What should I do if a dog is fake pregnancy? Prevention measures for dogs with fake pregnancy!

Some owners are curious that their dogs are living under their noses and have never mate with male dogs, but they seem to be pregnant. Not only do they practice holding cubs, but they even secrete milk from their breasts. In fact, this is because of fake pregnancy, and the dog mistakenly thinks that he is going to be a mother. However, why do dogs behave like this? What should the owner do?

What is pseudo-pregnancy?

Pseudo-pregnancy (hereinafter referred to as pseudo-pregnancy) refers to a mature female dog who has undergone physical changes and behavioral changes similar to pregnancy, such as having a tendency to breastfeed or building a nest for the cub, but does not give birth until the due date. Fake pregnancy is most common in female dogs 6 to 8 weeks after estrus, when it will cause this symptom due to hormone imbalance in the body. Depending on the severity of the problem, the symptoms may last for more than a month. Adult female dogs, elderly female dogs, and dogs that have been mated or not mated may have symptoms of fake pregnancy. The incidence of pseudo-pregnancy may be affected by age, breed, birth and environmental factors.

What are the symptoms of fake pregnancy in dogs?

Dogs with fake pregnancy will show different characteristics over time. In the early stages of fake pregnancy, the dog has a gentle personality and looks no different from usual, but there will be reactions such as a sharp increase/decreasing appetite, vomiting or diarrhea. In the middle stage, the dog's breast glands begin to develop, become swollen, the abdominal circumference will increase, weight gain, drowsiness, and may also have aggressive behavior. When labor is approaching, the dog will be anxious, anorexia, and will become more aggressive. It will also start to build nests for the cubs. It will often hold the toys to somewhere, and its breasts will also begin to produce milk or brown liquid. At this time, the dog will protect its toys very much because it imagines the toys as cubs, so it is best not to compete with it for toys at will. The maternal instinct is enhanced and it is willing to feed the cubs of other female dogs.

If the dog is a fake pregnancy caused by endocrine disorders, the above symptoms will disappear on their own after 2 to 4 weeks.

What should I do if a dog is pregnant?

If it is a mild vacation pregnancy, you can not need treatment because the symptoms will disappear within about 2 to 4 weeks. The owner can press the breasts at home to help it discharge secreted milk, relieve its swelling, and also bring an Elizabethan circle to it, which can prevent it from licking and stimulating the secretion of milk.

After that period, the dog is still unwell, has a great reaction, or has serious behavior changes, so the owner needs to take it to the hospital for treatment. Doctors may use tranquilizers to relieve its anxiety, diuretic treatments to reduce its milk production, and in rare cases, hormone therapy may be required. If you don’t want your dog to mate and reproduce, it is best to sterilize it in advance to avoid fake pregnancy. If a dog already has symptoms of fake pregnancy, it needs to wait until all the symptoms are relieved before sterilization can be performed.

Owners should pay more attention to the dog's behavioral reaction. If they find signs of fake pregnancy, they should pay attention to the time period when the symptoms develop. After a period of time, the symptoms have not yet been relieved by themselves. They should take the dog to the doctor for diagnosis and treatment so that the condition will not be delayed.