596. The Yorkshire has a hard stomach area

The young lady was very worried as she waited for Dr Vanessa to finish the case before seeing her 6-year-old dog. Her taxi father recognised me from some 2 years ago when I was consulted about this dog.

She had seen Vet 1 who gave two injections two days ago. "My dog is still not well. She is not eating," the undergraduate said. She turned the small dog upside down and placed her on her lap. "See the big hard lump," she pointed to the "paunch" from below the rib cage.

I palpated this gently. "It could be a full stomach. Full of gas or water," I said. "Has she been spayed?" I asked.
"No," the young lady replied.
I noted the enlarged nipples and a slight swelling of the mammary gland. I placed my thumb and forefinger on the nipples. Creamy white milk gushed out. The lady was surprised. So was the father.
"Your dog has false pregnancy," I said. "Your dog has not been mated but still produced milk and this medical condition is called false pregnancy."
"Is it due to me not vaccinating her for the past two years?" the lady asked.
"No," I said. "It is due to an abnormal female reproductive system. Spaying her will prevent such problems."

I continued: "The hard lump is probably due to a lot of gas inside the stomach or a lot of water." Her dog had been drinking a lot but not eating much. "Very fussy about food, like me," the slim lady said to me.

When Dr Vanessa was available, the young lady, her father and dog went into the consultation room. The dog was given injections and an enema. She passed out some stools outside the clinic. No more tense stomach lump. The lady was happy.