Malaysia Veterinary Forum (Archive)

worriedsick · Joined: 05 Jul 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Liverpool

Dear all,

I'm new here and desperately looking for a competent vet in Butterworth Penang area or in the nearby areas. My dog, a cross breed who looks like a german shephard, have started to lactate 6 months ago and I've brought her to the vets in KL to be checked and they told me that it was just a hormone imbalance and there's nothing to worry about... I'm a diligent enough pet owner and Eevee has regular check ups with no problems (according to the same vet) except a recurring skin irritation which again according to the vets are normal ( i wonder at the term "normal") but the infection doesn't really recur unless Eevee goes into boarding or plays with another fren's dog (she's sensitive to dirt and just a germ free area will do her).

All's well (except that she's still lactating todate) until I left for UK and left Eevee in my mum's care in Penang when she starts to lactate loads and it leaks out even when she sits down and slight pressure is applied to her nipples area. This continues for a month or so as the vet keep telling me it's just hormones. My mum then told me that Eevee's hair keeps falling out and she's having irritated spots on her skin. When she took her to the vet in Butterworth the hormone imbalance explanation is given but to my horror, he added that my dog might have cancer! I was devastated. There appears to be a lump near her nipples but it doesn't have any lesions on it and merely appear as a lump of flesh under the skin.

Eevee has never been spayed as the previous vet told me that she's too old to be spayed (she was 4 years old at that time) and that spaying her would cause her to be obese. So we left it at that. Eevee's a house pet so she stays indoors with me, eat, sleep and play indoors except the morning and evening walks with me in the park and she have not had any unsupervised contact with a male dog so she can't be pregnant. Even with my mum she stays indoor with no other contact with other pets.

Please advice on which vet to go to (cost and convenience in mind .. although I'm able to support her medical cost, my mother is a frugal homey auntie who would balk at an expensive bill... maybe she'll just let Eevee go). Also would spaying her at this time (she's 8 now) be dangerous as well as futile?

Please help... being overseas when your best friend is sick is unbearable. My mom is not too knowledgable in such matters and I must search for help from here.

nekochan · Joined: 18 Jun 2007 Posts: 62

hi im not a vet, but

i think it is just false pregnancy, never been spayed, had no litters,
i had experience this with my female dog as well, lactate till dripping, lumps,
and at last she was spayed at 9 YO last year.

no such thing as too old to get spayed, crap, old dogs might have complications during surgery,
make sure do blood test, what ever test that could be done, before any surgery under GA.

u have to get her spayed , to prevent possible pyometra and other illness.
but not now, have to wait till her false pregnancy is over n' her cycle is back to 'normal'.
and u need to find a reliable vet who could do proper diagnosing.

check ur puppy.com reply as well.

is eevee in penang now? poor girl.

Dr Dunker · Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 463 Location: Puchong,Selangor

While it is true that the later one spays a dog the higher the risk of things going wrong, in your case, not doing it may be the reason our friend is lactating. Make no mistake, "complications" during surgery is a very real danger. BUt then again, not doing it may be worst off. Blood screans and physical evaluations can reduce the risk but may conditions do not present themselves in blood profiles. anaesthesia while much safer now then 10 years ago, will still have the potential to stop the heart.

worriedsick · Joined: 05 Jul 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Liverpool

nekochan wrote:
is eevee in penang now? poor girl.

yeah... eevee is in penang still now.. I'm currently working in Liverpool so can't get time to go back to visit her.. I've considered bringing her over here but the quarantine period really puts me off and because Eevee is not pedigree I'm not sure that the government knows what breed and origin to put her as.

I've called my mother and told her to get Eevee to a vet which is able to perform blood checks and all but she told me 'no vet do this wan la'.. haih... so I'm still waiting for any of yous out there to advice me which vet to go to.

As for the false pregnancy cycle, how long does it normally last? It seems like Eevee's have lasted for more than 8 months now. I'm getting really worried.

Thanks a million for all your advice and I'll contact more ppl to advice me of the complications of surgery at her age... It seems like there are 2 options of anaesthetics? gas or injection? what's the difference other than cost and if the cost is the only difference, then how big of a difference is there? Thanks again.

Dr Dunker · Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 463 Location: Puchong,Selangor

TO day most small animal clinic will tend to use gas rather then injection for anaesthetic maintainance, though induction is still mostly injection. THe cost may vary but for the most part when one weigh te risk of an older patient against the cost, gas is the way to go.

False pregnence typicaly last about a month or so, maybe longer since as vets we only detect it bit later when we see the bitch lactating. 8 months is a long time. and frankly i have not seen a case like yours. A spay may abe a good idea after this, when you coming back? At this moment i dont thnk you need to rush thngs. BUt things like tumor (though rare) may be somthing one may think about. By the way is she getting bald on both sides of the body around the flank area?

worriedsick · Joined: 05 Jul 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Liverpool

I'm not coming back till some time later. Eevee's hair loss are in small spots on both sides of the trunk. It appears like small insect bites and hair loss around it. What do you think?

Dr Dunker · Joined: 02 Jun 2006 Posts: 463 Location: Puchong,Selangor

Ok, before we go further , lets not thnk too eagerly on spay yet (spay now and we make the problem worst). Here is waht you can do, normaly when a bitch lactate for so long, odds are she have been licking her nipples due to discomfort thus stimulating more milk production. Get her an E collar and put it on for a few days. If the mamary glands start to swell or get inflame, visit your vet to get it checked out. Also some people have been known to withhold water every night (about 8 to 10 hours) for a week. The reduction in water intake may force your dogs body to conserve water thus reduce milk production. HOpe this helps. if it does not, then hormonal therapy may be the next step. As i said before i have yet to come across a bitch lactating for 8 months...further more one that is not pregnent.

worriedsick · Joined: 05 Jul 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Liverpool

Yeah I think you do have a point there. I'm sure that Eevee's licking would probably have something to do with the prolonged duration. I've asked my mum to give her the collar (which she has plenty due to her sensitive skin, she had had skin problems all the time).

Hopefully we don't have to withold her water intake as mum said she hasn't been drinking too much so maybe she does know her body quite well.