Should I choose a different vet?

Question

I have a female Maltese that I think is pregnant. Her vulva is still slightly swollen, her breasts under her nipples are slightly swollen, she sleeps all the time, and constantly wants to be right next to me. I brought her to the vet on wednesday (she would have been 36 days/5 weeks along). The vet palpated her and said that he didn't think she was pregnant. However, I read that after 30 days you can no longer feel the pups by palpating, is this true and could it be that the pups are too small and he could have missed them? Also, he did it while she was standing in a normal position, is this right or should the dog be laying down? He also said that she had only gained 3 ounces and if she was pregnant she would have gained more, I read that they don't gain weight until after 5 weeks so what is he talking about? I'm worried that he might not know what he's doing. Should I trust him or find another vet? Which thing is he right/wrong about?

Answer 1

At 29-31 days approximately the pups are easier to feel. After that the uterus fills with fluid, making palpation very difficult. It could be she has only 1 or two pups, which would be hard to feel. If you want to know for sure, you can wait until the 45th day and have her x-rayed (the bones of the pups are visible after 45 days). Palpation while standing is correct procedure. Yes, most of the growth occurs in the last trimester, so at 35 days she may not show much. I don't know about the trust issue, but it can be difficult to tell at this time. A second opinion to ease your mind might not be a bad thing!

Answer 2

It is always acceptable to go to another doctor and get a second opinion. Just make sure that you tell the second vet your case and the other vets case...maybe this vet will do a further check up and maybe an ultrasound or something. I really can not see why the first vet did not do this to begin with. Honestly tho (i would not suggest other people doing this, i have a very deep understanding of my dogs, we knew she was pregnant and if theree would have been a prob we had a vet on call) i did not take my dog to the vet when she was pregnant animals have instincts that we do not understand...they have been doing this type of thing for many many years (like a million lol) but if you are inexperienced i would definatly find out as much as you can...at least if you get an ultrasound, you will know how many puppies you will be having (one thing i didnt know lol)...i think maybe your vet was just busy or being lazy. if she is 35 days along you should really be able to notice some subtle signs like you stated above and i dont know why your vet would ignore that. Well good luck and i hope to hear from your in 25-30 days about how the delievery went and how the babies are!

Answer 3

First, how do you know for sure how far along she is? Did you specifically breed her? Heat cycles can last for a long time, there could have been up to a 20 day window in which she could have been impregnated.

If you do know for sure how far along she'd be, I would wait another week or so and monitor her weight gain. She could be experiencing a false pregnancy, which is very common in small dogs. It mocks a pregnancy very closely, with a some weight gain, swollen nipples, neediness, and tiredness. Sometimes false pregnancies even produce milk. The most reliable indicator will be the weight gain, a false pregnancy will not produce significant weight gain, while a true pregnancy will produce steady, significant gain. Wait a week or two, take her in again, and see if she's gained weight. If she hasn't, you'll probably just have to wait it out until she stops her false pregnancy. If she's suddenly gained more than just a few spare ounces, and the vet still won't admit she's pregnant, you can either demand an ultrasound (the best test to be sure) or choose a new vet.

Good luck either way!

Answer 4

She sounds like she's coming along like my toy poodle did.Not much weight gain, even though 3 oz is a lot when the dog is a toy size. Angel, my poodle, gained a lot the last couple weeks (2 lbs total) & lost 3 lbs after birth. She had 4 babies & the last couple weeks she looked like she was gonna burst.
You don't seem to be very confident in your vet & on that alone, I would change. Would you be comfortable calling him if she had problems? If you can't answer that quickly, you need to find someone different.
At the 40-45 day point, she needs an xray so you'll know how many there are. If I hadn't had the xray, I would not have known there were 4 because Angel went to sleep while the 3 were nursing & she looked so thin. Luckily, I knew there was another one so I could get her up & walking to get that last one delivered.
If there's anything else I can help with, feel free to email me.

Answer 5

If you really suspect she may be pregnant ask for an xray. This will give you a positive answer. I would go to a different vet if you feel he is not taking the proper care of your dog or blowing you off which seems to be the case to me...either way you need to find out for sure.

Answer 6

I would get a second opinion because thats your baby and it would put your mind at ease. Secondly someone answered you should have her x-rayed. I wouldnt expose her to radiation if it is unnecessary. If you do anything they could check her lab work to see if her hormone levels have changed, Or they could do an ultrasound. This can verify she is pregnant an how many pups she has.

Answer 7

there's never any harm in getting a second opinion. Keep in mind, vets have been doing this a lot longer than you....can't believe everything you read

Answer 8

there is nothing wrong with getting a second opinion from another vet, in fact i highly recommend it, hopefully you will have your dog fixed after the litter good luck

Answer 9

i agree , get a second opinion it wouldnt hurt and at least your looking after the health of ur dog and pups

Answer 10

Treat your pets doctor the same as you would your own doctor. If you do not feel confident in him and you feel uneasy about what he's told you, get a 2nd opinion.