Phantom pregnancies (also known as a false or pseudo-pregnancy) can be a confusing and distressing time for both owners and dogs.
If you believe your dog has been pregnant for 8 weeks but she isn’t showing and is showing some strange behaviours like mothering her toys, or appears to be more tired than normal, then there’s a chance that your dog may be experiencing a phantom pregnancy.
What Is A Phantom Pregnancy In Dogs?
Phantom pregnancy is a condition where an un-spayed dog can start to show the signs and symptoms of a real pregnancy when they aren’t actually pregnant.
Believe it or not, phantom pregnancies in dogs are actually very common. Dogs can display symptoms that are very similar to an actual pregnancy, which can be a confusing time for everyone involved, as you may be certain that your dog hasn’t mated.
Symptoms Of Phantom Pregnancy
Some of the most common signs that come with a phantom or false pregnancy in dogs includes making cosy nests and displaying mothering behaviour towards some of their toys.
While signs can vary from case to case, the most common signs of a phantom pregnancy are:
- Mammary development or swelling
- Lactation (Producing Milk)
- Making a nest
- Displaying mothering behaviour towards toys
- Lethargy
- Restlessness
- Vomiting or reduced appetite
- Behaving differently towards people or any other pets in the house and, in some cases, displaying aggression
How Is It Diagnosed?
If you believe your dog is around 8 weeks pregnant but they’re not showing any physical signs that they’re pregnant, then it’s recommended to take your dog to a vet to diagnose if she is infact having a phantom pregnancy. They’ll check many things such as examining your dog to see if they are lactating or have any abdominal swelling.
They’ll also discuss with you about their recent seasons and the possibility of mating. In a case like this where you believe the dog is around 8 years pregnant, the vet will do an ultrasound scan to rule out the possibility of pregnancy.
Even if you’re sure that your dog hasn’t mated, there’s always a chance of an encounter that you may have missed.
What Causes A Phantom Pregnancy?
When a female dog finishes her season, she’ll go through hormonal changes to prepare her body for pregnancy, even though she isn’t pregnant.
While in some dogs, the effect of these hormones should be mild, in others, the symptoms can be very similar to that of a genuine pregnancy.
For a dog that has mild symptoms, you can try to keep their mind active by distracting your dog with lots of play, stimulating games, and extra walks. Keeping your dog busy during this time also provides an opportunity to remove any items (such as toys or slippers) which they have started to mother. Although it’s important to be mindful when doing this, as your dog will have formed an emotional bond with the items and could become distressed if she sees you removing her surrogate “babies”.
How Long Does A Phantom Pregnancy Last?
Dogs that are experiencing a phantom pregnancy will typically show symptoms for around 2 weeks, however, in rare cases, this can go on for a lot longer. The first signs of a false pregnancy will usually start around 6 weeks after a female dog has finished her season.
If your dog has experienced a phantom pregnancy, then it’s likely that she’ll go through it again when her next season finishes.
Can Phantom Pregnancy’s Be Prevented?
You can prevent your dog from experiencing the behavioural and physical difficulties that’s associated with phantom pregnancies by getting your dog spayed.
Having your dog spayed will prevent phantom pregnancies, along with other health problems in female dogs. Although, a dog shouldn’t be spayed when they’re still experiencing symptoms of a phantom pregnancy, as this can cause the dog to become stuck in a state where symptoms persist.
How Common Is It?
50-75% of unspayed female dogs during their lifetime will experience a false pregnancy. It’s thought by some specialists that it originally evolved as a useful condition for wolf packs and continues in the domestic dog to this day. If a number of aunties in the pack experience false pregnancy and produce milk, then any wolf cubs in the pack would be more likely to survive.
False pregnancies do happen in other mammals. For example, in rabbits, it can occur in stressful situations. In cases like this, the doe can be seen to nest obsessively and lose weight. Thankfully, it’s far less common in cats and humans.
Behavioural indicators
Along with physical changes, they can have behavioural changes. Usually, a dog will act as if she’s already had pups. This can result in them collecting soft toys, cushions, shoes, socks or other objects from around the house, taking them to her bed or a chosen corner. After she has done this, she will mother them: hide them, guard them and lick them.
It’s believed by some behaviourists that if a female dog is spayed when she’s experiencing a false pregnancy, she could behave more aggressively. That’s why a vet will recommend getting them spayed at a reasonable time after a season.
What Can You Do About It?
In a situation like this, you should take your dog to the vet for an ultrasound examination to confirm whether this is a false pregnancy.
Swollen mammary glands and milk production can make the bitch lick herself until she is sore, leading to more milk production and sometimes infection. So, it’s important to stop her if she’s licking excessively. This can help to be prevented by using an Elizabethan collar, inflatable collar, romper suit or T-shirt can be used to stop her licking.
A situation like this is normal and will usually pass in 1-2 weeks.
When To See A Vet?
If your dog begins to seem unwell, lethargic, or she isn’t eating, then you should visit your vet. Unfortunately, a womb infection or pyometra may also occur after a season, and this is a dangerous condition.
If signs of false pregnancy aren’t going away or she is uncomfortable with her mammary swelling, then medication can be used to reverse the hormone changes and resolve the false pregnancy.
There are some dogs that have marked false pregnancies after every season, others are very distressed by marked symptoms. Getting them spayed will offer a permanent solution to the condition, as there are no further seasons.
So as previously mentioned, a false pregnancy is usually a mild, physiologically normal state, although in some dogs it can cause distress and discomfort.
