Expert: Jannie Balliett - 7/25/2009

Question
QUESTION: OK so my felame boxer D.O.G. is going to be six in August. When she went into her first season she swelled big it looked like she was pregnant. Her breasts looked as if they where filling with milk. then she went out of heat and she stayed swollen. She looks like she has had multipul litters, without having them, without ever being around a male. THen this last season she ...We had a accident and a doberman got her....I think. She started acting strange about 3 wks later, throwing up and sleeping a lot more. Now she wont play or run and has started digging. this is something she has never done before. I think she is pregnant. TOday I was able to express milk from her. THe thing is  she doesnt look pregnant, she has always been skinny and now she is a little thicker but she doesnt look pregnant enough to be express milk do you think this could be a false precnancy

ANSWER: She is pregnant-- get her to a vet and be checked.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: yeah I have her sceduled, to go in next week to get checked. I knew that. My question was what is the likely hood of it being a false pregnancy? she is still skinny ... healthy looking but she is still thin and if my dates are right she is 6-7 weeks along. shouldnt she be bigger? you know pregnant looking.

Answer
No, the size of their stomachs and weight gain is not an indication.

She might only be carrying 1 or 1 puppies instead of a normal size litter of 6-9.

If she has never displayed a false pregnancy before, then this is highly unlikely to be false.

Usually, the first or second heat is a false pregnancy and continues throughout her years.

If she's never had one, this is not one.