Im so afraid my dog is pregnant

Question
I went out today to find our back gate pushed open.  The only evidence was paw prints (ugh), can she get pregnant on first try and will this take her out of heat?  Thanks

Answer
Hi Amanda,

Yes, a dog certainly can become pregnant on the "first try".

I would urge you to seriously consider having the pregnancy terminated. If this was your dog's first heat cycle she is both physically & emotionally immature. If your dog is under two years old, she may not make a good mother & could even ignore the puppies after delivering, which would leave you to raise the litter, which is extremely difficult to do.

You should have your veterinarian examine her within three weeks, as this is the time a doctor can tell if she's pregnant by palpating her abdomen (there isn't a pregnancy test for dogs). However, it would be wise to contact him very soon as he may have the means to provide a "morning after" injection that should help her uterus to expel anything contained -- at this stage.

I urge you to have your dog spayed, as accidental pregnancies are always a possibility, as you can now see.

Best of luck,
Patti