until the visitor comes in.

I'm worried about her because this is not how she behaves normally.

I would like to know is she acting lazy and unusual because maybe she is just coming out of this "pregnancy" or is there perhaps something else wrong with her.

Thanks for reading and I'd appreciate any feedback I get.

toadfly

Only thing I can think is to get her spayed. Is there a reason she hasn't been done?

SigersonCup

TillyGirl wrote: »

Only thing I can think is to get her spayed. Is there a reason she hasn't been done?

What do you mean by sprayed?

Sorry now for the lack of knowledge, but sprayed for what?

SigersonCup

SigersonCup wrote: »

Hi, I have a bitch at home, she's 9 this year.

A couple of weeks ago she had shall we say a "phantom pregnancy".

She thought that she was after having pups and carried her toy's around thinking that they were her pup's and crying with them in her mouth.

She has done this before so I didn't take any notice of this really.

However, she is a small bit over-weight and recently I have been bringing her out for more walk's to try and lose a small bit of weight.

She is after losing the weight down around her lower body, by her "tap's" shall we say.

But she is not losing the weight further up her stomach area.

And it also looks like that part of her stomach is swollen up and bulging a little.

Aswell she isn't moving around the house as much as she used to either.

Before when someone used come to the door and ring the bell she used jump up out of her bed, bark and run to the door.

Nowadays though all she does is bark from her bed and waits until the visitor comes in.

I'm worried about her because this is not how she behaves normally.

I would like to know is she acting lazy and unusual because maybe she is just coming out of this "pregnancy" or is there perhaps something else wrong with her.

Thanks for reading and I'd appreciate any feedback I get.

I almost forgot aswell, her tail is down the whole time now, even when I pet her she doesn't wag it really.

toadfly

Spaying is the term for neutering a female.

SigersonCup

TillyGirl wrote: »

Spaying is the term for neutering a female.

No, we just never did because the only male dog's she is ever around are neutered themselves so we didn't really see the point.

But do you think that this behaviour is down to the fact that she thinks she is after having pup's?

Getting there

Could by Pyometra or an infection in her womb. The chances of it developing increase more after every heat and phantom pregnancy. Especially if her tail is down now. I'd go straight to the vet!

toadfly

Getting there wrote: »

Could by Pyometra or an infection in her womb. The chances of it developing increase more after every heat and phantom pregnancy. Especially if her tail is down now. I'd go straight to the vet!

Do this!

anniehoo

Dont want to worry you but as shes 9,a pyometra (infection of the uterus) or mammary cancer can also produce the same symptoms as a pseudo pregancy.If this continues much longer and her demeanour hasnt improved id get her vet checked

SigersonCup

I'm going bringing her to the Vet first thing in the morning now, I'd go down now but it closes at 7.

I'm just trying to find out as much as I can now seeing as it's so late at night but, if it is Pyometra I read that the abdomen is swollen.

If the abdomen was swollen would she pull back if I was rubbing it or would she show that she was in pain?

Because I tried rubbing it there and she wants me to keep on doing it, when I stop shes scratching me with her paw to keep doing it so I don't think it is hurting her if she keeps wanting me to do it.

Shazanne

Sorry to butt in on this but could I suggest that you bring her to a vet the specialises in small animals (pets) as we had this experience years ago with my sisters dog and were messed around by a "general" vet. By the time we went to a pet vet it was too late.:)
Best of luck and my thoughts are with you. X

SigersonCup

Thanks. Thanks for all the advice anyway, and I pray to God that if she does have an infection that we'll be able to do something about it. And I'll be on straight away after I come back to let you all know how we got on.

toadfly

Best of luck, hope she is ok.

Bizzum

How many weeks ago did she start her last heat?

SigersonCup

Bizzum wrote: »

How many weeks ago did she start her last heat?

I'm not sure of the exact week, but it was quite a while back.

So what I thought was after happening was that a couple of weeks ago she thought that she had the pups because it was maybe around 9 weeks since she had her last heat.

So she thought her toys were her pups. She has gone through these phantom pregnancies before I'm just worried that the way she is behaving there might be something wrong.

What do you think yourself?

SigersonCup

I was just reading there about False Pregnancy in dogs, and it said to look for swelling in the abdominal area.

There is swelling there, but she is also carrying her stuffed toys around as if they were her pups.

I'm just wondering should the swelling stay there even after the dog thinks she is after having the pups?

Bizzum

I wondered about the timing as I wondered was there a chance she's in pup. But if she's 9 weeks beyond the end of her last heat it's unlikely. Given that she has a history of pseudopregnancies it's no surprise she's had another.
On that note, for future reference, allowing a female go through the stress of pseudopregancy twice a year is not good. She should, for her own welfare, have been neutered long ago to prevent this behaviour. But better late than never, perhaps you'll get her done this time around.
It has already been said that the symptoms point towards pyometra, a serious uterine infection which needs urgent veterinary attention, so it's good that you're for the vet in the morning.

SigersonCup

Bizzum wrote: »

I wondered about the timing as I wondered was there a chance she's in pup. But if she's 9 weeks beyond the end of her last heat it's unlikely. Given that she has a history of pseudopregnancies it's no surprise she's had another.
On that note, for future reference, allowing a female go through the stress of pseudopregancy twice a year is not good. She should, for her own welfare, have been neutered long ago to prevent this behaviour. But better late than never, perhaps you'll get her done this time around.
It has already been said that the symptoms point towards pyometra, a serious uterine infection which needs urgent veterinary attention, so it's good that you're for the vet in the morning.

Do you not think it is a phantom pregnancy so?

So given the symptoms that I've said she has you would think it is pyometra.

Is this infection life threatening?

And can it be cured?

SigersonCup

I've looked at the signs on this page for pyometra http://www.squidoo.com/pyometra, and the only sign I've found she has maybe is lethargy and depression.

But the last couple of days when I've brought her out for a walk she's jumped around the place wanting to go out.

She isn't drinking or urinating no more than usual.

She hasn't lost her appetite or vomited for weeks and there has been no discharge either.

So I'm not sure really what is wrong, best still to go to the vet tomorrow.

Bizzum

If she's not in pup, it is a phantom pregnancy. But she may also have pyometra.
The symptoms of phantom pregnancy and pyometra are similar.
Any sudden change in normal behaviour rings alarm bells that it is a medical problem. As her mood has worsened and she seems less active and down in herself, it suggests there is a medical problem. The abdominal swelling is also indicative of pyometra. Given the symptoms and her age, she's at heightened risk of pyometra.
If it's pyometra, it is potentially life-threatening.
It is curable, yes.

SigersonCup

Bizzum wrote: »

If she's not in pup, it is a phantom pregnancy. But she may also have pyometra.
The symptoms of phantom pregnancy and pyometra are similar.
Any sudden change in normal behaviour rings alarm bells that it is a medical problem. As her mood has worsened and she seems less active and down in herself, it suggests there is a medical problem. The abdominal swelling is also indicative of pyometra. Given the symptoms and her age, she's at heightened risk of pyometra.
If it's pyometra, it is potentially life-threatening.
It is curable, yes.

Ok, thanks for all this advice and information you're giving me, I really appreciate it.

One final question now for you and I'll leave you alone for the night. Is there a very high fatality risk if it is pyometra?

Bizzum

Don't panic!
And don't necessarily presume what I'm saying is definitive by any means, as we are online after all and I can't see the dog.
Pyometra can be fatal if not caught on time, when the dog essentially becomes septic, organs fail etc. The problem with pyometra is that it can be fairly subtle until it becomes very serious. Not all pyometras have a discharge, for example.
But as your dog is still in reasonably good form and health in other aspects, your vet will be able to deal with this in good time tomorrow. Assuming it's pyometra!
Let us know how you get on?

SigersonCup

Bizzum wrote: »

Don't panic!
And don't necessarily presume what I'm saying is definitive by any means, as we are online after all and I can't see the dog.
Pyometra can be fatal if not caught on time, when the dog essentially becomes septic, organs fail etc. The problem with pyometra is that it can be fairly subtle until it becomes very serious. Not all pyometras have a discharge, for example.
But as your dog is still in reasonably good form and health in other aspects, your vet will be able to deal with this in good time tomorrow. Assuming it's pyometra!
Let us know how you get on?

She is in good form but she is very tired the last few days but is still not in a very serious stage of pyometra if it really is that.

Again I'd like to thank you and everyone else who posted on this thread with all yer advice and wishes and I hope that there's nothing seriously wrong with the dog, that it can be treated and that she will be back to her old way's soon.

I will let ye all know how we get on, I will be down in the vet's as soon as possible in the morning to get her checked out and let's all hope that it's nothing too serious. Thanks to everyone again

gregers85

My bitch had a phantom pregnancy last year but she did not start carrying the toys around like they are pups but this is a very common side affect of this! I have heard of a lot of females doing this! Chances are if she is not loosing weight she could still be producing milk and could be carrying a lot of fluid in her womb because of the phantom! I would def recommend bringing her to a vet for a full check up!

SigersonCup

Just to update you all..I said it to my mam yesterday that I wanted to bring her to the vet but my mam said that she was still going through the phantom pregnancy and that she'll come around. And only at 12 o clock today I noticed that there was milk coming out of one of the dog's teat under her. At least I think it was milk. I'm just wondering do you think that she is still in the phantom pregnancy and does the milk prove that that is all that is wrong with her?

boomerang

I'm sorry, but your dog needs to go to the vet.

You can't substitute a vet's advice with info on a discussion board from people who haven't even seen your dog, and just hope that she'll be alright.

She's nine years old - I think it's really unfair that she's still having to go through these phantom pregnancies. They are distressing for her. She's too old to be having pups, if that was ever your intention. Why don't you spare her the distress of the phantom pregancies (and the strong possibility of a pyometra) and have her spayed?

I'm sorry if you're very young and it's your mum's decision. But if you're an adult and this is your dog, you need to step up to the plate and do the right thing by her. She's an older dog, she's been a wonderful pet for you. She deserves the best care you can provide.

Damokc

sorry to hear about your dog being ill. we had a bitch before and she just got very "down". she would sit there with her nose right up against the wall kinda of rocking.she had no interest in anything.she had never had a litter of pups and was about 7yrs old.she wasnt spayed but got injections when in heat to prevent getting pregnant. we took her to the vet and it turned out she had cancer of the womb. the vet removed it,she recovered fully and she lived happily for another 10yrs after that!!

i've heard people say that if you don't spay a bitch that its a good thing to let them have pups at least once as it reduces the risk of these types of cancers but i dunno how accurate this is?

ppink

Sigersoncup people on here can guess till the cows come home as to what might be wrong but really the only way you are going to sort it is by taking her to the vet. It is very hard for anyone here to say what is actulaly the problem, it may be minor and pass or it may not.

Can you try your Mam again and see if she will take her?

SigersonCup

ppink wrote: »

Sigersoncup people on here can guess till the cows come home as to what might be wrong but really the only way you are going to sort it is by taking her to the vet. It is very hard for anyone here to say what is actulaly the problem, it may be minor and pass or it may not.

Can you try your Mam again and see if she will take her?

I said it to her there again and I said that I was talking to some people on the internet and that they said it could be an infection or something like pyometra. She still thinks though that it will pass but she's said that she will bring me down Monday morning because the closest vet to us is closed on Sunday's and it closes at 2 on Saturday's.

DBB

Damokc wrote: »

i've heard people say that if you don't spay a bitch that its a good thing to let them have pups at least once as it reduces the risk of these types of cancers but i dunno how accurate this is?

There is no proof that having pups reduces reproductive-system cancers. The more heats a female has, the greater her risk of mammarian cancer.
Pyometra is more common in females that have never had pups, but is still a common occurrence in females that have had litters. It is also more common in females that have had the dog-version of the morning-after pill, and in females that have had heat-control hormonal treatment.
It drives me berserk vets telling people to let a female have a litter. They're meant to be scientists yet they base this advice on an old wives tale: even if the risk of cancer was marginally higher, the trade-off is yet another litter of pups in a country that is simply awash with dogs.
I'd rather take my chances with cancer than be responsible for swelling the number of unwanted dogs any more.

Sigerson Cup, it must be frustrating for you to want to get the dog checked out by the vet asap, so I hope your mum gives in and has the dog checked out asap.

SigersonCup

I'm bringing her to the vet in the morning to see what the story is.

I don't think she has pyometra now because she is coming around a bit now and I noticed milk coming out from her teat's this morning.

I'm just wondering should I get her neutered/spayed seeing as she is 9 years old.

I'm worried about whether or not she would be able to survive the operation giving that she is 9?