False pregnancy

A false pregnancy is a natural process that a bitch is susceptible to after heat. It is caused by the hormone progesterone, also known as the pregnancy hormone. This hormone is responsible for producing uterine milk and maintaining pregnancy. A false pregnancy can occur about 40 days after ovulation. During this phase, the hormone prolactin is produced in the brain. Prolactin ensures that milk production starts.

A false pregnancy usually stops on its own. The psychological symptoms often disappear after a week and milk production stops after two to three weeks.

Prolonged pseudopregnancy can lead to diabetes. There may also be anomalies and nodules around the milk packs.

What are the causes of a false pregnancy?
The origin of a false pregnancy lies in nature. Dogs are descended from wolves. In wolves, the highest ranking bitch (the alpha bitch) gives birth to pups. It is important for the whole pack that nothing happens to the puppies. Nature has ensured that the other females in the pack have the same characteristics as the alpha female. In this way, these bitches can take over the care of the puppies.

It can also happen that the bitch mistakenly becomes pregnant after giving birth to a baby. Because in a pack, it's normal for dogs to mistakenly get pregnant when the alpha bitch has had puppies. At this point the dog thinks he should help and will build his own nest.

What are the symptoms of a false pregnancy?
There are several symptoms of a false pregnancy. These symptoms can often be observed through the heat.

• Behavior change from the heat as progesterone levels rise

• The bitches withdraw and sometimes feel the urge to breed

• Overly clingy, squeaking and snorting at other dogs

• Collect items that you want to take care of

• defend things

• You become lethargic and don't want to go out anymore

• Less appetite

• The mammary glands swell and are painful

• Sometimes milky fluid from the nipple

• Inflammation of the mammary glands

• The belly gets bigger

When should I take this to the vet?
A false pregnancy is not an emergency. However, given the risks of a false pregnancy, it is advisable to do something about it, especially if the bitch is unwell. So it certainly can't hurt to make an appointment with the vet.

How is a false pregnancy diagnosed?
The diagnosis is made by a physical examination of the dog. If there are doubts as to whether the bitch is insured, an ultrasound or X-ray can be used to determine whether the bitch is actually not pregnant.

How is a false pregnancy treated?
Treatment for a false pregnancy depends on the bitch. A bitch can take it with no problem, while another dog is not at all comfortable. This is annoying for the boss and the risks of a false pregnancy can be: formation of nodules, development of diabetes/diabetes.

If a bitch has regular and long-term false pregnancies, she is more likely to develop mammary gland tumors. False pregnancy can also lead to uterine inflammation. In this case, it is advisable to have the bitch spayed.

In addition to the above treatments, it's also important that you provide the dog with plenty of distraction. For example, you can choose to walk the dog. It is also advisable to temporarily store the dog's toys. The dog can see this as its pup and defend it.

What is the prognosis for a false pregnancy?
In the case of a false pregnancy, the bitch does not need to be spayed immediately. Mispregnancy is often a recurring problem. It is possible that the dog was helped immediately with a sterilization and that he no longer has any problems with it. If the bitch was not helped with the spaying, you can give (homeopathic) products that reduce false pregnancy. These products have a soothing effect on inner turmoil and help with mood swings. It also reduces the formation of mammary gland packs.

How can a false pregnancy be prevented?
A lot of distraction, poor feeding and ignoring deviant behavior can in many cases contribute to the bitch surviving the false pregnancy more quickly. The bitch must be prevented from expressing her urge to breed.

Mispregnancy in dogs cannot be prevented as it is a natural process. It is important to put yourself in the dog's shoes. It is better not to rub the tummy as this can stimulate the pituitary gland to produce extra milk.

If the false pregnancy recurs regularly and the bitch is visibly bothered because she is not feeling well, you can opt for sterilization. Sterilizing often fixes the problem immediately because progesterone levels are highest after the heat.

This text was translated by a translation machine