Hi, I wonder if anyone can advise me?
I have two shih-tzu's a boy and a girl.
The boy was neutered approx 5-6 months ago.We hadn't planned on another (especially a bitch) but she wasn't wanted, SO thinking we would all be fine as the little man was now not firing, we made her welcome.She had had a season just before we got her (late Jan) and we were told to look out for her next one around June time.She infact started on 3rd May.I was parranoid about her, and kept her in with me, or on a lead at all times.
The garden by the way is totally surrounded by a six foot wall, so no false entry!
So when I took her to be spayed yesterday, to my shock, I'm told she is approx 4 weeks pregnant, and probably only 1 pup.
The vet,who incidently was the one who also neutered my boy, is addament she's been had by another dog.
She was only 1 herself in March, I'm really not irresponsible, I had my boy done to prevent this, but now feel terrible at the thought of killing her baby!
What does anyone else advise?
She seems fine, but i'ts kind of funny, as we'd only noticed this past weekend, that she seemed more tired than usual, when out walking.
Do I take it that my boy could not have got to her, I must admit, I've never seen him get randy with her!
But she is honestly never around other males.All the family only have bitches.
Please help me out on the right track.Thanx

Hi
When male dogs are neutered the testicles are removed unlike in human sterilisation.Your boy therefore could not have got your bitch pregnant so she must have got with another male somehow.
Hope everything works out for you
Archer

its possible for a neutered male to still have sperm in the ''tract'' so to speak.....my vets says its been proven up to three months after neutering that dogs had traces of viable sperm...so i would say the culprit is your little guy..............don't be sad,you could not have known she was pregnant...you did all the right things....

The male was castrated 5-6 months ago!!!!The bitch is 4 weeks gone-would mean the bitch was mated 4 months after the dog was castrated-its got to me a different male IMO
Archer

Thanx for replying you guys,
Well,now the initial shock has worn off,I'm settled with the fact that we're set for a house full of pups in the not too distant future!
Mum's doin okay,lots of TLC,I guess we wont know who Dad is for sure till they arrive.
I'll keep you all posted! x

Your bitch is a year old and you have no idea what size dog got to her. Maybe it is just me but I would be very concerned for her?

Must have been a decent sized dog to get over a 6' wall twice

Are you ready to pay for a C- Section if necessary?

I wouldn't let this pregnancy continue - I would have her spayed asap. As others have said it could have been another dog - and if it was it will be a BIG one maybe giving her huge puppies that are difficult/impossible to get born, a c section can cost £250 -£1000 and there is always a chance you will lose the mother and all the puppies. I am sure you agree that SHE is the most important factor, keep her safe and get her spayed asap.

How did the Vet confirm that she was pregnant, was it by ultra-sound scan?
I would not necessarily believe the diagnosis of pregnancy at 4 weeks by ultra-sound even if there is supposedly only 1 pup. I have known of several cases where there has been a pup seen on an ultra-sound scan and the bitch has never produced a puppy. I am aware of re-absorbtion but the cases that I refer to were scanned at 9 weeks and I don't think reabsorbtion is a problem at this stage of pregnancy.
Your best option is to continue with the spay, the world already has enough unwanted cross-breeds and you could be endangering the health of your bitch if she is pregnant and the puppy is too large to be born. The odds are that if there is only one puppy that she will need a caesarien anyway so you have nothing to lose.

snomaes

The vet confirmed the pregnancy when he opened her up to spay her.She was actually booked to be spayed in May, but went into season early,only 3 months after her first one.
So the vet stated he would not spay her at this time, but to bring her back in approx 6 wks, which is what I did.Tuesday morning she was admitted, and the vet phoned at midday to say he had opened her up, but couldn't continue as she was already carrying.
I seem to be having so many conflicting messages as to whether or not it would have been my dog that got her pregnant.Family and friends know how I kept her in for her 2 wk season, and that it wouldnt be possible for anything to have gotten in to the garden, and are all convinced it was our dog.
The vet has also now said that he's really not too happy to spay her when she's so far gone.
The pup/s due date is 14th July.
I seem to be having a 50/50 choice, half the advice is let her have it coz it's probably our dogs offspring, and the others saying OH NO! don't do it!
I'm getting so confused.
I love my dogs to bits, they're my babies, and I would'nt harm them for the world,Yes I'm scared for her,either way! :-(
I'd decided to let her have it, but I think all your advice has now swayed me.
So fingers crossed for her,I'll go see the vet first thing Monday.
I will let you know how she goes!
Thanx for your time and support. x

Hi Ann Marie,, I notice in your last post that you say "I kept her in for her TWO WEEK season" a bitch is in season for 3 WEEKS, did you let her out just after the bleeding stopped? if so, thats when a bitch is her most fertile and is ready for standing for a dog, and I did not know that for a long time either, until I really "got into" dogs, Im not getting at you at all, just pointing out in case you did not know how long a bitch is in season for, I wish you well, and yes I would be very concerned about the size of dog that has caught your bitch, I really, hope everything will be o.k. for you.

Well perhaps he stitched her up again as he was reluctant to do anything without consulting you first but I am amazed that he expects her to go to term and deliver a month after having an abdominal wound!
My parents Fox Terrier would have climbed a six foot wall as easily as walking through the gate and I am sure many an agile large dog such as a German Shepherd could too. I cannot see how a dog with no testicles for 4 months could possibly still have live sperm in his tubes. If it was my bitch I would definately take her back for the vet to complete the spay.

I'd be worried that she had been opened up and then stitched, and is going to have to give birth, whether it's one large pup or several smaller ones.
You'll find breeders bitches are in the best of health before they're mated, and througout the gestation period.
If it was a bitch of mine, I'd have to have her spayed...no doubt about it. Of course at the end of the day, it's up to you.
But I think it's unlikely that it was your male that 'did it' So it really could be anything.
All I can really say is....you may lose your bitch and all of the pups. Thats a risk breeders take...but I wouldn't take that risk on an unknown pregnancy.

I really hope everything works out for you....and let us know how you get on. Please understand that nobody is being nasty here....we just love our dogs!!

Take care, and all the best

Lisa

Well the situation goes on!
I have seen 2 vets today,my usual one,and another ,who was recomended by a local shih-tzu breeder.
My vet has again stated that Millie would only need a c-section should she run into troubles,and that he feels that she should'nt have too much of an ordeal,considering her current good health.
The only problem being that the pups probably won't be Shih-tzu's,having said that,we do have Mickie next door, a 4 year old Shih-tzu,who loves to come in and play.He's never attempted to mate with Millie,but who know's?
The second vet has stated that Millie is 4-5 weeks pregnant,only small pups,feels it's highly likely that she was mated by another small breed,and more than just 1 pup!!!
She is a strong healthy bitch,who would have no more trouble giving birth than any other knowingly mated bitch....
The scar from last weeks attempt at spaying is neat and clean,and Millie is showing no signs of being bothered by any of it!
Both vets have said they would find no reason to not let Millie continue with the pregnancy,BUT if we really did'nt want any further animals then to go ahead and spay/abort the babies.
I have already got homes within the family(whether they are crossbreeds or not) and therefore, along with help and advice from the vet,yourselves, and a really good friend who breeds great danes(some size difference there!) I have decided to let Millie go ahead and have her babies....
I really have appreciated all advice,and guidance from you all, and look foward to keeping you up to date with how she goes.
I'll write back soon.....xxxxx

Admin edited: terms of service

Good luck Anne-Marie I'm sure Millie will be fine :)
Clair