my poms

Question
my pom is 6mo she has swollen teats is that a sign she is in heat?  my other pom is 5 yrs i got her about 1 1/2yrs ago from a breeder,the first 6 mo she lived in her create, now its under a chair. she is very nervous,and hard to diagnose by the vet because of her fear of being touched. i need your help to find out why she has lost her hair. its like she just had a litter of puppies,but her last litter was 2yrs ago. do i need to feed her some other food or use different shampoo. i read that you were a groomer and hope you can help. thank you from all three of us.

Answer
Hello Norma, As for your 6 month old Pom, More than just swollen teats, I would look for a swollen vulva.  She will swell for 3 days, bleed for 7, breadable the next 7 and then take 7 more days to come out of heat.  Look for those signs also.  As for your 5 year old Pom; You can try giving her a supplemental vitamin if you do not think she is getting all that she needs from her food, sometimes changing the diet can cause other problems such as diarrhea. The loss of hair could be from so many different causes it is hard to pinpoint.  If you find it necessary to take her to the vet, try giving her bendryl for children, this should make her less nervous and maybe a little groggy.  The dosage is 1 teaspoon for every 12 pounds.  Or ask the vet for a sedative and then take her in for a diagnoses.  Good luck and Thanks for asking, Cindy Lou :)