my pug...

Question
I have a pug who is just over a year old. She went in heat about 3 months ago for her first time. (she was in heat for about 4 weeks) i noticed that her vulva and nipples stayed swollen and her stomach is bloated. Today i noticed that her nipples were lactating. She is very tired, but i also just started taking her on walks, which tires her out too. i never actually saw her mating with a dog, but that doesnt mean she didnt. she ran off to my neighbors(who own a few smaller male dogs--i am not sure if they are fixed or not). i just want an opinion..do you think she IS pregnant and i should take her to a vet, or should i just wait it out for about another week and see if she has a pup?

Answer
If you are not going to have your bitch spayed, you should keep track of her heat cycles on your calendar. It is useful information to be able to refer back to.

Since your bitch got away while she was in season, there is a good chance that she is pregnant. Bitches do try to get to males when they are ovulating. You need to take her into the vet to determine if she is indeed pregnant, or if she is having a false pregnancy. She could also have pyometra (a deadly uterine infection) as one recent questioner's bitch did.

You certainly could wait to see if she produces anything, but the problem with that is that you won't be prepared if she is indeed pregnant, or worse... something could have happened and she could be carrying one or more dead puppies and would most likely have trouble whelping. Pugs particularly are known for having big heads and narrow rears... and can be a C-section just waiting to happen. Whelping can be deadly if the owner is not prepared. Where there is life, there is also death, and breeding should never be taken lightly.

If you don't plan on breeding your bitch, you should have her spayed. That will prevent pyometra and cut down on mammary cancer later in life.