yes they need to get the bitch spayed ASAP. Vets will spay in this instance up to but not beyond 4 weeks pregnant. They usually figure it is better to spay a pregnant dog than to allow unwanted pups to come into the world.
I had my brother's pitbull spayed at 4 weeks along after he found out his girlfriend's dad intentionally bred her to his (the dad's) rottweiler while he was supposed to be keeping her locked in the bedroom!
There were no complications whatsoever.
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Diane
Frontier Rottweilers & Shiba Inu
www.frontierrots.com