young girl half chihuahua

Question
is it normal for a young dog not puppy to have swollen breast? i just got my first dog from a friend and i have never seen her breast look swollen and my friend says its normal and will change and she grows..i was worried she might be pregnant but my friends says she isn't

Answer
Hi Tracy,

Thank you for writing to me about your new dog.

It is not normal for a dog to have swollen breasts unless she has just had a litter of puppies or if there is a hormonal imbalance.  Therefore, it is important that this dog be examined by a vet to find out exactly what is going on.  You would also want to have her spayed because for every heat that a dog goes through the chances of cancer go up significantly.  Additionally, for every puppy born, there is a dog waiting on death row because there aren't enough homes for everyone.

Best Regards,
Shelley Davis