Why does a dog's milk curdle? False pregnancy in a dog: what to do. The main physiological symptoms include

Pregnancy in a dog is the period during which a fertilized egg develops into a puppy, from the moment of conception to the moment of birth.

Signs of pregnancy in dogs

Many owners ask what are the signs of pregnancy in a dog.

There are no signs of pregnancy in a dog in the early stages. At this time, it is impossible to determine whether the bitch will have puppies, either by palpation or by appearance.

The first signs of pregnancy in a dog after mating concern not physical condition, but behavior. The dog may become calmer, more affectionate, and sometimes show signs of illness.

Signs of pregnancy in a dog most often appear 21–22 days after mating. At this time, if you know where to look, you can feel small lumps on both sides of the abdomen. These lumps can be felt until the 35th day, and later become soft, so that they can be felt with difficulty. But by this time, signs of pregnancy include an enlarged belly.

By the 4th - 5th week, signs of pregnancy in a dog include thickening on the sides, the body becomes rounded. But sometimes these signs of pregnancy in a dog are visible only at the 7th week.

During the 5th week, enlarged nipples are added to the signs of pregnancy in the dog, and in the 6th week, if the bitch lies on her side, puppies can be felt in the horns of the uterus. A sign of pregnancy in a dog at the 7th week is a significant enlargement of the mammary glands. In the last week, a drooping belly is added to the signs of pregnancy.

One of the surest signs of pregnancy in a dog is the movement of the puppies.

How to detect pregnancy in dogs at home

You can determine if a dog is pregnant at home by the following symptoms:

1. Changes in appetite (during mid-pregnancy, the dog usually loses his appetite).
2. Vulvar discharge (4th week of dog's pregnancy).
3. Decreased dog activity level.
4. Enlargement of the dog's belly.
5. Enlargement of dog's nipples.

How else can you tell if your dog is pregnant? There are additional ways:

1. Pregnancy test. However, please note that a human pregnancy test will not help determine if a dog is pregnant.
2. Veterinarian examination. Typically, if a dog is more than 25 days pregnant, the puppies' heartbeat can already be heard through a stethoscope.
3. Ultrasound and X-ray.
4. Analysis for relaxin is a hormone whose level in a dog’s blood during pregnancy is very high.

Dog pregnancy by days and weeks

The detailed course of a dog’s pregnancy by day and week can be traced using the following table.

Gestation period in dogs

Many owners are concerned about the gestational age of dogs.

Normally, the gestation period for puppies in dogs is 63 days (the gestation period for small breed dogs is on average 60 days). However, if the dog's gestation period is 53 - 71 days, the puppies are born viable.

If puppies are not born after 71 days, your dog may have become pregnant later than you think.

Dog pregnancy calendar

We suggest you familiarize yourself with the detailed dog pregnancy calendar to determine the approximate due date, focusing on the day of mating.

Ultrasound of a dog during pregnancy

An ultrasound of a dog during pregnancy is often performed. Ultrasound is the optimal method for diagnosing pregnancy in a dog.

An ultrasound of a dog during pregnancy can be performed from the 15th day after mating, but the optimal time for an ultrasound of a dog during pregnancy is 24–28 days. It is at this time that the heartbeat of future puppies can be detected.

An ultrasound of a dog during pregnancy makes it possible to assess the condition of the fetuses by observing their movements, heartbeat, etc. You can determine the size of the puppies and their approximate age. And on day 28, an ultrasound is 99.3% accurate in determining whether a dog is pregnant.

But it is difficult to accurately determine the number of future puppies using ultrasound.

Discharge in a dog during pregnancy

After mating, the dog's estrus should stop, but there are cases when a dog discharges during pregnancy.

If your dog's discharge during pregnancy is not too heavy, light pink or clear, this is normal.

Also, on the 21st day of pregnancy, after urinating, dogs have clear, watery discharge - this is also normal. A clump of mucus may hang in a loop or stick together in the dog's fur under the tail. If the bitch is not washed, the discharge may form a brown or caramel crust. Sometimes black or greenish clots come out with mucus - these are embryos that died at the beginning of development.

If a dog’s discharge during pregnancy (3rd – 4th week) is bloody and bright red, this is a reason to immediately contact a veterinarian. There may be several reasons for such discharge, but it is necessary to do an ultrasound to rule out uterine rupture.

If a dog's discharge during pregnancy (at any stage) is dark green, with a strong putrid odor, this may indicate the death of the fetus or placental abruption. Don't wait - take your bitch to the vet as quickly as possible. Otherwise, you risk losing not only all the puppies, but also the dog!

1 - 2 days before giving birth, the dog begins to have discharge of a light brown, greenish or whitish hue - this is also normal and signals that labor is approaching.

Termination of pregnancy in dogs

Sometimes an unplanned mating occurs, and the owner turns to the veterinarian with the question of whether it is possible to terminate the dog’s pregnancy.

So, is it possible to terminate a dog’s pregnancy and how to terminate a dog’s pregnancy?

Termination of pregnancy in a dog in the early stages is possible through the use of hormonal drugs that prevent the implantation of fertilized eggs into the walls of the uterus. Such termination of pregnancy in a dog occurs within 7 days after using the drug.

After your dog has had an abortion, you must return to your veterinarian to confirm the abortion using an ultrasound.

Another option for terminating a dog’s pregnancy is surgery, which involves removing the uterus and fetuses.

False pregnancy in a dog

Many owners confuse a false pregnancy with a failed one. What is a false pregnancy in a dog? False pregnancy is a physiological condition of a dog that, without being mated, exhibits all the symptoms of pregnancy.

Symptoms of a false pregnancy in dogs resemble those of a real pregnancy. The dog prepares the nest, experiences something reminiscent of labor pains, and may handle toys as if they were puppies.

Many owners are wondering: if a dog has a false pregnancy, what to do? First of all, you should contact a veterinarian - you may have to give the dog sedatives that will help the animal return to normal.

Sometimes a false pregnancy in a dog indicates the presence of an inflammatory process in the uterus, and this requires serious treatment.

Sometimes it happens that about a month after mating the bitch, the puppies “dissolve”, although the signs of pregnancy in the dog do not disappear. This phenomenon is called a “failed” pregnancy, and should not be confused with a false pregnancy. False pregnancy in a dog is a condition when signs of pregnancy and childbirth appear in a dog that has not been bred.

Toxicosis in a dog during pregnancy

Toxicosis in a dog during pregnancy can manifest itself in a mild form during the 3rd – 4th week, if the bitch is pregnant for the first time. Toxicosis in a dog during pregnancy lasts 2–3 weeks and does not pose a danger to either the dog or the puppies. Signs of toxicosis in a dog during pregnancy: poor appetite, selectivity in food, vomiting white foam in the morning.

Milk from a dog without pregnancy

A dog without pregnancy may begin to produce milk 2 months after estrus. The appearance of milk in a dog without pregnancy is a sign of a false pregnancy.

Pregnancy is an integral part of the life cycle of any living creature. This process is accompanied by changes in the pet’s behavior, mood, lifestyle, and awakens its instincts.

But what to do when changes occurring in the body, masquerading as pregnancy, actually have serious consequences for health and life? You need to keep your eyes open to help your four-legged friend avoid lifelong injuries.

False pregnancy is a special physiological state of an animal that not an abnormality or disease. It occurs not only in dogs, but also in other mammals (rabbits, cats, ferrets), although it is most noticeable in dogs.

False pregnancy occurs in unmated bitches after estrus or after mating that did not result in fertilization. The dog’s body begins to produce the same hormones as during true pregnancy. Therefore, on a physiological level, the bitch feels pregnant. Almost all the signs are the same:

• mammary glands swell;
• the stomach increases;
• prolactin fluid appears from the nipples;
• sometimes there is discharge from the loop.

When does it occur and for what reasons?

One of the reasons for the manifestation of this condition is considered to be periodization of the appearance of puppies in the pack. In nature, everything is arranged in such a way that the females of one pack are in heat (estrus) and give birth to puppies during the allotted period.

In order for the maximum number of individuals to survive, even in unfertilized females in the flock, the mechanism of false pregnancy is activated. Lactation of such bitches allows them participate in the process of feeding someone else's offspring. False pregnancy usually appears 4-9 weeks after estrus.

Signs

Let's look at everything in detail manifestations of false pregnancy with a description of the reasons.

• Enlargement and swelling of the mammary glands. It is caused by the secretion of prolactin, a breastfeeding hormone that is released during true pregnancy so that the mother can feed her offspring.
• Changes in breast pigmentation also due to the release of prolactin and changes in the structure of the epithelium in the glandular zone. The skin becomes softer and more porous so that the puppy can drink milk without difficulty.
• Formation and secretion of milk from the mammary glands, as a consequence of the previous two factors.
• Swelling of the loop and the appearance of discharge from it. Why does this happen: when the concentration of prolactin, according to the daily cycle, falls, and progesterone increases, since these two hormones have a feedback mechanism.
• Loss of appetite. The mother's body is under stress and all resources are directed towards raising the offspring. This lowers the priority of all other life systems.

Changes in behavior

How does falsehood begin?

1. When the moment comes when the female is ready to mate, her body has increased estrogen and pheromone levels, attracting males. If the rest of the dogs in the social group are ready for mating physiologically and morally, then individuals who do not want to mate are still subject to hormonal changes.
2. During the mating process there should be fertilization of the uterus, after which the processes of “motherhood” are launched. This is provided by nature by default. That is, the options in which the mating is interrupted, the puppies were born unhealthy and died, a miscarriage occurred or intrauterine death of the fetus are unnatural and do not interrupt the hormonal cycle.
3. Dogs lack the part of their brain responsible for logical cause-and-effect relationships. First of all, it is controlled age and seasonal instincts. She looks at the dogs around her and adapts to the circumstances.

REFERENCE! In case of hormonal abnormalities, injuries or death of the mother, her puppies begin to be fed by other, usually childless, females.

How to prevent it?

The only way to prevent pregnancy is limit dog contact with other members of the pack during puberty and adulthood. If a dog was adopted by people into a family as a puppy, and grew up without communication with other females, its instincts will be in an inactive state.

You can also carry out HRT (hormone replacement therapy), I regulate hormone levels manually. But this method can have side effects and affect the dog’s health and future ability to have healthy offspring. In addition, the procedure is expensive and requires constant monitoring of tests.

Can the symptoms be eliminated?

To speed up the course of a false pregnancy you need to:

• Eliminate everything from the female's diet dairy and lactose-containing products(milk, whey, cottage cheese). This will reduce the volume of milk or stop lactation altogether.
• Limit water consumption(if you fed your dog dry food, switch it to regular food, because access to water will be temporarily limited). To avoid harm to your health, increase the amount of liquid food.
• Reduce your usual portion of food, but increase the number of meals.
• Exercise your pet physically. Create conditions in which she will move more in order to divert her attention and normalize her physical and psychological state, as well as distract her from caring for imaginary offspring.
• Don't express milk- this will only increase its production, since the dog thinks that puppies drink its milk and needs more of it.
• Hide all the toys(especially those that look like dogs), limit your dog's exposure to other puppies and females.

IMPORTANT! With some types of poisoning, dogs exhibit similar symptoms, including discharge of fluid from the nipples. But this substance is mucus that passes through the skin under the influence of pressure in the abdominal cavity.

In this case, fluid accumulates in the stomach and intestines, which is difficult to remove and interferes with digestion. Just in case, if you experience bloating and fluid discharge visit your veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis.

How to avoid relapse?

As described above, a dog living in a social group (pack) undergoes massive seasonal changes, which does not depend on its desire to mate. The changes are hormonal in nature, and their mechanism of action resembles unconditioned reflexes.

Neither sterilization nor childbirth stops this process, since its frequency and chance of occurrence is determined by genetic predisposition.

In other words: if a dog was born to become a mother, this will happen in any successful case. With or without reason, symptoms of false pregnancy will arise, and each time the female will be sure that her mother’s hour has come.

Useful video

In this video, the veterinarian will talk about the causes, as well as symptoms and treatment of false pregnancy in dogs:

Conclusion

Sometimes the brain and body deceive us, giving us wishful thinking. And if a person can objectively assess his condition or be diagnosed by a doctor, then our smaller brothers rely only on the call of nature and primitive instincts. Watch closely for the health, mood, behavior of your pet, because we are responsible for those we have tamed.

In contact with

Pseudopregnancy can hardly be called a disease. This is a physiological condition, the symptoms of which are observed periodically in 60% of non-pregnant females. During this syndrome, the bitch exhibits all lactation in the absence of fertilization. Signs of pseudopregnancy mainly appear 1-2 months after pregnancy, most often in older females, regardless of whether they have brought puppies before or not.

What is a false pregnancy in a dog, its causes and how long does it last?

As a result of false pregnancy syndrome, dogs experience mental and physiological changes. The exact reasons for the development of this condition have not yet been identified. There is an assumption that it occurs as a reaction to hormonal changes at the end of estrus due to excessive production of the lactogenic hormone.

Causes of the syndrome:

• irregular breeding activity;
• metritis (purulent inflammatory processes);
• uneven or excessive production of a hormone that should only be produced during pregnancy.

In the third phase of the estrous cycle, females produce corpus luteum producing pregnancy hormone. If fertilization has occurred, other types of hormones come into play. If there is no pregnancy, the corpus luteum is gradually depleted and the body returns to its previous work. The lifespan of the corpus luteum lasts, like pregnancy, up to 70 days. It turns out that, regardless of whether fertilization has occurred or not, pregnancy hormones are released in the female’s body and their quantity determines how pronounced the symptoms of pseudo-pregnancy will be.

If the female has gone through mating, the cause of her false pregnancy may be the resorption or death of the embryos. Embryos can be absorbed up to 4 weeks into pregnancy. The offspring may die due to changes in housing conditions, incompatibility of male and female, or violation of the feeding regime.

During this period, females maternal behavior is observed and milk is produced. Most bitches begin to carry small toys and shoes around the house and put them in their bed. A severe case is considered to be the situation when the female begins to tense up, as during childbirth.

What are the signs of false pregnancy in dogs? Pseudopregnancy begins 5-8 weeks after estrus. During this process, the female mammary glands swell with the subsequent production of milk, the animal begins to whine and build a nest for itself. Outbursts of aggression may occur.

Clinical symptoms also include loss of appetite, desire for solitude and refusal to walk. In some females these symptoms can be pronounced, in others they go unnoticed.

In particularly severe cases There is lameness on the hind legs, a stiff gait and unsteadiness of the rear. Here it is necessary to exclude the possibility of developing diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Treatment of false pregnancy in dogs

Most cases of false pregnancy do not need treatment. Signs of neurosis will go away much faster if you take away from the female all the toys that she mistook for puppies. In the absence of incentives for further lactation, signs of pregnancy may subside spontaneously.

If a false pregnancy is acute, is accompanied by apathy, restricting the diet does not contribute to improvement, it is imperative to visit a doctor.

The most effective treatment in this case is hormonal therapy. Preparations containing estrogens, progestogens, androgens and their combinations should be used with caution. The consequences of taking them can manifest themselves in baldness at the injection site or discoloration of the fur, the return of lactation after stopping the drug, etc.

Hormonal therapy should not be used in females who have not reached puberty or during their first estrus. Such treatment is not harmless to the animal’s body and can have many consequences.

If a female has ever experienced pseudopregnancy, this condition may return to her after each heat. If this happens all the time, and the female has no breeding value, she is recommended to avoid problems with oncology.

Pseudopregnancy can damage not only the animal’s nervous system, but also its physical health, since milk stagnation may cause inflammation of the mammary glands.

Taking action in advance it is possible to prevent the onset of the syndrome. On the 12th day after estrus, you need to count down on the calendar and mark 9 weeks. A couple of days before this date, it is necessary to reduce the amount of feeding the animal by three times and give a minimum of liquid. After the marked period, the bitch does not need to be fed for a couple of days. Such measures will not cause any harm to the animal. Diet restrictions should be followed for another 3-5 days while nipple swelling is observed. In order not to irritate the animal, it is better not to eat or prepare food in its presence.

With increased exercise (walking long distances) and reduced fluid and carbohydrate intake, milk production will decrease. Specially express it or drag the udder Absolutely forbidden. Those females who suck milk themselves need to wear a blanket. If the glands sag too much, they can be tied with an elastic bandage or towel. As an exception, such milk can be used to feed other people's puppies.

Myths about false pregnancy in dogs

There is a false belief among dog breeders that bitches who have had a false pregnancy are more susceptible to pyometra than others. What these two phenomena have in common is that they develop at the same stage of the cycle. The risk of developing pyometra occurs only in those animals that have undergone hormonal treatment.

Another common myth is the ability to have the litter will save the female from pseudo-pregnancy for life. This technique works very rarely - in 15% of cases.

Video about false pregnancy in dogs

We invite you to watch a video where you will learn general information about false pregnancy in dogs, its causes, symptoms and other useful information on this topic.

Some dog breeders claim that after sterilization the animal experiences urinary incontinence. Is it so? Should a female be spayed to prevent a false pregnancy? Readers who have encountered a similar problem can leave your opinion by filling out a special form.

False pregnancy is not a disease. This is a complex psychophysical deviation not only in the animal’s hormonal system, but also in the body as a whole. The consequences of this condition become pathology. It manifests itself in various species of animals, but specifically in canines this condition is most pronounced. And in a breed such as the dachshund, pseudo-pregnancy is generally unofficially considered a breed feature.

The essence of the condition, the causes of its occurrence

False whelping (or, as dog handlers more often call it, “spoon”) occurs after the end of estrus, on average, after 4-8 weeks. Also, a similar condition is observed after an unsuccessful mating, when fertilization has not occurred. The dog's body begins to produce the same set of hormones that are usually produced during real pregnancy. In parallel with this, internal changes are accompanied by corresponding symptoms - the bitch exhibits signs of “nesting” in her behavior, the mammary glands swell, colostrum begins to be released, and even milk appears from the nipples during a false pregnancy, as during natural successful fertilization.

If we do not take into account the historical prerequisites for the occurrence of hormonal pregnancy, then the main cause is considered to be disturbances during the sexual cycle. The cycle itself is divided into 4 main periods:

• Proestrus (the period of time before estrus when the body prepares eggs for potential fertilization).
• Estrus (heat period).
• Metaestrus (the time after estrus when the corpus luteum regresses in the absence of fertilization).
• Anestrus (a period of hormonal rest when females have no sexual activity).

A “disruption” in the hormonal system is observed during the period of metaestrus. A physiological feature of dogs is the period of regression of the corpus luteum, which is equal to the period of pregnancy. Those. the corpus luteum functions fully at the time of regression over the next 2 months, regardless of the presence of fertilization or its absence. Also during this period, the same hormones are produced and in approximately the same quantities. The slightest deviation in their work, and the level immediately leans towards the “pregnant” side, increasing the production of progesterone. After the failure, after the indicated 2 months, prolactin is added to progesterone, which stimulates milk production, because the body begins to prepare for feeding the supposedly born puppies. Here’s the explanation: there are hormones, but there are no puppies.

Absolutely all females are prone to this condition, regardless of size, age or breed, i.e. Potentially every dog ​​is on the verge between a false or natural pregnancy.

The main clinical symptoms of false pregnancy, its consequences

The intensity of the clinical manifestations depends on the intensity of the hormonal imbalance. The main thing to note is that the more symptomatically pseudopregnancy manifests itself, the greater the danger this condition poses to the health and life of the dog. Clinically, changes manifest themselves in two directions - behavioral and physiological. With a false pregnancy, the symptoms practically coincide with normal pregnancy, and only the absence of fetal movements will “tell” that the pregnancy is not real.

How long does a false pregnancy last in a dog? Without complications, on average, this condition lasts about 2-3 weeks.

The main physiological symptoms include:

• swelling of the mammary glands, production and further release of colostrum and milk;
• enlargement and swelling of the loop, serous-mucous or brownish discharge from it (although, in general, discharge during a false pregnancy is not necessary);
• decreased or increased appetite, signs of toxicosis;
• increased body temperature;
• slight increase in abdominal volume;
• signs of pseudo-labor with pseudo-contractions are possible.

Specific behavioral signs:

• increased anxiety, whining;
• decreased vital activity, apathy (the animal refuses to run/jump/play, is passive, cannot be trained);
• signs of “nesting” are clearly monitored (the dog persistently builds a “nest” for future puppies, hides in sheltered places);
• dragging soft toys into the “den”, treating them like puppies (licking, protecting, placing them near the stomach);
• transfer of maternal instinct to other small domestic animals or even humans;
• aggressive defense of the “nest” (in severe cases).

The state of imaginary puppiness itself does not directly threaten the dog with anything. The consequences are dangerous and can cause significant harm to the animal’s health with a certain probability of death.

Dangers of an imaginary pregnancy:

• persistent, irreversible nervous disorders (literally the dog can go crazy);
• purulent mastitis (inflammation of the mammary glands due to milk stagnation);
• endometritis, turning into chronic sepsis (inflammation of the uterine mucosa, turning into chronic sepsis);
• pyometra (purulent inflammation in the uterus - the most dangerous consequence with a high mortality rate in dogs);
• oncology of the mammary glands and reproductive system organs.

First aid for pseudopregnancy and prevention of occurrence

The condition of imaginary pregnancy usually goes away on its own within a few weeks and it often does not require any special action. The owner of a pet can only alleviate its condition somewhat with simple manipulations. If a false pregnancy occurs in a dog, what every owner of a bitch should know to do:

• exclude all dairy products from the diet and limit access to liquid in doses so as not to stimulate lactation;
• transfer the bitch from dry food to regular food in order to eliminate the additional stimulus of thirst, as well as reduce the consumption of protein products, including meat;
• reduce the standard serving size of food given;
• try to physically exercise the dog - walks, active games with a ball or a stick, etc. This will help her distract from the imaginary care of non-existent puppies;
• It is forbidden to express milk, so as not to provoke its additional production. Stop the dog’s attempts to lick (suck) milk from its nipples on its own (you can wear a special bandage or blanket);
• remove from sight toys and, if possible, small pets that are perceived by the bitch as imaginary puppies;
• if the mammary glands are engorged, you can make compresses from bread crumb and honey, aloe juice or cabbage leaves (preferably at night).

With minor clinical manifestations of imaginary pregnancy, all of the above actions will help the dog survive this unpleasant period without much harm to health. It is also possible to speed up the process of its return to normal. If the symptoms persist or even intensify, it is quite possible that the animal will not be able to be helped without medication.

All of the above measures are also suitable for preventing the occurrence of hormonal imbalances in bitches. Starting from 9-10 days after the cessation of estrus, you need to reduce food portions and the amount of water consumed, exclude meat and dairy products, and increase physical activity. In other words, conditions are created for the animal that will be perceived by the hormonal system as unfavorable for the birth of offspring. All this will mitigate or completely eliminate false pregnancy syndrome.

IMPORTANT: if the first signs of a false pregnancy have been detected in a bitch, the owner should under no circumstances scold or punish the animal for unusual behavior. The dog cannot control its instinctive state, because... everything happens at the hormonal level. But such an attitude can bring your pet closer to a nervous breakdown.

If the animal does not represent any breed value and the owner’s plans do not include regular mating and breeding of puppies, sterilization is considered one of the most reasonable and humane ways to prevent exacerbation of the pseudopregnancy condition, as well as other gynecological problems and even problems with oncology. It is important to have time to perform the operation in a state of hormonal rest (anestrus period) or immediately after a false pregnancy, removing both the uterus and ovaries. It is impossible to sterilize at the very peak of the “false” state.

Some breeders use pseudo-pregnancy for good - for example, they feed puppies of other bitches who, for some reason, cannot do this themselves. In such cases, this condition may drag on, although it will cause less harm to the dog’s health than treatment.

Drug assistance for false pregnancy

In the event that a dog has a false pregnancy, only a specialist can tell you how to treat it. For treatment, medications are selected only by a veterinarian and only after preliminary appropriate studies: ultrasound, blood test for hormones and a smear to monitor vaginal flora.

When prescribing medications, the following are taken into account:

• breed, weight and temperament of the animal;
• severity and duration of “imaginary” symptoms;
• how many times the condition occurred;
• whether further mating of the bitch is planned;
• state of the reproductive system and hormonal levels.

Medicines are hormonal and homeopathic. Hormonal drugs have many side effects, and their use is associated with some risks. Homeopathic medicines have fewer side effects, but their use takes longer and is more expensive. Throughout the treatment, the dog must be under veterinary supervision, because... Any drugs - be it hormonal or homeopathic - can have specific side effects, which must be identified in time and their consequences prevented.

Homeopathic remedies

• Ovariovitis
• Ovarium Compositum
• Phytoelite Cytostat
• Gormel
• Galastop

Hormonal drugs

• Naloxone
• Bromocriptine
• Nonestron

Conclusions:

• pseudopregnancy is not a disease, it is, in fact, a feature of the dog’s hormonal system;
• Treatment is not always required, sometimes everything goes away naturally;
• drug treatment is resorted to in the most extreme cases and only under the strict supervision of a veterinarian;
• Sterilization at the right time of the reproductive cycle can be an effective and humane method of prevention.

False pregnancy in dogs is not an abnormal pathology or a serious disease. A similar condition occurs in unfertilized and unmated females. And it manifests itself in the fact that the behavior is similar to pregnancy, physical signs develop. That is why the female has milk, but she is not pregnant. This pathology is typical for many viviparous mammals, but it is in dogs that it manifests itself most clearly.

Attentive dog owners are often concerned that the female is producing milk. This problem can often occur after estrus as there is a hormonal imbalance in the body leading to the symptom.

Hormonal imbalance does not depend on fertilization or its absence - the body begins to produce pregnancy hormones. Progesterone levels sharply decrease, while prolactin levels increase significantly. The hormone prolactin causes the mammary glands to enlarge, resulting in milk production. Swelling of the glands is dangerous because the milk begins to accumulate and, as a result, coagulates, forming lumps and thereby causing pain.

An interesting fact is that in the wild, females often experience the pathology of false pregnancy. This happens in a flock when not all females go into estrus, but still show all the signs of pregnancy. Subsequently, these females help feed the born puppies, so no serious changes occur in the dogs’ bodies - they realize their full potential.

False pregnancy in dogs and causes

The physiological changes occurring in the dog’s body have not yet been explained. There are many assumptions regarding the origin of this pathology. The main one is based on the fact that false pregnancy syndrome in dogs occurs as a reaction to hormonal imbalance after the end of estrus. During estrus, the level of lactogenic hormone increases.

The causes of pathology may be the following:

• not constant breeding activity, in other words - mating;
• purulent inflammatory processes that occur in the mammary glands - metritis, pyometra, etc.;
• increased levels of hormones produced only during pregnancy.

During the third phase of the estrous cycle, the production of corpus luteum begins, which creates the pregnancy hormone. If fertilization is successful, the production of other hormones begins, but if it fails, the corpus luteum remains in the female’s body for 70 days. It is during this period that the pregnancy hormone continues to be produced.

Another reason could be an unsuccessful pregnancy - resorption or death of the embryos. In other words, the puppies died at the developmental stage, but milk continues to be produced, since the dog is conditionally pregnant. Often, the risk of this pathology continues for 4 weeks of pregnancy. The risk is a consequence of violations in the conditions of keeping the female, incompatibility and due to malnutrition.

Symptoms of false pathology

The reason that the dog began to produce milk is precisely false pregnancy syndrome. The pathology can be mild or severe and cause various symptoms.

Physiological manifestations:

• the stomach is rounded;
• nipples swell;
• apathy;
• milk is released from the nipples;
• discharge occurs from the swollen loop;
• lack of appetite and refusal to eat;
• nausea.
• possible worms.

Behavior:

• change in gait - the female begins to fall on her hind legs;
• shows concern and even fear, often ignoring the environment;
• begins to fawn over the owner, asking for more attention;
• often hides in secluded corners of the room;
• As the deadline approaches, aggressiveness increases.

The manifestation of a change in the behavior of the animal is considered the most striking sign of a false pregnancy. Even a previously friendly dog ​​becomes wild towards its owners. It is impossible to say exactly what exactly influences this: the awakened maternal instinct or aggression arises due to the painfulness of the changes occurring in the body.

False contractions are considered a particularly severe symptom - the process is real, complicating the provision of assistance to the dog. The animal really feels the desire to give birth, contractions begin and continue for several hours, aggravating the situation.

Treatment of imaginary pregnancy

Dogs are no different from people, so at the first sign, for example, milk production, it is necessary to promptly contact a veterinarian and take care of the dog’s health. False pregnancy syndrome is quite dangerous not only for dogs, but also for owners. It is often accompanied by complete apathy and lethargy, refusal to eat, as well as serious changes in behavior.

Hormonal drugs are used as therapeutic therapy, which often have side effects. Before prescribing a medicine, the veterinarian must instruct the owners and warn them about the possible consequences. A dog’s false pregnancy can be accelerated by significantly simplifying its course:

• exclude all dairy products from the dog’s food, this will reduce the process of milk formation in the body and stop lactation;
• it is worth limiting fluid intake, even simple food;
• You should also reduce the size of your daily servings;
• the dog should be walked more often, forced to play active games (running, catching a stick, etc.) - this will help speed up the course of the pathology, maintain the animal’s physical shape and distract from worries about puppies on a subconscious level;
• you need to remove most of the toys and limit the dog’s interaction with other four-legged animals, especially puppies.

Frightened by the first signs, owners often begin to think about how to express milk from a dog. This should not be done as it may harm the dog's health. Expressing milk will trigger additional lactation. It is recommended to use a veterinary blanket to prevent the dog from licking the milk itself - it will cover the animal's belly, preventing access to the nipples.

Since one of the characteristic signs of such a pathology is mastitis or, in other words, hardening of the dog’s nipples, it is recommended to lubricate them. A good item would be camphor oil - it will soften the nipples and reduce pain. In addition, you can use compresses with the same oil to avoid recurrence of the situation after absorption.

Your pet's daily diet should be changed. A unique diet should consist of protein foods, as well as foods rich in carbohydrates. In this case, you should completely exclude any products that contain milk. As mentioned above, you should limit your pet’s consumption of any liquid. To do this, you should exclude dry food from the diet, which makes you want to drink, and switch the dog to natural food.

If you have a Dachshund or Pekingese, then this has already happened.

It is also recommended to give your pet light sedatives - an herbal infusion, for example. This will allow you to overcome aggression in the dog’s behavior, since sedatives will affect its nervous system and significantly calm it down.

Remember that your pet is scared - physiologically she feels like she is pregnant, but she is not. She may also be frightened by all actions aimed at easing the course of the disease. This is why you should give your dog as much attention as possible. Thus, she will overcome the disease faster.

False pregnancy syndrome is a hormonal disorder that causes stress for the dog. This is why it is not recommended to scold or punish an animal. It is entirely possible to prevent the occurrence of such a syndrome only by completely sterilizing the animal.

Often, owners deceived by a false pregnancy begin to worry that the dog has little milk and what to do about it. This is what leads to the wrong decision - expressing milk. Milk stagnation is no less dangerous, so when the first signs appear, you should immediately contact a veterinarian to find out what is happening to the dog.

What do you prefer to feed your pets?

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Porridge with various additives 46%, 8409 votes