Is my female pregnant?

[Beaglemomma]

This may sound stupid, but how can I tell if my baby is pregnant? We know we can take her to the vet, but are looking for some guidance from all of you. She had her first heat and was kept indoors, in the fenced yard or in sight the whole time. We put her in her crate when we left. We have a fixed male that kept trying to mount her and we figured she didn't need the harrassment. we have always had our dogs fixed, so her going into heat was a first for us. I knew to keep her away from the world to keep outsiders away. We are new to rabbit hunting and want to run this sweetheart. She has good bloodlines and know that she needs to be at least eighteen months before we breed her. Her tits seem enlarged and her stomuch seems hard. She is a little bit swollen. Last night she seemed to have a discharge from her tits. Her heat was over last week. If she is bred, I am going to kill the male and sue the vet. She does has (or recently had) worms. We have wormed her. Also what is the best way to worm them? We were using the expensive stuff from the vets, but in reading the forum, it seems the same stuff the horses get will work. I need good instructions as I want to do it right. These are my babies. We have a fixed female too. Thanks, appreciate the wisdom and guidance.

[Ronnyg]

If she just went out of heat last week it is highly unlikely that you would be able to tell this early. I would say that you have nothing to worry about unless she was out of your sight around a non-neutured male. As far as noticing discharge from her tits.....her hormones were out of whack from the heat cycle so this is nothing to be concerned with. As far as worming goes..... I use Ivomec once a month at 1/10th of a cc per 10 lbs. so for example a 20 lb. dog would get 2/10ths of a cc. This protects against heartworms and other parasites and must be given every month. I then use Safeguard liquid for cattle or goats and give it every other month and it's dose is 1 cc per 5 lbs. for three straight days. So a 20 lb. dog gets 4 cc's for 3 consecutive days.

[WV Jaz]

My female finished her first heat 10 days ago and she's showing the same way. I think it's just a hormonal thing, but I'm watching her closely. Don't want to scare anyone, but we had to put a female down last month due to breast cancer, so I am carefully watching her mammary glands.

[moonshinekennel]

Dogs can show signs of pregancy without being pegant (false pregancy). If you know when shen came in heat 3 weeks into pregancy you should be able to palpate (feel) whelps (pups) in the horns if the uterus. If you can then most like she has had a false pregancy. Ultrasound is the other more definitive exam that can be done by most vets. Hope this helps.

[BriarCreekBeagles]

I have been talking to several guys about the ivomec and everybody says it will treat for heart worms but in a dog over six months that has not been on heartworm pills needs to have a heartworm test because if it does (God forbid) have heartworms or heartworm larvae it will kill the dog

[Beaglemomma]

Just want to say thanks to all who have written. I have all my dogs tested for heartworms at least once a year. It is the only way the vet will sell you the medication. However, it is pricy so if I can give my dogs the same thing I give the horses, it is better. When I lived in NC my good friend was our vet and I could buy a liquid form. Then I just gave them that and also treated the horses. A forty dollar bottle would last about six months. Please let me know more about the breast cancer. My babies front tits are still swollen. The others are still kind of pronounced but I think that is just her. Like I said we are all new to this beagling thing. I used to show horses, but it is expensive and a lot of the people are snobs. The beagling people are a much better class of people. I appreciate those who take the time to explain everything. I am kind of lost at what the rules are (I have read the rulebook) what is suppose to happen, how it is judged, etc. I think my pup has decent bloodlines and she sure can howl. My other female is a better hunter to me, but she never barks unless she is on something. I want to get an electronic collar so that they actually start listening. By the way, any of the culls you all don't want I will take. My best beagle (and my best friend was a little lemon & white who was 'deformed'. She was splay footed and had overbite. She wasn't but about nine inches tall, but she did the rabbit thing. She died at three years old. My beagles are my babies and they live in the house and sleep with me. Please send all the information you can. Thanks for letting me be a part of all this.

[WV Jaz]

For info on cancer,Go to The eSPO Magazine, (http://www.espo.com) click on Vet Talk. The Sept. 1999 "Cancer in Dogs" article has a reference to breast cancer. The swelling in my little girl's glands mammary glands are shrinking each day now.