Why has your 10 month old dogs teats got bigger?

Answer 1

She's probably going into or is actively in heat-- her reproductive cycle. Hormone changes associated with her getting ready to mate and become pregnant stimulate the development and enlargement of her teats, just as a woman's breasts may swell and enlarge a little bit during certain times of her monthly cycle. If, by chance, your dog has already come into heat AND had an encounter with a male dog during her cycle, then it is possible that she may be pregnant. Pregnancy WILL cause the breasts to enlarge significantly, especially toward the end as she prepares to whelp (deliver) her puppies. If she has NOT been bred, and the enlargement appears at the end of her heat cycle, then she might be experiencing a false pregnancy. This is due to high progesterone levels, and your veterinarian can help you determine if this is the case. Often, dogs in false pregnancy will show other signs, such as nesting, or gathering objects such as stuffed animals or socks and "nurturing" them as a false litter. Usually, having her spayed will end the false pregnancies and keep them from recurring. It will also prevent REAL pregnancy! Spaying her will also reduce her risk of mammary tumors and breast cancers. Yes! Dogs and cats CAN get mammary (breast) cancer if they aren't spayed. It's a serious disease-- but spay surgery BEFORE your dog comes into heat for the first time will give her the LEAST POSSIBLE risk of ever developing it later in life. Even if she had a cycle or two, spaying at that time will still reduce her risk. The more your female cycles, the higher her risk of mammary tumors. And pregnancy. And nasty uterine infections. Keep an eye on the mammaries and if they stay large or get larger over the next couple of weeks, see your vet.