Question about neutered dog and false pregnancy?

Question

Our dog just started "menstruating". We've had her 3 weeks, (she's a stray) and her veterinary appointment isn't for another 2 weeks (when she will be checked over, vaccinated, and have another appointment made so that she can be spayed.. My question is this:

4 days ago our neighbor's neutered dog got into our yard and mated with her and they were "tied" for at least 10 minutes. (stuck together).. We know for a fact that he is neutered.. What are the chances that she will go through a false pregnancy?? She's starting to act "strange" and her vulva is even more swollen then before but no discharge.. Her nipples seem to be a bit swollen.. How soon will we know? Anyone else have similar experiences?? What should we expect?? if anything..

What diseases could our neighbor's dog get from her?? He's up to date on his vaccines and heart worm meds... His owner made him a vet appointment to have him checked out just in case...

Yes they got him from a local animal shelter. I was with them when they were finally allowed to bring him home. (There is a waiting period here to adopt an animal, plus home inspections.)

Answer 1

A neutered dog can mate, but he can't reproduce. This isn't common, but it happens. Are you sure he's neutered? Your dog won't necessarily go through a false pregnancy. She can get swollen mammary glands and act "strange" just from being in estrus (heat). I wouldn't leave her alone in the yard at all...males dogs will try to get in because they are just following their instincts. Get her spayed asap. Diseases that could be spread are uncommon.

Answer 2

the average heat cycle is 21 days. if it is still within the 21 days then this is just a sign that she is still in heat. Some female dogs after every heat will have a false pregnancy. There hormones are out of wack. if this is reoccuring it is usually recomended the the female be spayed. The reason for this is because going through a lot of false pregnancies can increase the chance of the dog getting mammory cancer. The dogs tieing up may not have anything to do with it at all it is the female dog's hormones. false pregnancy is not uncommon.

my dog went through a false preg. A little kitten though that she was her mother and started trying to feed off of her. I thought it was sweet untill about 3 weeks later my dog got milk. her teets were swollen and hurt her really bad. I had to put her on antibiotics and pain killers. I took the kitten away from her and she acted like a mamma for about 4 days after that.

dogs have std's so you may need to get them checked.

Answer 3

Hmmmmmmmmmmmm, this is quite odd. Yes, a recently neutered male may breed but that is really rare. Are you sure he is neutered and not monorchid or cryptorchid.... meaning only 1 testicle down or no testicles down. I would ask to see the neuter cert.
Swelling can just be from being in estrus.... it happens.
There are STD's that the Vet can check for.... they are NOT uncommon among dogs.

i wish you luck however I am still thinking there will be no cert of neuter for the neighbor's dog.
Let me know if I am right!

Have them ask the shelter to see the Vet's neuter records.... often the shelter will assume it was neutered if they don't see the testicles. Just a word to the wise. Seen it all too often.

Answer 4

I have never heard of a neutered male mating...they just don't have the drive anymore...of course, I don't know everything...she may or may not go through a false pregnancy...I would think not...the swelling in her teats is due (more likely) to her heat...the swelling usually goes down in a week or two...my mom-in-laws dog did this (did not breed though).

If your neighbors dog got in, so can others...don't leave her outside alone.

As far a VD in dogs...the only one that breeders look out for is Brucellosis...it causes death in puppies, so getting her fixed, you don't have to worry about her!

Have fun with your new dog, and love her lots!

Answer 5

It is common for neutered males to mate with females in their receptive time. There will not be any puppies, but any such mating can lead to infections. I always warn people about leaving a female in season around even a neutered male for that reason.

Perhaps with a stray you have taken in not long ago, you can be excused for not having had her spayed yet. I greatly admire people that take in strays. I do want to urge you to keep an eye on her. Even if she is in a fence, other males will risk their parts jumping over the fence. Do not underestimate what she might do to get loose and go find another male. She will continue to mate with any male she get a chance to until her fertile time passes.
get a lot of questions about female dogs having their menstrual periods. In fact, the menstrual cycle is a primate phenomenon; dogs have an estrus cycle that includes a period of false pregnancy. This false pregnancy, or pseudocyesis, can get out of control, lasting for weeks with the dog producing milk and sometimes mothering a soft toy. So what should one do when this happens?

Before talking about treatment, let’s explain the natural estrus cycle of the dog. The female dog comes into season approximately every 6 to 8 months, though this period becomes more erratic with age and is somewhat irregular when cycles first begin. The exception to the every 6 to 8 months rule are African breeds (Basenji, Rhodesian Ridgeback) who cycle once a year. When female dogs get older (say, age 7 or older) they do not stop cycling; there is nothing similar to menopause.

The first phase of the cycle is called proestrus and is characterized by a swollen vulva, a bloody vaginal discharge, and attraction of male dogs. She flirts with the male but will not allow him to mount. The bloody vaginal discharge is what seems to lead to the misconception that the dog is menstruating. In fact, the blood comes directly from the walls of the vagina rather than the sloughing of the uterine lining as occurs in menstruation.

The second phase of the cycle is called estrus, which is characterized by the change in character of the vaginal discharge from bloody to straw colored. At this time the female begins to allow the male to mount. It is classically the change from proestrus to estrus that ovulation occurs and the female is most fertile.

After the mating and the discharge is over, the period of diestrus begins. The female is hormonally pregnant regardless of whether or not she is actually pregnant. During this time progesterone is produced by a structure in the ovary called a corpus luteum. This structure is produced by ovulation when the ova (eggs) are released. If the dog is pregnant, other hormones will take over to maintain the corpus luteum for the entire 63 days of the pregnancy. If she is not pregnant, the corpus luteum must simply wear out before she goes back into the period of hormonal inactivity in which she spends the bulk of her time. The corpus luteum wears out slowly (rather than suddenly as in pregnancy and puppy birth) over 70 days or longer. Remember, during this time her body essentially thinks she is pregnant. All the hormones are present; only the puppies are missing.

Give it a few more days to tell if she is going through a false pregnancy. Here is what to watch for and if you have noticed this already then you know the anser.
When false pregnancy persists it can be a nuisance. The female dog can show the following signs:

• Nesting
• Mothering inanimate objects
• Lactating (giving milk)
• Abdominal distension
• She can even appear to go into labor

Some female dogs are very sensitive to the hormonal fluctuations of the cycle. Diagnosis is made by history and physical examination rather than by blood test. The key is to find symptoms of pregnancy in a female dog who is not pregnant. Symptoms generally become noticeable 6 to 12 weeks after estrus.

Treatment

If symptoms are mild, treatment is unnecessary as the condition resolves within 3 weeks. It may be tempting to put warm compresses on the breasts or wrap them to prevent milk leakage causing stains in the house. It is important to remember that any touching of the mammary tissue is what stimulates milk production, so it is important to minimize tactile stimulation. If the female is licking herself, she may need an Elizabethan collar to minimize stimulation.

If a more aggressive approach is needed, a diuretic such as furosemidecan be prescribed. The idea is that mild dehydration will end the lactation. Some people may want to try water deprivation but this is potentially dangerous and should not be attempted without specific veterinary guidance.

If this doesn’t work, hormonal medications can be used. Progesterone can be used but after the course of medication is complete, the false pregnancy recurs so this is not a good choice. Estrogens are also not a good choice as they bring the dog back into estrus symptoms. A week’s course of the male hormone mibolerone has generally been successful but the medication is no longer available.

Hormones that inhibit prolactin (the hormone of milk production) are currently the best choices when medications are needed. Bromocriptine can be obtained from a compounding pharmacy and given until lactation ceases (about a week or two) but tends to cause upset stomach. Cabergoline has fewer side effects but is given similarly and tends to be more expensive. Both these medications will cause abortion if the dog actually turns out to be pregnant so it is important to be sure.

Spay During False Pregnancy?

It might seem like a good idea to spay the female to end the false pregnancy as spaying will remove the ovaries and the corpora lutea they carry. Unfortunately, this does not end the prolactin production from the pituitary gland so spaying may actually prolong the false pregnancy. It is best to wait until the false pregnancy is over and then spay her to prevent future episodes

As for the diseases that your neighbor's dog could get from her...
depends if she has any...and what the neighbor's dogs havn't been vacinated against. Though it is a good idea to get the dog checked out by the vet. Hope i was of help to you