are large teats normal for an unspayed female

[newbrunswick]

I will be spaying Maggie very soon, but she has large teats. Does this mean she had puppies before - or does this mean she is pregnant? I always thought that teats mean that a dog is either pregnant or has a litter of pups. She is 3 years old and I just go her on Friday.

[rottcrazed]

Depends what you consider to be large.

After a bitch has a litter, many never quite go back to nicely tucked up so they are a bit saggy, but not like a bitch who is pregnant or carrying milk.

If we could see a picture we maybe able to give you a better idea.

She could be having a false pregnancy after her cycle which will mean larger teats, she may have had a litter, who knows?

Kristi

[newbrunswick]

I've seen teats from nursing bitches, and you can see that they are filled with milk. Hers are long and hang down, but without the bulging that you see when they are filled with milk. What is a false pregnancy?

[rottcrazed]

Sounds more like she has had a litter and is in the recover part. Some bitches do have false pregnancies that come with the milk maid service and all, and that is a possibility, however, if nothing is known of her history, I would venture a guess she has had a litter in the past 6 or so months.

My girl took FOREVER to tuck herself back up after her litter of 10 last spring. So much so that when we got back in the obedience ring in the summer, she was still pretty saggy.

A false pregnancy is exactly as it sounds - the bitch's body thinks it is pregnant and it is not at all uncommon in bitches as hormonally, a bitch who has NOT been bred goes through the same thing as a bitch who has been bred. Some bitches' bodies just seem to take it to the next level, if you will, when it comes to reacting to the hormones post cycle.

Kristi

[newbrunswick]

I just wanted to follow up on this. When we first got Maggie, her teats were large and hanging down. After we started her excercise routine, (she was out of shape, even though she was small and underweight) - she tired after a fifteen minute walk. We took her for lots of small walks every day, and she got into shape pretty quickly. She is now in great shape, and she out walks us in a heart beat. I did notice, that her teats now look normal and not hanging down. So, I wonder if it could have been because she was just in poor shape - so, I'm happy that she is looking good!

[brunie's mom]

Not sure about that?
When my China came to me to be fostered for rescue, she also had baggy teats. She was about 2 1/2 years of age. My vet said that when she was spayed, her uterus looked like she had already had a couple of litters.

After her spay, she still looked loose, especially because her belly was shaved. It took about 3-4 months for her belly to tighten up and her nipples to get small. Not sure if it was the spay? or good food or regular exercise? or a combination of all ??

She is almost 8 now, and you would never have known that she had pups in her youth.

Gina