Female Maltese

Question
QUESTION: Hi, I have a female maltese and she is 2yrs. old. Recently I noticed her mammory glands were swollen and hard, she has also lost her appetite for her own dog food. She wants the food I eat even though she has never eaten of the table. What do you think is wrong with her.

ANSWER: Hi Angela,

Has she been bred?
Has she gone through a season lately?

If she hasn't been breed, it could be a false pregnancy.  If she has been, it could be a true one.

Regardless, you want to watch the swollen and hard glands.  She can develop mastitis, which can be a real problem.   Try letting her stand in a tub of warm water completely covering her teats.  This should bring the swelling down and ease any discomfort she may be experiencing.

Good luck

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: She hasn't been bred by me, but recently she went to a new grooming salon. I don't know if she was kept in a kennel separate from the other dogs or if she was in contact with any other dogs for the time she was there. She did have her menstrual cycle before going there. The tips of her glands are not hard will there be a change their to?

ANSWER: I would find out immediately.  If she was bred to say a Doberman, you're little female is in for a world of hurt.

It would have been your responsibility to inform the groomers that she was in season.  A female is fertile AFTER the bleeding stop.

If you don't plan on having her bred, have her fixed.

A false pregnancy has all the signs of a true one without the end result, so your female may produce milk.

Female dog's don't have menstrual cycles they have heats.  It's the only time they are receptive to males and can produce off-spring.


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I know it's not called menstruation it's called heat or in season.I am aware it's my responsibility and that's why I told them, but it's there obligation to follow through and keep her away. Of course they may not always be able to supervise and it may slip through their hands. I'm not blaming anyone, but I would appreciate not having any fingers pointed. Plus when she had gone to the groomers her heat had just stopped.

Answer
A season lasts 21 days so if she was taken to the groomers after the bleeding, she would have been fertile and ready to be bred.

You still have to find out if she was bred because as I mentioned, the outcome could be fatal for this dog.  X-ray's are the best bet, that and speaking to the groomers.