Think my westie may be pregnant

hermum

I took in a stray westie 4 weeks ago, prior to my getting her she was fostered for 10 days. During that time she was seen several times by a vet, had full blood profile. On the lab paperwork pyometra wasn't excluded.
The vet thought that she had kidney stones, gave her meds & advised that she should be monitored to ensure that she drank enough to help break them down? & she should pass them. The day I got her the Vet was happy to sign her off & unless she appears to be having problems didn't feel it was necessary to see her again for this.
She looked as though she had whelped at sometime in the past as her nipples & vulva were swollen, this was noticable as she'd had to have her coat scissor cut as she had been terribly neglected & her coat was matted.
The last couple of days she has been eating almost constantly & is scratching at the floorboards, I don't have carpets anywhere. This evening she keeps going & sitting behind the sofa, she's never done this before. I've felt her stomach & it feels quite hard & round, her vulva is very swollen as are her nipples. I know that it sounds like pregnancy.
I was going to take her in next week to see about getting her spayed. I just wanted to give her time to settle in properly before putting her in for surgery.
If the dog she mated with is a largish breed is she likely to need a c section? Will the vet be able to tell this by feeling her stomach or would she need a scan?
I've never had a possible pregnancy as have always got my other dogs neutered.
Any constructive advice would be appreciated.

beckiem

depending on how far along she is u should be able to feel them move, i should imagine to check there size they would have to scan her, she may be able to deliver normally but obviously if it is a large breed or a big headed breed she would then have to have a c section
i would take her in asap if your worried as it sounds like she could be trying to nest (scratching at the ground to make a den to have them in)

vl2588

It can also be a false pregnancy. If she is over a certain age she may possible need a c section too.

hermum

beckiem wrote: »

depending on how far along she is u should be able to feel them move, i should imagine to check there size they would have to scan her, she may be able to deliver normally but obviously if it is a large breed or a big headed breed she would then have to have a c section
i would take her in asap if your worried as it sounds like she could be trying to nest (scratching at the ground to make a den to have them in)

vl2588 wrote: »

It can also be a false pregnancy. If she is over a certain age she may possible need a c section too.

At what stage can you feel them move approx, I'm sure that won;t be an exact science with a novice like me. Her wherabouts can be accounted for for the last 40 days, but have no idea before that, she was found late at night in the middle of a road.
Can only a vet tell if it's a phantom? What is the certain age?
Can an early pregnancy be confused with kidney stones?
How soon before birth do they normally start nesting? I'm not sure if I'm up to midwifery & becoming a Grandma tonight as I haven't got my head round the possibility yet.
Hopefully if she is it will be just 2 pups as I know of 2 good homes awaiting a dog.

vl2588

I would be very surprised if your vet had examined her and not found out she was pregnant but I suppose it is possible. Best thing to do is take her back asap for another check. If it is a false pregnancy they can treat with hormones. They can start nesting a while before, not sure of exact time lines though (I've not bred dogs but was a vet nurse many years ago!).

beckiem

a normal pregnancy lasts about 63 days i think, i think your best bet is to google dog pregnancy theres so much on the web, i think its best if you take her to the vets as you said youve never had to deal with a doggy pregnancy and they can check keep a close eye on her tonight though , is she panting??

vl2588

I just googled it and it is a bit hard to judge which sites are accurate and they do contradict each other a bit! If it was me I would ring the emergency vet just to be sure...that or watch her like a hawk. I wouldn't necessarily leave her at the vets as they don't usually watch them all night (some might do).

beckiem

ive just googled signs of labour, as its been some years since i delivered pups
she will go off her food
possibly vomit
nest (but this can start about a week before)
then contractions ... if you put your hand on her belly you will be able to feel it tighten and relax
and then pale to dark green discharge
please let us know if you go to vets

vl2588

Will that make us aunties??!

Good luck hermum, hope whatever happens it goes well

hermum

vl2588 wrote: »

I would be very surprised if your vet had examined her and not found out she was pregnant but I suppose it is possible. Best thing to do is take her back asap for another check. If it is a false pregnancy they can treat with hormones. They can start nesting a while before, not sure of exact time lines though (I've not bred dogs but was a vet nurse many years ago!).

beckiem wrote: »

a normal pregnancy lasts about 63 days i think, i think your best bet is to google dog pregnancy theres so much on the web, i think its best if you take her to the vets as you said youve never had to deal with a doggy pregnancy and they can check keep a close eye on her tonight though , is she panting??

When the vet examined her she may only have been a few days. I don't know how soon they can tell by examining, or by blood tests. Then I would have thought that it would have been noticable that she's recently been in season.
I've read loads on the web tonight, in fact I can hardly focus at the moment, I've been there while there's been so many deliveries I feel quite emotional. No, she isn't panting, although she's quite restless, she hasn't sat on my lap tonight, there's usually a rush to see who can get closest to me. She wins though as she walks over the top of my dear old numpty boy.
I'm sure that if anything happens at night she'll wake me, she usually smacks me in the face when she wants something at night, like her tummy rubbed a cuddle, or to come downstairs for a drink.
Only I could wait 18 months to replace a dog & get one that could be in pup.

hermum

vl2588 wrote: »

I just googled it and it is a bit hard to judge which sites are accurate and they do contradict each other a bit! If it was me I would ring the emergency vet just to be sure...that or watch her like a hawk. I wouldn't necessarily leave her at the vets as they don't usually watch them all night (some might do).

OOh I wouldn't leave her anywhere, in the past however many weeks, she's been abandoned, fostered with a family. 2 dogs, cats & newborn kittens for 10 days & I've only had her 4 weeks 1 day. The vet probably wouldn't take her to bed with them & she likes going to bed now.
The problem with googling is all the different conflicting advice, I read in one that green discharge before the birth is bad, I think that it could be ruptured placenta or something else that sounds horrific.
I would rather she wasn't pregnant but that is better than something seriously wrong with her.
You can all be Aunts, there are pics of her on the I'm thinking of getting a westie thread, probably quite close to the end of the thread.
I will get her to the vets tomorrow & let everyone know how I get on.
Hopefully I won't need help in the night.