[BUZZ2BUZZ]

[F]
We adopted a 12- 14 year old dachshund 2 1/2 year ago. She is in fair health, having myocarditis, a cataract in one eye, and dental problems. However, she has NO BACK problems and LOTS of energy. She is an absolute sweetheart but having had a difficult life- has great separation issues, and is prone to depression. I am recovering from cancer, myself, and am financially limited to put it mildly. We are not in a position to just take her to the vet simply out of curiosity, so I can us some help determining if she needs to be checked out.
I read recently that female dogs never experience menopause, and are therefore able to become pregnant at any age. I have no idea if this is true, & have never owned a female dog before. Additionally, the veterinarians who have seen her are not certain if she has been spayed or not. The only symptoms re. pregnancy she is exhibits are: a somewhat bloated abdomen and a genital area that seems enlarged and has a sticky, milky substance around it (this is new). I can't say for sure if her nipples are larger... maybe slightly. She ALWAYS loves to eat and sleep, so I can't say that anything has changed there.
Can anyone tell me if she sounds pregnant, and if at her age... being "with puppies" is even a viable consideration-and if not... what are the options.
PS (Before I read the article re. "no dog menopause", I NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED a dog her age as being able to become pregnant- so we never pressed the issue of her having been or not been spayed with the vets... just a "possible" word of caution to potential adoptive owners of senior females)
Thank you, buzz2buzz

[RubyPitbull]

Buzz, I am sorry to hear about your health problem. You are a very kind person for adopting an older dog. You are right, dogs don't go through menopause but their heat cycles diminish and stop as they age. Hard call to make as to exactly what age, but I can pretty much guarantee that a dog of at least 12 years of age will have a very hard time conceiving. Did you notice her going into a heat in the past year? There is no mistaking that for anything else. Sometimes, females don't exhibit overt symptoms, but that is really very rare. It is pretty hard not to notice it. Was she around any unneutered males?

I understand why you never discussed spaying with your vet. When a dog is older, unless there is no other alternative, surgery is not something that a vet would recommend. I am concerned about your dog's health. What you are describing is not normal. If you have taken her for regular checkups to a vet, he/she will not charge for a simple phone call. You might not have discussed spaying her, but the vet might have noticed whether she is spayed and noted it in her chart. Did you adopt her through a rescue group? Usually, they will automatically spay/neuter. You might want to call them and see if they can look through their records and tell you if she was spayed. I know money is tight, but this is one of those things that is a no win situation. If she is pregnant, it could very well kill her if she goes to term. If she isn't pregnant, she could have ovarian, uterine, or breast cancer and may require surgery. Either way, you need a vet to take a look at her to determine exactly what is going on with her. At her age, personally I wouldn't rely on anything someone may tell me online. This is the kind of thing that really needs a vet's attention.

[bushg]

My female dog has a slight scar on her tummy, maybe if you shaved her hair or could separate the hair , where her navel is at you could see. It kind of resembles a burn mark.

[labman]

The scar from an old, well done spay is hard to see. I agree with RubyPitbull, at least call the vet.

Smaller dogs, such as a Dachshund, live longer. My Lab is still going strong a month before her 14'th birthday.