Bitch on heat

Q.    My female Labrador is on heat.  I do my best to keep my eye on her but she is not the most obedient dog and I am worried that she might get pregnant.  How can I check if she is pregnant and is there anything I can do to stop her becoming pregnant?  I don’t really want the worry of puppies.

A.    Prevention is better than cure and spaying is still the best option if you do not intend to breed from her.  You have the option of having her spayed now but there are much greater risks with surgery if she is pregnant and she may have hormonal problems afterwards.  There is always a chance that she has not mated and did not conceive.  Even so, she may have a phantom pregnancy which means that she will go through the process of producing milk.  We recommend you discuss your options with your vet.  It would be wise to have your pet spayed as soon as safely possible and your vet will be happy to discuss pregnancy diagnosis.