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I have an 8-year-old chihuahua/dachshund mix named Lady. I never had her spayed because she is never around male dogs...our other dog is also a female, and we walk our dogs for potty and exercise rather than turning them out alone.
I have noticed over the past few years that she has been coming in heat less frequently than before, but what is weird is that she always seems to have a "false pregnancy" now. In fact, she is going through it right now and hasn't even been in heat in at least 6-8 months, even though she went through it the last two times after going in heat briefly. Her breasts are swollen, and the back two (closest to her tail) are swollen and producing milk. She has been really protective over one particular toy (a stuffed snake)...she carries it with her everywhere, lays on top of it when she's relaxing on the couch, growls at the cats or our other dog when they go near it, etc. She's also been a bit more vocal and needy than usual...she is a "velcro dog" all the time anyway (I work from home on the couch, and she's glued to my side 24/7, including sleeping in-between my husband and I at night), but now, she's worse than ever...usually, if you don't look at her when she wants you to, she'll paw at you or something, but now she gets this strange bark or "playfully" growls...not a big deal, just different from usual...
Any idea why this is happening so frequently now? When we took her to get another rabies shot, we mentioned it to the vet, who said it's not that uncommon for it to happen right after they come out of heat. However, this time, she hasn't been in heat...unless it was really light...usually, she makes a mess, so we have to put doggie undies and pads on her because she bleeds kind of a lot. If she was in heat, it was not noticeable at all.
Could she be going through hormonal changes because of her age, like "menopause" for dogs or something? I don't necessarily want to take her back to the vet for no reason (I know 100% that she isn't pregnant), but I'm just wondering what's going on with her or if I should be worried...
The symptoms of pyometra don't seem like anything that she is going through at all, though.
Quote:
Symptoms of pyometra can include lethargy, depression, fever, lack of appetite, vomiting, excessive thirst, frequent urination, a distended abdomen (due to the enlarging uterus), vaginal discharge and excessive licking at the area, as well as weakness in the rear limbs due to the enlarged uterus.
Remember: these symptoms will be noted after a heat cycle. If your female dog has recently concluded a heat cycle and you begin to see some of these symptoms, you should seek care immediately.
I haven't noticed any of these things. She's eating and drinking normally, isn't vomiting, there is no vaginal discharge that I've seen (and as I've said, this dog it pretty much glued to me 24/7), etc. She's going through a false pregnancy...which I do know the symptoms of and have talked to my vet about in the past...
I understand that some people are pro-spay all the way, but in my situation, I never felt it necessary. After I neutered my male cat and he became obese (even though his activity level and food intake were the same...actually, he eats less now than before, since I used to feed him both dry food and canned food, and now he only eats dry weight management food), I decided not to spay my dogs. I understand the benefits of spaying, but my female dogs are not exposed to male dogs at all, period. They are walked on a leash every 2-3 hours, by myself (who is home all day) and/or my husband. We handle icky discharge with doggie panties and pads. They've been just fine until this false pregnancy business...which again, my vet told me was no big deal before because it's not uncommon after they go out of heat, but I'm wondering why she's experiencing it when it seems she has not been in heat...
You said its been 6-8 Months since her last heat... This time You don't have a False Preg She HAS an Infection. By the time she has those Symptoms she could die or You will get charges More than a regular spay.
I would take her temperature this morning, and at again at noon. If it is normal, you can wait it out, if you really must, but keep taking her temperature.
My dogs always seem to get sick over the weekend, so I am always nervous on a Friday (no emergency vet in my area). Oh, I know I would take my dog in anyway (because pyometria makes me super anxious - it can happen fast), but I have a vet that doesn't do anything unnecessary.
I am not pro-spay for situations like yours! Where you are obviously contientious, and take no chances (and care about your pet).
Personally, I think it is best to not spay/neuter early if you can handle it, but you really do have to be on alert for changes that could signal/be pyometria.
That would be my only worry in regards to an emergency, and it can present itself in different ways. Also since you are together 24/7 and you are obviously very aware, you may be noticing changes earlier.
Breast cancer, or any cancer can happen as well (even in spayed dogs) so maybe read up on symptoms of that as well, just so you know what to look out for.
Changes, and false pregnancies could mean she has some issue, or maybe it means nothing at all. I would not panic, but rather be on high alert, write down all the symptoms, dates, etc.... In case you need to discuss with the vet. Or even just to compare to for the next heat.
Personally at her age, with these changes I would probably spay her. Your other female doesn't have issues, right?
Eight years old for a small dog seems early to have any big hormonal changes. But I don't have a lot of experience with that. Maybe I think that because my dog was born to an 11 year old chihuahua, who had a litter at 13 as well....
Should have left this for a separate post, but.... I can't.
Also, spay /neuter does not make pets obese. Please know you are making an acceptable choice, but keeping your pets from being obese is not one of the benefits. it can change their metabolism, which can slow them down p, and lead to weight gain, but it does not make them fat.
Really, your cat something else entirely. I have never had an obese pet at all, and they have all been spayed or neutered at some point (long ago they were s/n at 6 months, far too young). Oh, except my Shellie, who was never neutered, and he did become overweight when he was not watched carefully. I have known obese pets both neutered and intact.
People tell me that spaying causes incontinence in female dogs, but that has not been my experience. My border collie did eventually become incontinent at night - when she was 15.
If it is possible to wait until the dog is a year old, I think you should. It gives their body time to respond to the hormones that help them develop.
But spaying a female dog helps prevent all types of cancers and whatnot. Get her spayed.
People tell me that spaying causes incontinence in female dogs, but that has not been my experience. My border collie did eventually become incontinent at night - when she was 15.
If it is possible to wait until the dog is a year old, I think you should. It gives their body time to respond to the hormones that help them develop.
But spaying a female dog helps prevent all types of cancers and whatnot. Get her spayed.
Good advice on waiting at least a year. BUT the OP dog is 8 years old...
I have an 8-year-old chihuahua/dachshund mix named Lady. I never had her spayed because she is never around male dogs...our other dog is also a female, and we walk our dogs for potty and exercise rather than turning them out alone.
I have noticed over the past few years that she has been coming in heat less frequently than before, but what is weird is that she always seems to have a "false pregnancy" now. In fact, she is going through it right now and hasn't even been in heat in at least 6-8 months, even though she went through it the last two times after going in heat briefly. Her breasts are swollen, and the back two (closest to her tail) are swollen and producing milk. She has been really protective over one particular toy (a stuffed snake)...she carries it with her everywhere, lays on top of it when she's relaxing on the couch, growls at the cats or our other dog when they go near it, etc. She's also been a bit more vocal and needy than usual...she is a "velcro dog" all the time anyway (I work from home on the couch, and she's glued to my side 24/7, including sleeping in-between my husband and I at night), but now, she's worse than ever...usually, if you don't look at her when she wants you to, she'll paw at you or something, but now she gets this strange bark or "playfully" growls...not a big deal, just different from usual...
Any idea why this is happening so frequently now? When we took her to get another rabies shot, we mentioned it to the vet, who said it's not that uncommon for it to happen right after they come out of heat. However, this time, she hasn't been in heat...unless it was really light...usually, she makes a mess, so we have to put doggie undies and pads on her because she bleeds kind of a lot. If she was in heat, it was not noticeable at all.
Could she be going through hormonal changes because of her age, like "menopause" for dogs or something? I don't necessarily want to take her back to the vet for no reason (I know 100% that she isn't pregnant), but I'm just wondering what's going on with her or if I should be worried...
Your post is a prime example of why owners should spay or neuter. Your poor dog going through all this unnecessarily. And, you are humanizing your dog to the extreme.
Unless you are a backyard breeder who is in it for the money, (who I hugely FROWN upon because most of them don't worry about health issues) or a breeder who is very careful with breeding healthy quality animals, I can't for the life of me figure out why people don't get their dogs neutered.
Why keep a poor male dog frustrated and why live with the blood and mess of a female in heat?
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