False pregnancy in a dog is a natural physiological state that does not pose a serious threat to the pet's health. Most dogs deal with false pregnancies on their own, without much input from their owners. However, if, during this period, your four-legged friend is struggling with strong behavioral or physical changes, he or she requires special care and proper care from the guardian.
Phantom pregnancy in a dog (otherwise pseudo) is a condition in which a female dog shows similar physical and behavioral changes as during a real pregnancy. This is a normal physiological condition, but it can be very distracting for the caregiver who is unable to determine what kind of pregnancy she is dealing with. Phantom pregnancy usually occurs about 2 months after the heat. Specifically, since a bitch can become pregnant between days 8 and 12 of heat, this condition most often occurs between days 50 and 82 post-heat, which is the period when she could potentially give birth. The frequency of a dog's phantom pregnancy can vary, it can occur regularly after each heat or intermittently. There is no rule, and the relationship with the age or breed of the dog has not been confirmed in this regard.
The exact duration of the phantom pregnancy depends on many factors, primarily on the individual characteristics of the bitch, her size, age, breed, health, as well as various environmental circumstances. It usually takes one to three weeks. Prolonged state of phantom pregnancy requires additional consultations with a veterinarian.
There is no single scheme of symptoms of a phantom pregnancy, this process is individual. Each time the course of a phantom pregnancy may look different. Once it can run in a bitch without intensified signs, other times with intense symptoms.
The most common symptoms of a phantom pregnancy include:
After each estrus, whether the female dog is pregnant or not, the same hormonal changes occur. This means that progesterone goes down and prolactin goes up. For this reason, a false pregnancy often occurs as a result of hormonal treatment. The reasons can also be sought in the appearance of a new family member (baby, puppy or kitten) in the house, which awakens the maternal instinct in the bitch. The condition is also quite common after contact with another bitch that has just given birth or is expecting.
A veterinarian can diagnose a phantom pregnancy in a dog based on symptoms and a physical examination. In some cases, your veterinarian may recommend further testing to rule out less common causes of phantom pregnancy symptoms. For example, hypothyroidism can be diagnosed with blood tests, urinalysis, ultrasound, or biopsy. Your veterinarian will usually recommend further testing when a phantom pregnancy does not go away as expected. If there is a possibility that the female dog is pregnant, additional tests are also required. Options for diagnosing pregnancy in dogs include: a blood test that determines the level of the hormone relaxin, an ultrasound, or an X-ray.
In most cases, phantom pregnancy in dogs does not require treatment and resolves spontaneously within 1 to 3 weeks. Treatment is not necessary unless the bitch's symptoms worsen or persist, or problems such as mastitis (purulent inflammation of the mastitis) develop. Frequent licking of the nipple can lead to milk production. It is a good idea to prevent your bitch from stimulating her nipples by wearing a camisole, cone or inflatable collar. In the case of exceptional, very troublesome symptoms, the veterinarian prescribes hormonal therapy to stop lactation, and in the case of problems with anxiety or aggression, light sedatives. In some cases, sterilization brings a positive change. However, it should be taken into account that in a bitch who is spayed during a phantom pregnancy, the symptoms will not disappear immediately, it may take up to several weeks.
You can also try to alleviate the symptoms or shorten the duration of the dog's phantom pregnancy by: providing the bitch with the right portion of physical activity, encouraging joint play, learning new tricks or training commands, limiting the caloric content of meals, hiding objects that could mother, avoiding massaging the belly ( especially around the nipples).
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