What is False Pregnancy ?
If you have ever had a feeling your female dog was pregnant after her cycle of heat, when in fact she was never given the chance to breed, you are not alone. Many people have seen their female canine companion show signs of pregnancy, even though she is not. This is called false pregnancy, or pseudocyesis, and it has the same symptoms of a real pregnancy…without any embryo whatsoever. If you are a first time female dog owner who hasn’t spayed your pup, this condition may raise some concern and even fear. Discussing this condition with your veterinarian will help you understand why this is happening, and keep you proactive in dealing with this issue in a calm manner.
False pregnancy in female dogs is referred to in veterinary terms as pseudopregnancy or pseudocyesis. It is a relatively common occurrence that is characterized by behavioral and physical changes, without the presence of a true pregnancy.
Symptoms of False Pregnancy in Dogs
Before understanding the condition of false pregnancy, it is important to know how a female dog’s cycle works. Estrus is the stage when the dog can actually become pregnant; many people refer to this stage as “heat”. Estrus lasts for two to three weeks, and you can tell a dog is “in heat” by noticing a swollen vulva and obvious discharge. She will also have hormones and pheromones in her urine that attract male dogs and let them know she is in heat; she may urinate more often and in several different places she walks to attract the males. Toward the end of this period (about ten days), the discharge will become lighter and less frequent. This is the time she is most fertile; however, she can get pregnant at any time during estrus.
Most dogs go through estrus twice a year, and the cycles can start as early as six months of age, depending on the dog and breed. Also, there is no definite time of the year the dog is in heat. Smaller dogs may go through estrus up to four times a year, and large breeds may only go into heat once a year. Also, the first few times of estrus may be very irregular; it takes a few cycles and a little more age on the dog for them to start occurring in a distinct, more predictable pattern.
At the end of diestrus (the period following estrus), your pet may show behaviors seen with impending motherhood, even though she is not pregnant.
- Mammary development
- Lactation
- Abdominal distension
- Refusal to eat
- Nesting instincts
- Mothering of toys
- Restlessness
- Panic like behavior
- Moving around of bed or sleeping area
Causes of False Pregnancy in Dogs
At the time of estrus, there are also eggs released by the ovaries. These eggs wait to be fertilized by a male dog’s sperm. The corpus luteum is the remaining part of the follicle – the part that is left over after the egg is released. It is produced by the ovary, and gradually fades if the female has not gotten pregnant. Until then, while it’s still present (about sixty days), it produces progesterone and other hormones that would normally prepare her body to support a developing embryo and the pregnancy. Sometimes, though, the corpus luteum stays there for a longer time than normal, and this can be confused with pregnancy. The rapid decrease of progesterone, and the increase of prolactin are hormonal changes thought to be responsible for pseudopregnancy.
Diagnosis of False Pregnancy in Dogs
At the onset of symptoms, the first thing you should do is to have your dog checked by a veterinarian.
During a false pregnancy in canines, the dog’s breasts may swell and may even produce milk. You may see the milk leaking or be able to express it by massaging them. This, however, is not recommended because they will only produce more if milk is expressed manually. In addition to the breasts becoming fuller, the belly area will begin to look “fuller” and swollen. These are some of the clinical signs that your veterinarian will be looking for and discussing with you.
Tell your veterinary team about the exhibiting of nesting behavior, and the arranging of her bed. If she has been acting as if she can’t get comfortable, or waking a lot during the night and pacing around the house in an almost panic-like state, be certain to make the veterinarian aware.
Your veterinarian may ask questions similar to these.
- Has she been collecting items like other pets’ toys in the house, and acting as if they are her “babies” by keeping them close to her in her sleeping area?
- Has she been carrying them around and showing attachment behavior towards them? (This attachment behavior may be so intense that she may not want to leave her bedding and will always keep a protective and watchful eye over them.)
- Have you noticed her acting depressed and not eating as much, becoming quite restless at times?
Your veterinarian will eliminate the possibility of a true pregnancy by taking radiographs or performing an abdominal ultrasound.
Treatment of False Pregnancy in Dogs
Your veterinarian will discuss the choice of allowing this false pregnancy run its course; typically symptoms will resolve on their own. As for toys she has added to her collection, it is best to let her keep them rather than increasing her anxiety by taking them away from her. One thing you can do is to change her routine a little bit by taking her on more walks and increasing the distance as she becomes less anxious in wanting to return home to her “babies.” It is best to ignore her behaviors; the more you show her you are concerned about what she is doing, the more stressed she may become. Eventually, she will return back to normal.
With a false pregnancy, remember that your dog is following her mothering instincts and this really cannot be controlled. These behaviors may fade after about three weeks, but all dogs are unique and some may continue these behaviors longer than a month or so. If her behaviors continue for a long time, about eight weeks or longer, you should consult your veterinarian again. The veterinarian can give her an exam and if need be, intervene with medical procedures to get her to stop feeling so anxious. The veterinarian may give her something to stop the production of milk or have other suggestions to help the symptoms end. She will also want to check for the presence of other diseases; for example, hypothyroidism can prolong pseudopregnancy symptoms.
If the pseudopregnancy resolves itself but returns again and again, you may want to consider discussing an ovariohysterectomy with your veterinarian, in order to provide relief for your furry family member. There are medications available as well, but you must discuss the effects of long term use with your veterinary caregiver.
Recovery of False Pregnancy in Dogs
A false pregnancy can be very interesting to observe, as it will become apparent how much mothering instincts a female dog possesses. It can also be quite stressful on the dog, and you, the owner. It is not easy watching her go through any anxiety over her “puppies” and future “litter” but, rest assured, false pregnancies do happen, and more than likely her behaviors are quite normal. If you feel as if the dog is suffering immensely or have any concerns, a visit to your veterinarian will help ease your mind. More than likely, the doctor will tell you to give her lots of love, patience, and time, and before you know it she will be back to her old self once again.
Possible complications that can occur with allowing a false pregnancy to run its course are discomfort due to mammary gland enlargement, and engorgement due to lactation. You can alternate cold and warm compresses to provide relief.
False Pregnancy Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
I have a 26 month old wire haired dachshund, who in July had a false pregnancy, lactating teats, swollen/reddened vulva, swelling under tail, in the am she took a while before wanting to eat. My vet has suggested she get spayed, I was wondering if a OSS is a better alternative than a full spay and also could she just be treated with Standard Process uterine supplements to avoid the spay?
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If you are not planning on breeding Annie, spaying should be carried out; if you are wishing to go for an Ovary-Sparing Spay (where one ovary is left behind after the spay to give hormonal support which is theorised to have long-term health benefits), a discussion should be made with your Veterinarian regarding the pro’s and con’s as suitability for OSS is on a case by case basis. There hasn’t been many scientific studies on OSS and the studies that have been published are still being debated. There is a condition called Ovarian Remnant Syndrome where a portion of ovary remains after spaying and causes signs of heat and other potential signs. The decision is fundamentally down to you, but a discussion with your Veterinarian about the options would be beneficial. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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My 8 year old yorkie has had about 6 or 7 false pregnancies. (crying, very swollen, takes' babies' aggressive to my other dog, clearly stressed and sad, not sleeping etc) she is also losing hair on her back.
I have been putting off having her spayed as I am so nervous about the operation but I don't know if i am doing the right thing by her. Is she too old for this operation now? would you advise me to get her spayed or can we continue like this. I am very worried about an operation but Im also worried I am putting her through pain?
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It would be best to have Tilly spayed, even at her age a regular ovariohysterectomy shouldn’t cause much concern; pre anaesthetic blood tests can show liver and kidney function (as well as thrombocytes etc…) which would determine her suitability for surgery. Additionally, having her done will prevent possible other conditions like pyometra, decrease the risk of mammary tumours and other conditions. Spay her if your Veterinarian determines she is a good candidate for surgery. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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Hi there! My 9M old Bugg, Ellie, just finished her first heat cycle about two weeks ago. We didn't plan on letting her go into heat but alas--Mother Nature beat me to the punch. Today I took her in to get spayed and was surprised to find out that she is showing signs of false pregnancy. I assured the vet and vet tech that there was NO WAY possible that she is pregnant. She will have the spaying procedure preformed and I'll pick her up in a bit.
About two days ago I noticed a balding patch on her back. Not completely hairless, but if touched hair is easily falling out. I found it odd because she hasn't had any skin/hair issues previously. No changes in diet. No changes in grooming supplies. The only real change recently is that she has gone through heat. Is it possible that she is losing hair as part of a hormonal imbalance due to her false pregnancy? The bald patch is not red and does not look irritated. It does flake a lot like dandruff. Thanks in advance!
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Spaying whether she is pregnant or not just two weeks after the heat cycle wouldn’t make any difference to the spaying procedure. The hair loss may be attributable to the false pregnancy, especially if there is no sign of itching, flaking or lumps / bumps. For the hair loss, I would just keep an eye on it; if Ellie is still at the Veterinarian’s Office it may be worth doing a quick skin scrape since you’re there, but otherwise there isn’t anything to worry about. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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Hi,
I had my 10 month old chocolate lab spayed on Friday. By Sunday she was showing signs of a false pregnancy. Her teats are swollen (no milk), she has a "baby" she cares for and hides. She will leave it in a safe place while she is in her kennel for the day (she does not really want it with her in her kennel). She does a lot of whinning. She isn't eating much. Seams like it is causing anxiety in her. I know it is in me. Is there anything we can do? we have an appt with the vet on Thursday. I have been emailing with him and he doesn't seem to know much about false pregnancy
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Pseudopregnancy or false pregnancy occurs when there is an imbalance in the hormones in a female dog which lead to the body thinking that it is pregnant or just gave birth; this occurs occasionally two or three days after spaying and may last for fourteen days, unless the symptoms persist there usually isn’t a need to give any medical treatment. Whilst I understand your anxiety, the best thing is to just keep an eye on her and ensure that she is receiving an adequate amount of water and is comfortable; obviously, if you notice any serious symptoms develop such as blood from the vagina, pain or anything else, visit your Veterinarian immediately. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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My Mocha (Doberman) is showing fierce signs of pregnancy. She is 3 and this would be her first litter. Her boobs are getting bigger every day and producing more milk... my question is... would she be "losing her plug" if she was not pregnant? There was a large drainage of clearish mucus yesterday with a tiny bit of blood. Do dogs develop a plug even when it's a false pregnancy? She does not really like me feeling for her pups so I haven't been able to feel them very well. She has gained about 25% more body weight. (Around 20lbs).
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Usually the clear discharge is released just before whelping (or small amounts may leak during the last week or so of pregnancy) and is uncommon in false pregnancies. She may be pregnant if she was bred or she may be having a false pregnancy; the only way to know is to palpate the pups which can be difficult in larger dogs especially if the area is sensitive. There is always the possibility of miscarriage and the effects that may have on her health. If in doubt, visit your Veterinarian. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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I have a 1 1/2 yr old female American Bulldog. She went into heat for the first time on June 28th. During that time she developed swollen nipples and a swollen vulva, etc. But ever since then, her nipples and vulva have remained swollen (nipples even more swollen than they were while she was in heat), & her tummy has grown bigger, Fuller, and more firm. It's been a little over 2 months since she was in heat. It seems like her stomach would be larger than it is at this point if she were pregnant..So I'm wondering if it could just be a false pregnancy..Would/could she still have symptoms of false pregnancy even though it's been a little over 2 months since she was in heat? Or is it more likely that she is actually pregnant? If she is pregnant, wouldn't her stomach be pretty big by this point? Other than taking her to the vet or waiting to see if she has puppies, what would be the best way to tell if she is actually pregnant or not and how big would her stomach be by this point if she were pregnant?
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My female dog had an encounter with a male a while back while a friend was watching her. Although, despite this,they didn't tie. Its been about 6 weeks since, and my female as displayed signs of pregnancy. Over the last few weeks her abdomen has swollen, her breasts are enlarged, lazy behavior, and she has a very very small amount of milk from one of her teats. I was wondering whether this could potentially be a false pregnancy, or not?
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There is always a chance that it is a false pregnancy, but if there was an encounter with a male no matter how brief there is always a chance she is pregnant. At around six weeks, it is a bit early for a dog to start lactating which normally occurs a week before whelping. Dogs carry for about nine weeks give or take a few days either side; to put your mind at rest it would be worth visiting your Veterinarian to see if she is pregnant or not. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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About 60 days ago we had mated our dog and now she seems restless her breasts have swollen up and her teeth are flushed pink she is lactating and she's been very shaky but she she is still eating and drinking we made her a nest jus in case but could she be pregnant ?
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Gestation period in dogs is around 63 days, but a wider margin is usually given as many people don’t know the exact mating date. If Blue is starting to nest, it is usually a sign that she may start whelping soon; keep a close eye on her and if you have any doubts, take her to your Veterinarian for an examination and an ultrasound to count the number of pups. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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Hi,
I have a 2 year old dachshund and she had breeded with another 3 dachshunds and she didn't get pregnant. And now 2 months have passed and she is getting milk and her chest area and I just wanted to know if the cycle of pregnancy can still occur?
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Symptoms of false pregnancy are usually self-limiting and symptoms usually subside within ten to fourteen days; however, if symptoms are severe, cause her pain or last longer than two weeks you should visit your Veterinarian. After she has recovered, there should be no reason why she cannot be bred. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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My female dalmatian was diagnosed with false pregnancy about 10days back and she was lactating then. She kept whining all the time and was also diagnosed with UTI. She was given antibiotics for UTI and her condition improved. Now after a week she has started whining again and trying to dig holes around the house though there is no sign of milk production. Vet had advised me to give carbogaline tablets but since her condition improved i did not give her any medication for pseudopregnancy. What should i do now?
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Carbogaline is prescribed to suppress the production of milk (reduces levels of prolactin in circulation) in cases of phantom (or false) pregnancy. Symptoms of phantom pregnancy may take time to subside and can take three weeks to resolve; normally symptoms resolve without treatment. Behavioural changes should also resolve within the same timeline. Normally treatment consists of symptomatic therapy (warm compress on mammary glands for example) and treatment of secondary infections where they occur. This would be a case where if Jenny is otherwise healthy, it would be a wait and see approach. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Thank you so very much for the promp response, but what I am worried though is she keeps whining all the time moving anxiously around the house. I feel so helpless. I guess i need to wait and watch...
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what to do so that my bitch would not get false pregnancy again and get pregnant ?
i want to breed her so that is why was asking you for any kind of medi so that she can be pregnant in future
she is just 2 years old and it was her 1st time. I matted her but she has gone into false pregnancy. What can i do to breed her in her next season?
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Symptoms of phantom pregnancy always appear after being in heat (four to eight weeks after); the symptoms of phantom pregnancy usually subside after two weeks but may last around a month, treatment is usually unnecessary unless symptoms persist. Apart from spaying, there isn’t really a recommended method of preventing phantom pregnancy (it is quite common in intact females), but if you are planning to breed her the next time she is in heat, there wouldn’t be a recurrence of phantom pregnancy as “heat” always precedes symptoms. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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I recently rescued a 9 year old chihuahua and got her spayed about 2 weeks after getting her. She is displaying signs of a false pregnancy a week after her spay. We are going to the vet in a week to get her stitches out so I will have her vet check her out then (he is already aware of the false pregnancy) but in the mean time, should I let her keep the “babies” in her crate or take them from her? She gets very anxious and whiny when she leaves them. She is now also very aggressive with my other female dog, so is it best if I keep Pixie separate from the other dogs in my house? She got along great with them before the false pregnancy started. Pixie is much more content being alone in my room with her “babies”, and gets anxious/aggressive if I try to bring her downstairs with the “babies”, but I feel bad leaving her alone.
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Hi, my 10 month old pitbull pup is showing serious sign of pregnancy. She was at the end of her heat cycle about 6 weeks ago when our male intact pitbull mated and got stuck together. It lasted only about 10 seconds before they got stuck and we caught them. Since then her teats have enlarger, stomach has become fuller, and now she has the clear mucus leaking from her vag. I took her to the vets yesterday and did xrays, her uterus is enlarged, but didn't see any pups yet so we have to go back again next weekend to see if we see any pups. The vet advised she could be having a false pregnancy and explained to me the symptoms that do go along with it. What would our chances be that it is just a false pregnancy at this point? Or do her symptoms show more towards an actual pregnancy? During false pregnancy does the clear mucus usually occur as well??
We were not planing for her to get pregnant, the week of her starting her heat cycle she had an appointment to get fixed, but once they found out she was in heat, they wanted to charge even more, which we couldn't afford.... If she is pregnant we don't want to give her an abortion, but we also want to know what we'd be getting ourselves into as this being our first time having puppies?
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It maybe a case of false pregnancy as pregnancy detection by x-ray would be apparent by six weeks, range is five to seven weeks which is probably why your Veterinarian asked you to return next week to make sure; the exact gestation period of a dog is 62-64 days (when you know the actual mating date) which is nine weeks, so she would be two thirds there. Most cases of false pregnancy resolve themselves without medical intervention; if Bella’s mammary glands are swollen, they maybe relieved by placing a warm moist towel on them. Obviously, once the signs of the false pregnancy have run their course, book Bella in again for a Spay. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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I had my 3 and a half year old chi spayed about 5 days ago. Her last heat was about a month and a half prior to the spay. The fourth night after the surgery she started whining a lot. She was on her medication from the vet and I just finished her last dose. She's started carrying a squeaky toy around constantly and will whine with it in her mouth . She will also stand right by me and wait for me to pick her up and once I pick her up she will usually drop the toy but will not stop whining until I pick her up. I haven't noticed any body changes on her such as lactating or an enlarged stomach. I'm not sure what it could be.
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When a female dog is spayed, there may be hormonal imbalances due to the absence of the ovaries which may cause some behavioural changes in the short term whilst the body adjusts to the changes; clinically there is most probably nothing wrong and after five days discomfort shouldn’t be an issue. I would ride it out until you visit your Veterinarian for the post surgery checkup and ask them to check her over. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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what to do so that my bitch would not get false pregnancy again and get pregnant ?
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False pregnancies are usually harmless and will resolve on their own. The best way to prevent against pregnancy (false or real) is to have her spayed (especially if you’re not planning on breeding her) as this would prevent future occurrences as well as prevent conditions later in life that affect older female dogs: pyometra, mammary tumour, uterine tumour etc… Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
I am also a breeder same issue. My lab 38 month old lab had a litter but appear to be false pregnant now. What are the best conditions for conception? Are older males more likely to successful conceive? Can hormones help fertility?
Thanks
i want to breed her so that is why was asking you for any kind of medi so that she can be pregnant in future
she is just 2 years old and it was her 1st time. I matted her but she has gone into false pregnancy. What can i do to breed her in her next season???????
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I had my dog spayed a week after she started experiencing symptoms of a false pregnancy, when I came to pick her up they let me know she had hydrometra. I've been researching it and is it more then likely she had hydrometra because of the false pregnancy? I worry now that I did damage. Also would the vet have known this since I told her about my dogs false pregnancy? Is it ok that the vet completed the procedure or should she have not completed it? They did give me antibiotics for the hydrometra and let me know to see my normal vet in 2 weeks.
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There is no real issue spaying during a false pregnancy; there is some discussion in the Veterinary world about spaying during false pregnancy, some Veterinarians prefer to wait as spaying may prolong symptoms of false pregnancy. The antibiotics prescribed, would cover the possible secondary infections from the spaying. Visiting your usual Veterinarian after two weeks is to check the wound and a general examination. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
Also I want to mention she's never been pregnant and her false pregnancy symptoms were nesting, treating her toys like puppies, whining, and lack of appetite.
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Hello
I have a 4 yrs old Staffordshire terrier boxer mix female, she was spayed as a puppy and recently she is acting like fake pregnancy and takes her new toy everyhere and makes crying sounds while carrying it. It pains me to watch her like that, her glands are not swallen but we did welcome our first child to the house 6 weeks ago...good this be just her overreacting or the stress has trigger her hormons into everdrive??
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There are various reasons for a change in behaviour and possibly having less attention due to a newborn maybe due to that; another cause may be ovarian remnant syndrome where a small portion of ovary tissue was left behind after spaying any may cause some hormonal changes but is uncommon. Keep an eye on her to see if the behaviour subsides, but if it continues visit your Veterinarian. Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
www.parents.com/parenting/pets/babies/how-baby-changes-pets-life/
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Nikki our dog is a female and had her estrus and we mate her with another male dog. After 3 weeks she showed signs of pregnancy like big breasts like it has milk and she showed a little of her belly bump while sitting.
It is almost her due date to give birth but it is aready 65 days and she is not showing signs of having labor and such. She is very energetic and always wants to play. Then, after 2 more days of observation her belly is not showing that he i pregnant but she has a not that large bump in her belly and it is hard like there is a puppy an still her breasts is big.
Is my dog pregnant or she just have a false pregnancy?
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False pregnancy is a possibility, but signs of false pregnancy only last two weeks or so, no the length of a pregnancy. Without examining Nikki, I cannot say for certain if she is pregnant or not; if you cannot feel any pups (beagles can be quite difficult to feel pups in), it would be best to visit your Veterinarian to make sure that there aren’t any pups (dead puppies can be retained and cause problems later on). Regards Dr Callum Turner DVM
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5 Years
I have 9 months pit bull she have pro lead what can i
do