Understanding False Pregnancy in Dogs: Symptoms, Causes, and Effective Treatments

A hormonal imbalance is believed to play a central role in affected bitches.

False pregnancy, psychological pregnancy, or pseudo-pregnancy is a term used to denote a common condition in a non-pregnant bitch that shows pregnancy symptoms, lactation or lactation, without producing puppies.

The female dog with this condition shows signs about a month or two after her heat ends.

The bitch enters the rutting season approximately every six to eight months, although this period tends to vary with age; it can also occur at longer intervals in certain breeds.

A hormonal imbalance is believed to play a central role in bitches affected with false pregnancy. Depending on the severity of the problem, symptoms can last for more than a month.

False pregnancy in dogs Symptoms

• Changes in behavior
• The non-pregnant bitch may show symptoms of maternal activity, nesting (with cloths or teddy bears) and self-care
• Restlessness
• Abdominal distension
• Enlarged mammary glands
• Vomiting
• Depression
• Loss of appetite (anorexia)
• Brownish watery fluid or water discharge from the mammary glands

False pregnancy in dogs treatment

If your pet exhibits these symptoms, you will need to provide your veterinarian with a detailed health history. The doctor will most likely perform a thorough physical exam to assess the dog’s body systems and overall health.

But it could also recommend blood and urine tests and taking abdominal X-rays and ultrasounds to rule out infections in the uterus or pregnancy.

In addition to the recommendations that the veterinarian can give you to cope with this psychological pregnancy, you can choose to distract the animal from forgetting its state.

A good strategy would be to increase the number of walks and their duration. Another tip is to remove the toys you have adopted as if they were puppies.

The exact causes of false pregnancy in dogs are not known. Specialists believe that hormonal imbalances, especially progesterone and prolactin, play an essential role in its development.

How long does a false pregnancy last in dogs

How to recognize false pregnancy in dogs? The hormonal imbalance in the dog usually lasts 3 weeks and produces physical and/or psychological symptoms, which then disappear on their own.

Physical symptoms: Swelling of the abdomen, breast swelling, and milk production.