False pregnancy in dogs: symptoms, treatment and consequences

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

False pregnancy in dogs is a serious mental and physiological disorder. Yes, it is a disorder, because it is difficult to unambiguously call it a disease, for a number of reasons. Most non-pregnant bitches show symptoms of pseudo-pregnancy periodically. Its external signs are identical to pregnancy. The difference is that the state occurs in the absence of the very fact of intercourse with a male. Signs of false pregnancy in dogs appear most often two or less months after the next estrus. And it does not depend on whether the female has ever had puppies or not.

What is a disorder?

Due to the syndrome of false pregnancy in dogs, changes in the psyche and physiology occur. The specific reasons for the occurrence of this state have not yet been established precisely. Scientists biologists endure only assumptions. Many of them describe the symptoms of false pregnancy in dogs as a reaction to hormonal changes.end of the flow. The condition occurs due to increased production of lactogenic hormones by the body.

Veterinarians have identified several major causes of false pregnancies in dogs:

• inconsistent breeding activity, lack of regularity;
• inflammatory processes with the formation of pus;
• excessive production of a hormone that is only released during the process of bearing puppies.

Biology of the disorder

In the third stage of the estrous cycle, the body of bitches produces corpus luteum. They produce hormonal currents that cause pregnancy. With fertilization, other types of hormones come into force. In the absence of pregnancy, the corpus luteum is exhausted, and the body returns to normal. The life span of the corpus luteum is equal to the gestational age - that is, up to two and a half months. It turns out that regardless of fertilization in the body of a dog, there is an increase in hormones responsible for bearing offspring. Their number affects how brightly a false pregnancy will be expressed.

Also one of the reasons why a dog has a false pregnancy is the freezing of embryos. They can resolve within four weeks. In this case, the behavior of the mother is observed in females. The dog builds a nest, carries toys, shoes, clothes there. In extreme cases, the dog will even push, as if giving birth.

Pseudo-pregnancy symptoms

There are a number of signs of false pregnancy in dogs. At the fifth, eighth week after estrus,dogs begin to swell nipples, produce milk. All this may be accompanied by outbursts of aggression.

The dog is building a nest. She can bring toys into it, and if they are not there, then any household items that can somehow remind her of puppies. Things can be completely unexpected: slippers, leather shoes, washcloths, brushes, bottles and more. Moreover, there is a noticeable difference in how the dog carries them - carefully, like a real puppy. Also one of the signs is loss of appetite, followed by fever. The dog seeks to retire, refuses to walk. In some females, this process goes unnoticed. But there are also severe cases, with limping on the hind legs, cramped gait and staggering behind. The possibility of developing diseases of the musculoskeletal system should be prevented. The dog may show signs of toxicosis, fake birth.

False pregnancy is not dangerous, only its consequences can be detrimental. The dog must be under the supervision of a veterinarian. Otherwise, mastitis, neurosis, purulent inflammation of the uterus may imperceptibly develop.

The dog has a false pregnancy. What to do?

During this period, every owner wants to help his pet, alleviate suffering. It is important to know all about the symptoms and treatment of false pregnancy in dogs. It is necessary to create unfavorable conditions, as in the wild, as if the flock is starving. That is, reduce the amount of protein in the diet and the portion of food in general. Water should also be given less, this will affect the release of milk. You need to physically exercise the dog, as if the pack were in search of food in the wild. And you should remove from the dog's access all items that it can use as dummies of puppies.

When a false pregnancy is not acute, the above actions will help her. But in advanced cases, you should show the dog to the veterinarian. The specialist will prescribe homeopathic remedies or a course of hormonal substances necessary in a particular case.

How long do false pregnancies last in dogs?

In most cases, the signs of pseudo-pregnancy in bitches last up to twenty days. All this time, the owners must remain patient. No special treatment needed.

Pseudo-pregnancy treatment

In cases where the symptoms are acute, treat false pregnancy in dogs. As a rule, veterinarians choose the most effective course of hormone therapy. Preparations are prescribed, which include estrogens in combination with progestogens and androgens. Their use is unsafe, so you should carefully follow the recommendations of the veterinarian. Bald patches may appear at the injection site, coat color may change, and other unpleasant consequences.

Fake pregnancy myths

The first myth is based on the fact that supposedly spaying a dog eliminates the possibility of a false pregnancy. But this is not the answer to the question why the dog has a false pregnancy. There is suchthe hormone prolactin, located in the pituitary gland (in the brain). He is responsible for the production of milk. This means that the removal of the ovaries does not affect the occurrence of lactation. A spayed dog is less prone to uterine tumors.

Some dog breeders believe that once mated, a bitch is not prone to false pregnancy. It is quite clear that this is not the case. True, if mating and pregnancy are regular, this eliminates false pregnancy. This is the second myth.

The third misconception is the punishment of the dog. Some consider it the right decision to take away “adopted” plush toys, boots, brushes, and even scold the dog for such behavior. This is extremely cruel. The bitch really believes that all the items hidden in the nest are actually her puppies. Taking them away from her is like taking real puppies. It is better to distract the pet, run more with it, play, but do not scold. She does this not out of stupidity, but under the influence of hormones. An unexpected "nest robbery" will become even more stressful for her, and in addition, there will be distrust of the offending owner.

Among medical misconceptions is linking pyometra directly to false pregnancies in dogs. This has not been proven, and the hypothesis is based only on the fact that the disease was cured by hormonal therapy during a false pregnancy.

Another popular claim is that tying the bitch's nipples will stop the milk flow and this will get rid of a false pregnancy. Such actions can lead to stagnation in the mammary glands of the knot. When she stimulates the nipples to release the nutrient fluid, it is better to put a blanket on her or lubricatecamphor oil. But, again, camphor oil can harm dogs with congenital heart problems. It is not allowed to express milk in a dog and massage the nipples. This will only make matters worse.

Danger of false pregnancy

During the "spoon" glands of females accumulate milk, mastitis develops in a neglected state. In addition, due to the accumulation of excessive mucus in the uterus, pseudopregnancy often leads to pyometra. So called purulent inflammation of the uterus. This disease is characterized by high mortality rates. Treated only by removal of the ovaries, in other words, surgical sterilization of the dog. That is, the pet must be castrated. It is important that the procedure is carried out by a specialist. He will prescribe the next course of therapy.

Conclusion

From everything read above, it has already become clear that pseudo-puppy is a series of physiological phenomena that follow each other, accompanied by a specific neurosis that appears on the basis of the female’s unfulfilled natural needs, that is, motherhood, which increases the dog’s status in the pack as a successor life. Together with the unstable psyche of the dog, this leads to the described pathological condition.

A false pregnancy is determined primarily by a change in the behavior of the dog. By the way, in some dogs, the manifestation of pseudo-puppy is reduced only to emotional and behavioral changes. According to the results of recent research by scientists, false pregnancy is often tooemotional females who have difficulty pouring out their energy in communication and intellectual tasks. Here you can add excessive emotional contact with the owners, the desire to realize their status in the "pack", and the only method is to become pregnant.

To ease the false pregnancy, the owner should put the dog on a diet and at the same time increase the length and quality of walking. Load the dog physically and intellectually. In no case do not scold the dog for its special behavior. The owner should carefully monitor the physical condition of the bitch, if symptoms worsen, be sure to contact the veterinarian.

If the owner of the bitch does not plan to engage in breeding work, you should consider spaying before the first symptoms of the insidious disorder appear. For those who are not ready for such problems, it is worth getting a dog.