False pregnancy in dogs

Causes

False pregnancy, unfortunately, is not uncommon among dogs. One of the reasons for its occurrence is the care of offspring. The fact is that not all females can give offspring in a flock, but everyone takes care of him. To reduce the risk of death of babies if something happens to their mother during childbirth, wise nature provided for a false pregnancy in other females, which is accompanied by lactation and the inclusion of the instinct to care for offspring.

But the wild nature, where it is really about preserving the population in very harsh conditions, however, when a domestic dog that has never been bred suddenly begins to “make a nest”, protect its toys like newborn puppies and literally go crazy, this causes a real shock to the owners. False pregnancy is usually caused by a hormonal imbalance in bitches, when in the third phase of estrus, the body begins to produce the same hormones that would be produced if the dog was really pregnant. This is not such a harmless condition as it may seem. It delivers tangible discomfort to the dog both at the physical level (lactation, an increase in the volume of the abdomen, possible mastitis and inflammation of the uterus), and at the psycho-emotional level.

How to alleviate the condition?

In order to alleviate the condition of a dog that has a false pregnancy, it is necessary to review its diet, significantly limiting meat consumption and access to water. If the dog is on dry food, then it is worth temporarily switching it to natural food in order to reduce water intake and, accordingly, milk production. You shouldn’t let your dog stimulate his nipples, and certainly don’t strain him. This can cause serious inflammation of the mammary glands due to stagnation of milk, up to purulent, which will require surgery.

To reduce psychological problems, you need to remove from the dog’s field of view all small toys that it can take for puppies. It is necessary to distract the dog with long, active walks, play with it.

If the condition does not improve and she begins to literally rush at the owners, protecting the imaginary offspring, or false pregnancies are repeated with enviable regularity, then medical treatment is necessary.

Treatment

Any drug treatment, whether hormone therapy or the use of homeopathic remedies, must be carried out under the supervision of a veterinarian and after appropriate tests and ultrasound. Self-employment is not allowed here!

If almost every estrus ends in a false pregnancy and the animal does not represent a serious breeding value, then it would be more humane to sterilize the dog without torturing it and yourself.